As an independent artist looking to distribute your music online on streaming platforms, it can be overwhelming to navigate the vast array of music distribution services available. However, there are certain platforms that stand out from the rest. The best music distributor for you may not be the same as another artist. It all depends on your individual needs and budget. The top music distribution services will distribute your music across over 150 platforms, including the biggest streaming services: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, Deezer, and more. What differentiates one digital distributor from another are the prices and the extra features available to help manage or promote your music. If you’re looking to sign a distribution deal with a traditional distributor, get in touch with them on Groover to be connected to industry professionals directly with a guaranteed response.
We’ve gone through the list of digital distributors and weighed the pros and cons of each one. Here are the 9 best music distribution services to get your music on streaming platforms.
1. TuneCore
TuneCore was founded in 2005 and has also been a leader in the digital music distribution market. They also provide global distribution to all the biggest platforms.
Pros ✅
- Many payment options: With TuneCore, you can either pay per release or sign up for an unlimited plan
- These plans include: the new artist subscription for free, the rising artist plan at $14.99/year, the breakout artist plan at $29.99/year, and the professional artist subscription at $49.99/year
- Their pay-per-release fees during the first year of distribution are $9.99 for a single, $29.99 for an album, and $19.99 for a ringtone. After the first year of distribution, the album price goes up to $49.99 each following year
- No commission: With TuneCore, you also get to keep 100% of the royalties you make
- Strong analytics: TuneCore’s analytics platform is pretty comprehensive, making it easy to keep track of how your music is performing. You can easily track your revenue stream and see how your project is evolving
- Publishing: TuneCore has put in place a publishing administration that helps songwriters through licensing, registration, and worldwide royalty collection for a one time fee of $75. This is a great way for artists to make money and see how their music is being used internationally.
- Sync and Master Licensing: If you decide to sign up for TuneCore Publishing, you will have access to the sync and master licensing feature that enables your music to be used in TV or advertisements. If you land a sync, TuneCore will take 20% of the revenue, which is much less than a traditional 50/50 split
- Fast customer service in your language: Response within 24 hours if you have a Professional Artist plan – one of the few distributors with this reputation!
Cons ❌
- Basic distribution features: If you choose the basic distribution plan with TuneCore, you are going to have the most basic features. If you want to have more tools available to you, you’ll need to upgrade to the professional plan
- No physical distribution: If you want to make physical copies of your music, you’ll need to use another music distribution service. TuneCore only distributes music digitally
- Prince increase: As you can see from the payment plans above, the pay-per-release plan prices increase after the first year of distribution. This can add up over time if you plan on releasing a lot of music, hence why the subscription plans are be more advantageous
Why choose TuneCore: TuneCore is the best music distribution service for you, especially if you’re looking to invest a bit more in your music releases and take advantage of sync and publishing opportunities.
💡 Partner offer: start distributing your music and get a 20% discount on TuneCore Semi-Pro & Pro subscriptions by clicking here.
2. Symphonic
Symphonic Distribution has been around since 2006, allowing artists to distribute digitally to now over 200 service providers and platforms, making it the online music distributor with one of the biggest reaches on the market.
Pros ✅
- Very international: Symphonic is very active in the US but also worldwide, particularly in Africa, Brazil. the Dominican Republic, and Spain, which is great if you’re looking to reach an international audience and expand your fanbase
- Never pay per release: Unlike many online distributors, Symphonic never charges fees per release. If you are a member, you can release whatever you want free of charge, regardless of project type
- Fast/human customer service: A huge advantage to being a Symphonic member is having access to their team. Not only do they have same-day response times, but you are also guaranteed to be communicating with a real person as opposed to an AI bot that pulls from a back of pre-programmed responses
- Publishing + SoundExchange royalties: Being able to collect royalties in one place makes an independent artist’s life a lot easier – the service allows you to collect publishing and SoundExchange royalties on the platform with ease
- Split pay: When uploading a release, you can split royalties with your collaborators directly online at no extra cost
Cons ❌
- Limited membership options: The only 2 options offered by the platform are the “Starter” plan, which is $19.99/year, or the “Partner” plan, which you have to apply for and comes at a custom rate. Though the membership plans are few, they offer great services
- Apply for physical distribution: Symphonic offers physical distribution services, but you have to meet demand requirements in order to access them. If your music is in high demand in CD or vinyl form, your application will be approved in no time
Why you should choose Symphonic: This is a great service for you if you value global reach, quick help, and very efficient payment processes at an affordable price.
