Finishing a song is one of the best feelings in music. You’ve written it, recorded it, mixed it, and now you’re ready for people to hear it.
Then reality bites.
How do you actually get that track onto Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and everywhere else?
A quick Google search throws up dozens of online music distributors. Some promise to be the cheapest. Some say they’re the fastest. Others take a cut of your royalties, while some claim you keep 100 percent. Very quickly, the whole thing becomes overwhelming.
Let’s strip it back and look at what music distribution really is, how these services charge, and what you actually need to release your music.
What Does a Music Distributor Actually Do?
At its core, a music distributor does one simple job.
They take your audio file, your artwork, your song title, and your metadata, and they deliver it to streaming platforms and online stores.
They don’t promote your music. They don’t make it go viral. They don’t pitch it to playlists or market it for you. A distributor is essentially the middleman between you and the streaming services.
Once you understand that, a lot of the confusion around music distribution starts to disappear.
Where things get messy is how distributors charge for this service and what’s included in the price.
Some charge a yearly subscription. Some charge per release. Some take a percentage of your royalties. Others advertise zero commission but make their money elsewhere.
On paper, many of these services look similar. In practice, the details matter.
DistroKid: Cheap Up Front, Costly Over Time
DistroKid is often described as one of the cheapest music distributors available.
For a low annual fee, you can upload as much music as you like under one artist name and keep 100 percent of your royalties. That sounds like excellent value at first glance.
The catch is in the extras.
If you ever stop paying your subscription, your music is removed from streaming platforms unless you pay an additional one time fee per song or per album to keep it online permanently.
Content ID is another add on. This is the system that detects when your music is used in YouTube videos and helps you earn money from those uses. With DistroKid, Content ID is charged per release, every single year. It’s not a one time fee.
Those optional costs can quietly stack up over time, which changes the value proposition quite a bit.
TuneCore: Clearer Pricing, But No Safety Net
TuneCore sits at a slightly higher price point and offers several yearly plans.
Unlike DistroKid, Content ID is included, which simplifies things. However, there’s no legacy option at all.
If you stop paying TuneCore, your music is taken down from streaming platforms.
For some artists, that’s fine. For others, especially those releasing music long term, it’s an important consideration.
LANDR: A More Balanced Approach
LANDR is the distribution service I personally use and recommend.
Their mid tier plan makes the most sense for most independent artists. You can release as much music as you want for one yearly fee, Content ID is included, and legacy protection is built in by default.
If you cancel your subscription, your music stays online permanently, with a small royalty share applied instead. That safety net alone makes a big difference for many artists.
On top of distribution, LANDR also includes features like Shazam and Siri recognition, royalty splits for collaborators, and the ability to set custom release times. These are small details, but they add up to a smoother release process.
No matter which distributor you choose, the release process itself is broadly the same.
You’ll need:
- A finished audio file, usually a WAV
- Square artwork that meets platform requirements
- Your song title and artist name
- Metadata, including songwriter information and release date
Once uploaded, you select which platforms you want to distribute to, confirm your details, and schedule the release.
After that, it’s mostly a waiting game while the platforms process your submission.
Choosing the Right Distributor
There’s no single best distributor for everyone.
The right choice depends on how often you release music, whether you care about long term availability, and how much value you place on things like Content ID and royalty splits.
The most important thing is understanding what you’re paying for and what happens if you ever stop paying.
Once you understand that, music distribution becomes far less intimidating.
Final Thoughts
Music distribution doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be understood.
If you’re just starting out, focus on clarity over cost. Choose a service that matches how you actually plan to release music, not just the cheapest headline price.
If you want a deeper, step by step walkthrough of the release process, including exactly what to upload and where, there’s a full video version at the top of this article.