How to release your original music: Distributors

Last week we did an article on how to get paid royalties from your music, however this only really applies to artists who have released original music. 

I have an upcoming release so I thought I’d take you through the process of releasing so you can see how it’s done. This will be a three step guide over the next few weeks to release by the end of the month – this week we’ll start with Music Distributors!

Dean Nelson runs Generation Studios in Maidenhead and is well experienced in Music Distribution
Different distributors all have different pros and cons

What is a Distributor

A music distributor is a company or service that helps artists, bands, or record labels deliver their music to digital platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, or physical stores for CDs and vinyl. Distributors manage the submission process, and collect royalties from sales and streams. Some also offer additional services like marketing, playlist pitching, and sync licensing.

michael burns-peak spotify
Michael Burns-Peake is a Wokingham based artist with over 450k streams on Spotify - *photo from Generation Studios

Which distributor is best for me? 

 1. DistroKid (Up to £16 per year)

    • Unlimited uploads for a flat annual fee.
    • Fast distribution (usually 24-72 hours).
    • Artists keep 100% of their royalties.

2. TuneCore (Up to £24 per year)

    • Keeps 100% of royalties from streams and sales.
    • Distributes to over 150 digital platforms worldwide.
    • Detailed sales and streaming reports.

3. CD Baby (£24 per album release)

    • One-time fee per release (no recurring costs).
    • Physical distribution options (CDs, vinyl).
    • Offers royalty collection services beyond digital sales.

4.  Amuse (Up to £48 per year)

    • Free distribution to major streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.).
    • Artists keep 100% of their royalties on the free plan.
    • Offers optional Amuse Pro plan with additional features like faster payouts and support for releasing music under multiple artist names.
 
There are any different distributors so do a little research first and choose based on whether you’re a hobbyist or want to make a living out of your music. 
one eyed man wokingham music artist
I've used Amuse as my distributor since 2020 - they're great service, distribute to social media and pay 100% royalties - *photo by Infocus Recording Ltd

What Should I consider when Choosing a Distributor? 

The main things you should think about are longevity, licensing (royalty share), distribution time and customer service. Remember, just because it is cheaper it’s not necessarily better. 

Anecdote from me: 

 I use amuse.io myself and for less than £50 they are super attentive – a great example is once I had uploaded I had accidentally submitted the release under the album name instead of the single name. 

Most services would have required you to take down the release and restart the upload process (which would disrupt your marketing efforts), but Amuse has a close customer service where they got back within a day and rectified everything their end!

Hopefully the above has given you the basis to understand whats required to release your original music – look out for the next two articles to understand the upload process and how to generate hype for your new release! 

If you’re keen to release music and don’t know where to start, lookout for our article on recording to understand the basics and connect with some of the local studios in Berkshire!Â