Online Music Distribution Made Simple for Record Labels and Indie Artists

You have amazing music – perhaps you are an indie artist out of a bedroom studio or a small label head managing five releases at once. Either way, one burning question is how to get your music on Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms people access daily. This is where music distribution comes into the picture.

No longer do you need a big label deal or a complicated contract. With modern-day distribution, even someone with just three tracks to their name can release music like a professional.

What is Music Distribution, Really?

Let’s be honest, music distribution is a catchy phrase used for getting your songs out into the world. It’s a journey that involves taking your finished track and delivering it to every major platform including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube Music, Tidal, and even the smaller ones.

It’s also more than uploading your songs. A competent distributor takes care of your release timetable, coordinates metadata (so your name is spelled correctly on every platform), royalty collection, and provides artist-specific reports showing where fans listen to tracks.

According to The Guardian, a music distributor “acts as the middleman between independent artists and streaming platforms,” managing track deliveries and ensuring that royalties are collected. This allows both indie artists and labels to focus on creation while the distributor manages uploads, release schedules, and payment distribution for global digital stores.

Sounds too good to be true, no?

Who Needs a Music Distributor?

In short, practically everyone is involved in music production. Solo artists recording lo-fi tracks in their homes and even record labels that manage multiple artist releases require a music distributor to take care of mundane but critical processes.

Some of the well-known ones are CD Baby, TuneCore, Ditto, and of course, MusicAlligator. Each one offers slightly different features, pricing, and royalty splits. For example, MusicAlligator is famed for a more intuitive interface and great customer service, making it popular among smaller labels and rising artists who prefer straightforward and effective solutions.

How to Select the Best Distribution Service

Here’s what you’ll want to consider:

Pricing: Some charge a fee per release while others take a percentage from your music royalties.
Speed: How quickly can they get your music to go live?
Stats & Reports: Is it possible to monitor plays, downloads, and earnings?
Customer Support: If issues arise (and they always do), can you speak to an actual person?

Think about that question and jot down what matters most to you. If you’re planning to drop a single every few weeks, perhaps a flat yearly fee would be best. Or if you’re just testing the waters, perhaps a fee-per-release is more appropriate.

Final Thoughts

The convenience music distribution provides allows an artist to focus on the core elements of music creation without being encumbered by logistics. Every time an artist drops a single, it should be an exciting moment, and we hope that is the case for every artist we support.

For all aspiring musicians, whether recording songs in their bedroom or releasing albums with a label, digital distribution offers unparalleled opportunities. The industry is eager to hear new music, so give them something to discuss.

About the Author

The Editor is the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-watching, all-drinking master of space time and dimension. Slayer of fine scotches, lover of many women, driver of hot cars. His Dad could beat up your Dad. All hail The Editor!