Distribution — Getting Your Music to the World
In 2026, getting your music on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and every other platform is faster and cheaper than ever. But choosing the right distributor determines how much of that streaming income you actually keep. The wrong choice can cost you thousands per year.
💰 Best Distributors (Keep 100%)
- DistroKid — $19.99/year, unlimited releases, 100% royalties, fast delivery
- TuneCore — $14.99/single, $29.99/album, 100% royalties, detailed reporting
- CD Baby — one-time fee per release, 91% royalties, keeps selling forever
- Amuse — free tier available, mobile-first, fast delivery
- DistroKid — Self's personal recommendation for independent producers
🚫 What to Avoid
- Any distributor taking more than 15% of royalties
- Contracts with exclusive lock-in periods of 5+ years
- Distributors that claim any ownership of your masters
- Platforms that bundle your content with other artists
- Services that charge per-stream fees above $0.004
Understanding Streaming Royalties
The Complete Distribution Strategy
Release Planning
Submit your release at least 2–4 weeks before the release date. Spotify editorial submission requires at least 7 days. DistroKid typically delivers within 24–48 hours, but earlier is always safer. Pitching to editorial playlists can add millions of streams.
Metadata Matters
Fill out ALL metadata fields completely and correctly: title, artist name, featured artists, producer credits, songwriter credits, ISRC codes, UPC codes, genre, mood tags. Wrong or missing metadata means lost royalties and lost discoverability.
Cover Art Requirements
3000×3000 pixels minimum, square format, JPEG or PNG, no explicit imagery (platform dependent), no URLs or social handles. Your cover art is the first impression on streaming platforms — invest in professional artwork.
Collect ALL Royalties
Register with SoundExchange for digital performance royalties. Claim your Spotify for Artists and Apple Music for Artists profiles immediately. These profiles give you real-time data and editorial submission access.
"I use DistroKid for independent releases. $19.99 per year to distribute unlimited music to 150+ platforms and keep 100% of the royalties. The music industry has never been more accessible. The only excuse for not being on streaming platforms in 2026 is not knowing about these tools — and now you know."
— Super Producer SelfModule Exercise
Set up a DistroKid account (or your preferred distributor). Upload one track — even an older one — with complete metadata. Claim your Spotify for Artists and Apple Music for Artists profiles. Register with SoundExchange. Once your music is live, share the link in the ELPD community for feedback. This is your first commercially distributed release.