💡 Partner offer: Get 25% off Symphonic’s Starter Plan for the first year by going to this link using the code: GROOVER25
3. Amuse
Amuse was founded in 2015 by music industry ex-excutives and has since strived to be the leading distributor for up and coming artists who are self-releasing. They understand that the concept of the traditional superstardom is rapidly changing into DIY supstardom. Will.i.am is a co-founder as of 2017.
Pros ✅
- Pricing Plan: Amuse’s options are simple: the “Boost” plan, which is $19.99/year (or $1.67/month), or the “Pro” plan, which comes in at $59.99/year. Both offer an amazingly extensive list of services, so if you choose the Boost plan, you won’t feel screwed over compared to higher paying customers
- No commission: No matter the subscription, artists keep 100% of the royalties they make
- Split pay: All subscribers can enter royalty split information into the platform, and payments will be divided automatically
- Releasing covers: At no extra cost, Amuse will get you the mechanical license necessary to release a cover for free
- Fast distribution (sometimes): One of the advantages of the “Pro” plan is release time. After submission, music is available on platforms within 2-10 days
- Great website: Amuse’s sleek website is very easy to navigate and simple for users to understand, which is an underrated quality for online services nowadays
Cons ❌
- Slow customer service: Though service is good, members with the “Boost” plan shouldn’t expect a response earlier than 3 days after contacting the Amuse team. This jumps to 1 day with the “Pro” plan
- Slow distribution (sometimes): With the “Pro” plan, releases can take up to two weeks to be available on streaming platforms
Why choose Amuse: Amuse is an excellent option for you if you’re an independent artist looking to distribute your music efficiently and have access to tons of analytics and services for a very affordable price.
💡 Partner offer: get 30% discount on Amuse by going here and using the code GROOVER30
4. UnitedMasters
Steve Stoute founded UnitedMasters in 2017, taking what he learned from his time at Interscope and Sony Music to allow independent artists to take back control of their creative output and finances.
Pros ✅
- There’s a free option: Though services are very limited compared to the paid plans, the “Debut” sign up option is free, allows you to keep 90% of your royalties, and most importantly allows you to get a feel for the platform without having to commit right away
- Ownership and no commission: One of UnitedMasters dedicated missions is to make sure artists maintain full ownership over their master recording rights – which means more creative control and royalties for you! If you’re a paying member, you keep 100% of your royalties
- Sync Licensing: Whether you’re an artist or producer, UnitedMasters adds your beat or song to their sync library for brands, TV shows, and others to browse and potentially license for use
- Fast distribution: If you are a paying member, your music will be uploaded to over 50 platforms in as little as 2 business days, making it one of, if not the fastest distributor on the market
- Split pay: As a subscriber, you are able to enter your royalty splits directly in the platform during upload
- Mastering access: This is one of the few distributors that gives members access to mastering services for their tracks. Good news, this is available on the free plan as well!
- Streaming analytics: With a paid plan, you’ll have access to advanced streaming analytics to keep track of your project’s performance across all platforms
Cons ❌
- Free plan limited distribution: Though “Debut” members have access to lots of great services, the free plan only distributes to Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. The platform does not upload to Spotify, Apple Music and the like unless you pay for the “Select” plan
- Few plan options: UnitedMasters only provides 3 subscription plans, and one of them (“Partner”) is invite-only. The middle option after the free plan is “Select”, which sits at $60/year. The services offered are great: 2-day distribution, unlimited releases, enrolling in Spotify’s Discovery Mode, mastering access, and priority customer support
Why choose UnitedMasters: This is an excellent service if you have the budget for it. This distributor is for you if you’re willing to invest a little more for fast and unlimited releases, split pay, sync licensing, and great analytics.
