DistroKid allows you to release unlimited music to Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon and more from just $19.99 per year. Get 7% off your first year with this link.
DistroKid’s Support Center will always have the most up to date information, and if your question is not answered on their page, you can contact DistroKid.
Watch the video about my 10 most asked questions.
Music Release Checklist
- Artist Name – make it unique
- Track/album name – follow the guidelines and best practices
- Album art – 3,000 x 3,000 minimum and follow the guidelines
- Audio file – WAV, 24-bit, 44.1kHz minimum – check it carefully
- Check everything again – get it right the first time – changes are a pain!
Top 10 Questions I get asked about releasing music with DistroKid (updated November 2020)
(Note – this information is provided in good faith, however I am not a representative of DistroKid, and information may change without notice)
- Why is my album art rejected?
- Stores (and DistroKid) have some requirements when it comes to album art
- Typical reasons are that the image is not high resolution (at least 1,000 x 1,000 pixels), contains unrelated text, uses blurry or low quality images, uses stock or unlicensed photos, or contains graphic or inappropriate images
- Check DistroKid’s album art requirements on their FAQ for more
- Why is my audio file rejected?
- Audio must be in a standard media codec, and DistroKid supports WAV, MP3, AIFF, CDDA, M4A, Windows Media (WMA), or FLAC
- Supported bit depth and sample rates are either 16-bit or 24-bit, and 44.1kHz to 96kHz
- 32-bit or 192kHz audio may not be accepted, and compressed formats (MP3, M4A) are not recommended due to the fact that stores and streaming platforms will compress your files again
- Check DistroKid’s audio file information on their FAQ for more
- Can I release cover songs?
- Yes, you can, however it will cost an additional $12 per year, and there are a number of things to consider before releasing.
- Check DistroKid’s cover song information on their FAQ for more
- Can I use samples in my songs?
- The short answer is no, unless you have permission or a specific license to do so
- Loops and samples that are free for commercial use, like those included in GarageBand, are generally fine to use in your songs
- Check DistroKid’s sample information on their FAQ
- When will my song be released?
- Times vary depending on a number of factors, but generally you’re looking at around 5-7 days to hit all stores and streaming platforms
- Manual reviews are possible at times which will lengthen this time, and I’ve found Spotify tend to take longest, while Google Play/YouTube is usually very quick
- Currently (June 2020) there are additional delays reported of up to 6 weeks as I mention in this video
- Check DistroKid’s release time information on their FAQ
- How can I edit a released song?
- You can use the edit release option to change the album title, record label, release date, track names and preview clip times for existing releases
- Artist names can NOT be changed – streaming service don’t allow this, and won’t let you re-upload a song with a new artist name if all other meta data matches
- Check DistroKid’s change request information on their FAQ
- How can I remove/delete a song?
- Use the “edit release” option and then choose the “remove” option
- If you need to change the audio file, track order, or other meta data (apart from artist name, which can’t be changed), you can re-release once deleted
- Check DistroKid’s delete release information on their FAQ
- Why do I need to provide tax information?
- Note: Always consults an accountant or tax professional when considering options related to income and tax
- DistroKid is a US business and needs to abide by US taxation laws
- Royalties for music streaming and payments from stores are considered income and may be subject to withholding tax, depending on your country of residence, and what treaties they have in place with the US
- Check DistroKid’s tax withholding information on their FAQ
- Specific instructions related to the W8-BEN tax form and tax withholding from DistroKid
- How and when do I get paid?
- Payments can be made by a number of methods depending on your country, with PayPal being the most widely available, especially for those outside the US
- Payments are made usually 3 months after a sale or stream, due to the reporting delays between the stores and DistroKid
- Information about payments is available in the “Bank” section in DistroKid, and you can see streaming stats for Spotify and Apple Music in the stats section if you have a Musician Plus account.
- Check DistroKid’s information about how and when you get paid on their FAQ
- Check DistroKid’s payment options information on their FAQ
- How do I contact DistroKid directly?
- If you have checked the FAQ and you still haven’t found an answer to your question, you can contact DistroKid directly via the form on their FAQ
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