Business
How Music Distribution Works (DistroKid, TuneCore & Friends)
Distributors are the bridge between your master and every streaming platform — same shelves for everyone, different toll models. Picking one is easier once you see the three pricing shapes.
What they actually do
Deliver your audio + metadata to Spotify/Apple/etc., collect the royalties, pass them to you, and (variably) handle extras: pre-saves, splits payments, YouTube Content ID, publishing administration. They don't promote — that's still you.
The three pricing shapes
Subscription (DistroKid-style): flat yearly fee, unlimited releases, you keep ~100% — best for frequent releasers. Per-release (TuneCore classic): pay per single/album — fine for rare drops. Royalty-cut (free uploaders): $0 upfront, they keep 10–20% forever — fine to start, expensive if you win.
Metadata without rejections
Exact artist name spelling (it creates/matches your profile), correct featured-artist fields (never in the title as 'ft.' — use the feature field), clean 3000×3000 art with no social handles or logos you don't own, and ISRC codes handled by the distributor unless you own some.
Timelines
Upload 3–4 weeks before release day: stores want lead time, editorial playlist pitching (via Spotify for Artists) closes ~1 week before, and rushed releases skip all of it. Friday is conventional but any day works for algorithmic purposes.
Switching distributors
You can migrate: upload at the new one with the SAME ISRCs and takedown at the old — streams and playlist placements follow the ISRC. Do the swap with overlap, never a gap.
Prep release art in one click →One cover → every store and social size, free.Frequently asked questions
Which distributor is best?
Frequent releasers: subscription model. One EP a year: per-release. Zero budget: royalty-cut to start, migrate when income justifies it.
How long until my song is on Spotify?
Typically 2–7 days after approval, but plan 3–4 weeks ahead for pitching and pre-saves.
Do distributors take my rights?
Standard distribution deals are non-exclusive delivery agreements — you keep your masters. Read for 'exclusive' and 'in perpetuity' anyway.