5. CD Baby
CD Baby is one of the oldest independent music distribution platforms out there, founded in 1998. In 2004, they were one of the first platforms to offer digital distribution and are still going strong, offering worldwide distribution to over 150 music platforms.
Pros ✅
- Affordable pricing: CD Baby works on a pay-per-release model, charging $9.95 for a standard single, $29.95 for a pro single, $29 for a standard album, and $69 for a pro album
- Physical distribution: If you want to make physical copies of your music to distribute, you can go do it through CD Baby!
- Pro Publishing Administration: Similarly to TuneCore, CD Baby offers a pro publishing administration that will collect publishing royalties on your behalf
- Sync licensing: Within the pro publishing feature, you will also have access to their sync licensing to potentially get your song into advertisements, movies, and more
- Releasing covers: One of the cool features of CD Baby is that if you want to release a cover, they’ll get you the license for just $14.99
Cons ❌
- 9% commission: Unlike DistroKid and TuneCore, CD Baby doesn’t let you keep 100% of your royalties. They take a 9% commission on everything you make.
- 40% commission on sync licensing: If you decide to sign up for the pro publishing feature and land a sync, CD Baby takes 40% of the fee. This is much higher than what TuneCore takes, but is still less than the traditional 50/50 split with a conventional music publisher
- Slow customer service: Once again, customer support can be slow
Why choose CD Baby: CD Baby is the best music distribution service for you if you’re looking to pay a one time fee per release, take advantage of sync and publishing opportunities, and make physical copies.
6. Ditto Music
In 2007, the record label Ditto Music launched its digital distribution service and quickly became popular among independent musicians. The platform is extremely user-friendly and the payment plans are affordable. They have really developed their services to provide artists with tools for music promotion, marketing and sync licensing in addition to digital distribution.
Pros ✅
- Affordable pricing: For $19/year, an artist can put out as much music as they like. For $29/year, you can put out unlimited music for two artists. Ditto is a good solution for independent labels who want to distribute multiple artists
- No commission: Artists keep 100% of the royalties they make!
- Simple interface: The Ditto Music platform is very easy to navigate, making it simple for artists to upload and distribute their music globally
- Marketing and promotional services: Ditto Music offers a range of marketing and promotional services to help artists build their fan base and increase their exposure
- Ditto Music Publishing: Like CD Baby and TuneCore, they offer a publishing service if you’d like to collect royalties from more sources
- Transparency: The company provides detailed reports on streams, downloads, and earnings, giving artists transparency and insight into how their music is performing. You’ll be able to easily track your new releases!
Cons ❌
- No physical distribution: Ditto Music only offers digital distribution for now. If you’re looking to make CDs or vinyls, you’ll have to look elsewhere
- Slower processing times: Compared to DistroKid, for example, Ditto Music is a bit slower on the processing of releases. It can take around two weeks for your music to appear on streaming platforms
- Slow customer service: No surprise here! Like most of these services, customer support is slow
Why choose Ditto Music: Ditto Music is the best music distribution service for you if you’re looking to release a lot of music for an affordable fee, keep 100% of your royalties, and take advantage of marketing and promotional services.
💡 Partner offer: Send music to Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and more while keeping 100% of everything you earn with Ditto Music. Save 20% on a Ditto Music plan by going here and using the code GROOVER20
7. DistroKid
Founded in 2013, DistroKid has become one of the top leaders in the music distribution market, providing distribution to over 150 music platforms.
