Music Distribution Guide

Music distribution is the process of delivering your recordings to streaming platforms, download stores, and physical retailers. For most artists, this means working with a digital distributor (also called an aggregator) that sends your music to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, and dozens of other platforms worldwide.

Distribution used to require a label deal. Now it requires a credit card and 15 minutes. That accessibility is the good news. The catch is that the differences between distributors matter more than most artists and teams realize, and the wrong choice can cost you money, rights, or catalog continuity.

This guide covers how distribution works, how to choose a distributor, the metadata details that matter more than you think, and how to switch distributors without losing everything you have built.

How Distribution Works

The basic flow is the same regardless of which distributor you use.

1. You finish your release: mastered audio files, cover artwork, and metadata (title, artist name, credits, genre, release date).

2. You upload everything to your distributor with the release details.

3. The distributor formats your files and metadata to each platform's specifications and delivers them.

4. Platforms process the release. This takes anywhere from 1 day to 4 weeks depending on the platform and whether you need editorial consideration.

5. Your release goes live on the scheduled date.

6. Fans stream, download, or purchase your music.

7. Platforms calculate your share of their royalty pool and pay your distributor.

8. Your distributor pays you, minus their fee (if any).

The distributor is the bridge between your hard drive and every streaming platform. You cannot upload directly to Spotify, Apple Music, or most other major platforms without one. The distributor handles the technical delivery, metadata formatting, payment processing, and in some cases additional services like YouTube Content ID and playlist pitching.

Types of Distribution

Digital Aggregators (Self-Distribution)

This is the standard for artists releasing music without a label. You pay a fee (annual, per-release, or commission-based), upload your music, and the aggregator delivers it everywhere. You retain ownership of your masters and collect the majority or all of your royalties.

Examples: DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Amuse, UnitedMasters, Ditto.

Best for: Artists and small teams who want full control over their catalog, own their masters, and handle their own marketing and promotion.

Label Distribution

Labels have distribution deals with companies like The Orchard (Sony), ADA (Warner), Virgin Music Group (Universal), SoundOn (TikTok), or EMPIRE. When an artist signs a record deal, the label handles distribution as part of the agreement. The artist does not interact with the distributor directly. Distribution is bundled into the label's services alongside marketing, radio promotion, and sometimes A&R support.

Best for: Artists with label deals. Also relevant for managers and teams evaluating whether a label's distribution infrastructure justifies the deal terms. Understanding how label distribution works helps you assess what you are actually getting in exchange for what you are giving up. See Record Deals Explained for how to evaluate that trade-off.

Distribution-Plus Services

Some distributors offer services beyond basic delivery: editorial playlist pitching, marketing support, sync licensing, radio promotion, or advance funding. These enhanced services come at a cost, usually a percentage of your royalties (typically 10-30%) or a higher tier subscription.

Examples: AWAL, Stem, UnitedMasters (select tier), some DistroKid add-ons.

Best for: Artists and teams who want some label-adjacent services without signing a traditional deal. Evaluate carefully: what percentage are you giving up, for how long, and what specific services are you receiving? "Marketing support" can mean anything from a dedicated campaign manager to an automated email. Ask for specifics before committing.

Choosing a Distributor

The differences come down to five factors: pricing model, royalty split, platform reach, features, and contract terms.

Pricing Models

Annual subscription. Pay a flat yearly fee, upload unlimited releases, keep 100% of royalties. DistroKid is the most prominent example ($22-$36/year depending on plan). Best for artists who release frequently, since the per-release cost decreases the more you release.

Per-release fee. Pay per single or album upload. TuneCore charges $9-$15 per single, $29-$50 per album, with annual renewal fees to keep releases active. Keep 100% of royalties. Better for artists who release infrequently and want to pay only for what they use.

Commission-based. Pay a smaller upfront fee (or none), and the distributor takes a percentage of your royalties (typically 9-15%). CD Baby charges a one-time fee plus 9% commission. Releases stay active permanently with no renewal. Better for artists who want a predictable, low-maintenance model.

Free tier. No upfront cost, but the distributor takes a larger royalty percentage (10-30%) or limits features. Amuse and UnitedMasters offer free tiers. Best for artists testing the process with no budget. Upgrade once revenue justifies the cost.

The Comparison Table

The Most Important Question: Catalog Retention

This matters more than pricing, more than features, more than anything else on the comparison list.

Some distributors remove your music from all platforms if you stop paying your annual fee or cancel your account. Others keep your music live permanently, even after you leave.

