📊 Music Business
Deals, royalties, splits, ownership.
53 questions
How do I use harmonics in a mix without blurring transients?
My vocals sound harsh — what do I check first?
describe the difference between ownership and licensing of a beat
who is managed nirvana
best way to release a single in 2026?
What’s the best way to find a Music attorney?
How do I get my music heard without making social media content?
for an independent artist getting music placements on television and film, which PRS are they likely to get larger payouts from between ASCAP and BMI?
What should be in a split sheet?
Should an independent artist start a publishing company?
What is music publishing in plain English?
Which music distributor should I use?
What is the difference between ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR?
What is a producer agreement and why do I need one?
Should I sign with a record label or stay independent?
What is the difference between writer's share and publisher's share?
How do I distribute my music to Spotify and Apple Music?
**Title (unchanged):** How do I distribute my music to Spotify and Apple Music? You can't upload music directly to Spotify or Apple Music. You go through a **distributor** — a service that delivers your release to 150+ streaming and download platforms, collects royalties, and pays you. Here is exactly how to do it, what it costs, and which service to use for which situation. ### Step 1 — Pick a distributor The three honest categories in 2026: - **Flat annual fee, you keep 100% of royalties:** DistroKid (~$23/year unlimited), TuneCore (~$15/single, $50/album, getting cheaper), Amuse Pro. - **Free tier, you keep ~85%:** Amuse Free, Spotify for Artists (limited), Boost Collective. Good if you have zero budget. - **Revenue share + label services:** UnitedMasters, Stem, Vydia, AWAL (invite-only). Higher cut but real artist services. **Default pick for most independent artists:** DistroKid. Lowest friction, fastest delivery, owns the workflow most managers/labels know. **Avoid:** any service that asks for ownership of your masters, locks you into multi-year deals, or charges per-stream fees. ### Step 2 — Prepare your files correctly - **Audio:** 16-bit or 24-bit WAV, 44.1 kHz minimum. No MP3s. Mastered with appropriate loudness (−14 LUFS integrated is the streaming sweet spot, but don't crush a quiet song to hit it). - **Cover art:** 3000×3000 px, RGB, JPG or PNG, under 36 MB, no logos of streaming services, no website URLs, no misleading text. Spotify rejects covers with social handles. - **Metadata:** Exact artist name (consistent across releases), correct featured artist credits, ISRC codes (your distributor generates these automatically if you don't have your own), UPC code (also auto-generated). - **Songwriter credits:** Real legal names. This matters for publishing royalties. ### Step 3 — Schedule the release Always schedule **at least 3 weeks ahead**. Why: - Spotify editorial playlist pitching requires submission **7+ days before release**. - Apple Music editorial likes 2–4 weeks notice. - You need time to claim your Spotify for Artists and Apple Music for Artists profiles. - Pre-saves and pre-adds need time to build. Friday is the global new music day. Schedule for Friday at 00:00 local time. ### Step 4 — Claim your artist profiles - **Spotify for Artists:** spotify.com/artists. Lets you pitch to editorial, customize your profile, see analytics, post Canvas videos. - **Apple Music for Artists:** artists.apple.com. Similar feature set. - **YouTube Music:** claimed through a YouTube channel or via Content ID through your distributor. Pitch to Spotify editorial inside Spotify for Artists at least 7 days before release. Be specific about mood, instrumentation, and similar artists. ### Step 5 — Register for publishing royalties separately This is the step most independent artists miss and it leaves real money on the table. - **PRO** (Performing Rights Organization): ASCAP, BMI, SESAC in the US. PRS in the UK. SOCAN in Canada. They collect performance royalties. - **Mechanical royalties (US):** Register with The MLC (themlc.com). Free. Collects mechanical streaming royalties. - **Sync/publishing administration:** Songtrust, Sentric, CD Baby Pro, or a real publisher if you have one. Collects international and sync royalties. DistroKid and TuneCore offer publishing add-ons. They're convenient but take a percentage. Songtrust at a flat fee is usually a better long-term choice. ### Common mistakes 1. Uploading 48 hours before "release day" and being shocked when it isn't live. 2. Inconsistent artist name across releases (creates duplicate Spotify profiles). 3. Cover art with social handles or streaming logos → automatic rejection. 4. Never claiming Spotify for Artists, so you can't pitch to editorial. 5. Ignoring publishing royalties for years. 6. Releasing on too many distributors over time — pick one and stay. ### Pro tip Use a "pre-save" link service like Linkfire, ToneDen, or Hypeddit. Send fans there 2–4 weeks before release. Every pre-save acts like a release-day stream and helps trigger Spotify's algorithmic playlists (Release Radar, Discover Weekly). ### When to hire a pro Hire a publicist or radio plugger when you have a real budget ($1,500+) and a release worth pushing. Hire a publishing administrator (Songtrust etc.) as soon as your music is on streaming — it's a 15-minute setup that pays for itself with one decent placement.
What is sync licensing and how do artists get placements?
How does the music business actually work for independent artists?
How do I pitch my music for TV, film, ads, and games?
What is the difference between master rights and publishing rights?
What should I do before releasing a single?
How do I promote music without feeling fake or spammy?
How do I protect my music from being stolen?
What expenses can musicians track for taxes?
What happens if I release a song with an uncleared sample?
How do independent artists build a real fanbase?
How do I sell merch as an independent artist?
What should musicians post on social media?
How do I copyright a song?
What metadata do I need before releasing music?
What is a superfan and why does it matter?
How do I avoid scope creep with music clients?
How do musicians find grants and funding?
How can musicians make money on YouTube?
How should producers and engineers price their services?
How do musicians make money besides streaming?
What is a 360 deal and why is it controversial?
What is work-for-hire in music?
Why are streaming royalties so low?
What royalties does a producer earn?
Who owns the master recording?
What royalties does a songwriter earn?
Should I form an LLC for my music?
When does an LLC make sense? Also searched as: music LLC; incorporate as musician; artist business structure
How much does Spotify actually pay per stream?
Conflicting numbers everywhere. Also searched as: Spotify pay per stream; streaming royalties; how much do streams pay
Is selling merch actually worth it for indie artists?
T-shirts, vinyl, hoodies — what sells? Also searched as: sell band merch; artist merch tips; merch for indie musicians
How do I get on Spotify playlists?
Editorial playlists feel impossible. Other paths? Also searched as: Spotify playlist pitching; get on Discover Weekly; Spotify editorial
Which music distributor should I use?
DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby — what's actually different? Also searched as: best music distributor; DistroKid vs TuneCore; music distribution services
How do I get my music in TV and film?
Sync feels like a black box. Also searched as: sync licensing music; get music in film; sync library
Should I sign with a label or self-release?
Worth signing or stay independent? Also searched as: sign with label; self release vs label; music label deals
When do I actually need a music lawyer?
Worth the money for a bedroom producer? Also searched as: music lawyer when; entertainment attorney; contract review music
What's the difference between publishing and master royalties?
PRO, mechanical, master — I'm lost. Also searched as: publishing vs master rights; music royalty types; what is publishing royalty
When do I sign a split sheet?
Co-wrote a song. When and how do we paper it? Also searched as: songwriting splits; split sheet template; co-writer agreement