If you release 50 songs over 5 years and then need to switch distributors, you need to know whether your entire catalog stays live during the transition. A gap in availability means lost streams, broken playlist placements, disrupted algorithmic momentum, and potentially losing your Spotify for Artists verification.

Before signing up with any distributor, confirm in writing: What happens to my releases if I cancel my subscription or close my account? Read the terms of service. Do not rely on marketing copy or FAQ pages that may be vague on this point.

The Distribution Timeline

Different platforms have different processing times. Plan your upload accordingly.

The rule: Upload your release to your distributor at least 4 weeks before your release date. This gives platforms time to process, gives you the editorial pitch window on Spotify for Artists (which requires at least 7 days before release, ideally 3-4 weeks) and Apple Music for Artists, and provides buffer for metadata errors, rejected artwork, or processing delays.

Rushing the upload is one of the most common and most preventable mistakes in release planning. For a full release timeline, see How to Plan a Music Release Step by Step.

Metadata: The Details That Break Things

Metadata is the information attached to your release: song title, artist name, featured artists, genre, language, ISRC code, UPC code, credits, lyrics, and more. Getting metadata wrong creates problems that range from annoying to career-damaging, and many of them are difficult to fix after release.

Mistakes That Cost You

Inconsistent artist name. "John Smith" on one release and "John D. Smith" on another creates two separate artist profiles on streaming platforms. Your streams split across two profiles. Your algorithmic history splits. Your Spotify for Artists data splits. Fixing this after the fact requires contacting each platform individually and waiting weeks for a merge. Pick one exact spelling and use it on every release, every time.

Wrong genre tags. Genre and subgenre tags feed the algorithm. If your indie folk song is tagged "Hip-Hop," it gets recommended to listeners who do not want it, performs poorly, and signals to the algorithm that nobody engages with your music. The algorithm does not know you tagged it wrong. It just stops recommending you.

Missing or reused ISRC codes. An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is the unique identifier for each recording. Your distributor typically generates these automatically. If you switch distributors, you must carry your existing ISRC codes to the new distributor so platforms recognize the recordings as the same tracks. New ISRCs on the same recordings mean your stream counts reset and your songs appear as duplicates.

Sloppy credits. Producer, songwriter, and engineer credits affect royalty distribution and discoverability. Platforms increasingly surface credit data, and organizations like the Grammys use it for eligibility. Incorrect or missing credits are not just disrespectful to collaborators. They are operationally costly.

Wrong explicit content flag. If your song contains explicit content and you do not flag it, some platforms may remove it after the fact. If you flag a clean song as explicit, you lose access to listeners with parental controls enabled. Get this right at upload.

The Pre-Release Metadata Checklist

Before you hit upload, verify every item:

• Artist name matches exactly across all previous releases and all platforms

• Song title is spelled correctly, including feature credits (pick a format: "feat." or "ft." and be consistent)

• ISRC code is assigned (new release) or carried over (re-release or distributor switch)

• UPC/EAN code is assigned for the release

• Genre and subgenre are accurate

• All songwriter and producer credits are listed with correct spelling

• Explicit content flag is set correctly

• Cover art meets platform specifications (minimum 3000x3000 pixels, JPG or PNG, RGB color mode, no blurry or pixelated images, no misleading text)

• Release date is correct

• Language is set correctly (affects which markets the algorithm surfaces you in)

A Note for Managers and Labels

If you manage a roster or run a label, metadata consistency across artists is an ongoing operational challenge. Build a metadata template that every release goes through before upload. Include a verification step where someone other than the uploader confirms the artist name spelling, credits, and ISRC assignments. Metadata errors compound across a roster, and cleaning them up after the fact across multiple platforms is significantly more work than getting them right once.

Distribution vs. Everything Else

Distribution is delivery. That is all it does. This distinction matters because many artists and teams confuse distribution with marketing and are disappointed when streams do not materialize after upload.

Distribution does: Get your music onto platforms. Collect streaming royalties. Generate ISRC codes. Provide basic streaming analytics.

Distribution does not: Get you on playlists. Build your audience. Promote your release to press, blogs, or radio. Create content. Run ads. Manage your social media.

Some artists upload a song, set a release date, and wait for the streams to arrive. Nothing happens, because nobody knows the song exists. Distribution makes the product available. Marketing makes people aware of it. They are different jobs. A manager or team who assumes distribution handles promotion is setting up for a disappointing release.

For release marketing strategy, see How to Plan a Music Release Step by Step and How to Promote Your Music.

Physical Distribution

Physical distribution (vinyl, CDs, cassettes) is a separate process from digital.

Small runs (under 500 units). Use pressing plants or small-batch manufacturers. Sell through your website, Bandcamp, and at live shows. You handle fulfillment (shipping, packaging) yourself or through a service like ShipStation. Margins are strong when selling direct: a vinyl record that costs $10-$15 to manufacture sells for $25-$35.

Larger runs (500+ units). Work with a physical distributor that places your product in retail stores. This requires more capital upfront and is typically only viable for artists with an established audience or label support. Retail stores take 40-50% of the retail price, which cuts margins significantly compared to direct sales.

The calculation. Physical merch is a direct-to-fan revenue play for most artists. The margin on a vinyl sold at your show or through your website is excellent. The margin on a vinyl in a retail store is thin. Start with direct sales. Add retail distribution once demand justifies the inventory investment.

Switching Distributors

At some point, you may need or want to change distributors. Here is how to do it without losing your catalog, your stream counts, or your playlist placements.

Step 1: Record your ISRC and UPC codes. Before you do anything else, export or write down the ISRC code for every recording and the UPC code for every release in your current distributor. These are the keys that tell platforms "this is the same track." Losing them means starting over.

Step 2: Upload your catalog to the new distributor. Use the same ISRC codes. This tells Spotify, Apple Music, and every other platform that these are the same recordings. Your stream counts, playlist placements, and algorithmic history carry over.

Step 3: Confirm the new versions are live. Check each platform to verify your music is available through the new distributor before removing anything from the old one. You want zero gap in availability.

Step 4: Remove releases from the old distributor. Only after confirming the new versions are live. Some distributors have a delay between requesting takedown and actual removal, which works in your favor during the overlap period.

Step 5: Re-verify platform profiles. Your Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists, and other platform profiles may need to be re-verified or re-linked after the switch. Check each one and resolve any issues.

The timeline: Plan for the transition to take 2-4 weeks from first upload to the new distributor through full removal from the old one. Do not rush it. A gap in availability can cost you playlist placements that took months to earn and algorithmic momentum that is difficult to rebuild.

Common Mistakes

Rushing the upload. Uploading a week before release gives you no buffer for processing delays, metadata corrections, or the Spotify editorial pitch window. Upload 4 weeks early.

Ignoring metadata. Metadata errors are the most common source of post-release problems. An inconsistent artist name, wrong genre, or missing ISRC code can cost you streams, split your profile, or reset your history. Verify everything before upload.

Confusing distribution with promotion. Your distributor gets your music on platforms. Getting people to listen is a separate job that requires content, marketing, and audience building. Distribution without promotion is a product on a shelf that nobody walks past.

Not reading the terms of service. Specifically: catalog retention, exclusivity clauses, and what percentage the distributor takes (if any). These terms vary significantly between services and directly affect your income and control.

Losing ISRC codes during a switch. If you upload to a new distributor without your existing ISRCs, platforms treat your music as new releases. You lose stream counts, playlist placements, and algorithmic history. This is one of the most damaging and most avoidable mistakes in distribution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which distributor is the best?

There is no single best. The right choice depends on how often you release, how much you want to pay, and which features matter to you. DistroKid is popular for frequent releasers who want unlimited uploads at a flat annual fee. CD Baby is popular for artists who want permanent catalog hosting with no renewals. TuneCore is popular with established artists who want detailed analytics. Compare the factors in the table above based on your specific needs.

Do I need a distributor if I have a label?

If you are signed to a label, the label handles distribution. You do not need your own distributor for music released under that deal. However, if you have music outside the deal (unreleased projects, side projects, music you own independently), you may want your own distributor for that catalog.

Can I use multiple distributors at the same time?

Generally, no. Most distributors require that each recording is delivered to platforms through one distributor only. Uploading the same song through two distributors creates duplicates on platforms, which can result in takedowns and account issues. Exception: some distributors allow you to exclude specific platforms, which lets you use different distributors for different platform sets. This is unusual and adds complexity.

How do I get my music on TikTok and Instagram?

Most major distributors deliver to TikTok and Instagram/Facebook as standard platforms. When you upload a release, check the platform list and make sure TikTok and Instagram are included. If they are not, you may need to opt in or use an additional service.

What is an ISRC code and why does it matter?

An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a unique 12-character identifier assigned to each recording. It is how platforms identify your specific track across all services. Your distributor typically generates ISRCs automatically. You need to keep a record of them because they are essential for switching distributors, tracking royalties across collection entities, and ensuring your music is properly credited everywhere it appears.

Read Next:

• How to Plan a Music Release Step by Step

• Music Royalties Explained

Plan Your Release:

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