Pros ✅
- Affordable pricing: DistroKid offers some of the most competitive pricing in the music distribution industry. They work on a yearly subscription based plan starting at $19.99 per year. For this steal, you can release as much music as you like
- Fast distribution: DistroKid is known for being one of the fastest music distribution services out there. The time between when you submit your music and when it’s available is roughly: 2-5 days for Spotify, 1-7 days for Apple Music, and 1-2 for Amazon music, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Tidal
- Simple interface: The DistroKid platform is very straightforward and easy to use. It is simple to upload your music and navigate the site
- No commission: Similar to TuneCore, DistroKid allows you to keep 100% of the royalties you make
- Split payments option: If you’ve figure out royalty cuts with your collaborators, you can choose to split royalties directly through DistroKid either by song, EP, or album – huge time saver!
Cons ❌
- Slow customer service: Unfortunately, DistroKid has a reputation for having a slow customer support. Though they have lots of answers in their FAQ and Help Center, it may take a while to get in touch with a representative
- No physical distribution: If you want to make physical copies of your music, you’ll have to go with another music distribution service. DistroKid only distributes music digitally
- Add-ons: Some services on DistroKid are add-ons, meaning that you’ll have to pay a bit more per release to get extra features. This includes getting your track recognized by Shazam ($0.99) or signing up for YouTube monetization ($4.95)
- Basic analytics for basic plan: With the basic plan, you get basic analytics for your music. To get more comprehensive statistics about how your music is performing, you’ll need to upgrade to the Musician Plus plan
Why choose DistroKid: DistroKid is the best music distribution service for you if you’re looking for the most affordable way to release unlimited music as fast as possible and don’t plan on making physical copies.
8. LANDR
LANDR began as a company providing automated AI mastering to artists, and now offers digital distribution. They now offer a wide array of resources for artists in addition to mastering and distribution, including tools like samples and plugins. They propose different subscription plans for various needs and budgets.
Pros ✅
- Mastering services: Unlike the other music distributors, LANDR offers AI mastering for much lower prices than a sound engineer might charge
- Cover Licensing: Like CD Baby, LANDR also helps you get the mechanical license to release a cover of a song for a $15 fee
- No commission (sometimes): If you are a yearly subscriber, you keep 100% of your royalties
- Extra tools and collaboration: LANDR offers around a million royalty free samples in their LANDR library as well as post production plugins. In addition, they have an extensive network of other artists, engineers, and producers that you can collaborate with through the platform
Cons ❌
- Too many price plans: Some say that the LANDR price plans are a bit confusing. The basic distribution plan is $25/year, followed by the pro plan at $96/year. The most expensive, LANDR Studio, sits at $154/year. You can also choose to pay as you go: $10 for a single or $20 for an album
- Commission (sometimes): If you pay per release, they will take a 15% commission on your royalties
Why choose LANDR: LANDR is the best music distribution service for you if you are looking to quickly master and release your songs and dabble in production. Their array of production tools and services are hard to beat.
Get 20% any LANDR Subscription & the LANDR Mastering plugin using this link
9. iMusician
iMusician is a popular digital distribution service for independent musicians that originates from Switzerland. They work on a one-time fee plan per release and offer extra services like YouTube Content ID, Studio Mastering, and Instant Mastering.
Pros ✅
- Pay per release and different plans: Depending on your needs, you can choose from different price plans: Starter, Regular, Rockstar, and Pro Unlimited plans. You will get different benefits by paying a bit more per release, but you always have the option to pay less
- Great Customer Service: Unlike most other digital distribution services, iMusician has great customer service. You should be able to get a response to your questions rather quickly!
- Extra Features: With iMusician, extra features are available such as YouTube Content ID, Studio Mastering and Instant Mastering. You also get an Artist Hub tool to help with music promotion once your tracks are released
Cons ❌
- Different royalties commission: Depending on the pricing plan you choose, iMusician will take different percentages of royalties on what you make. This starts at 30%, then goes down to 15%, but if you pay for the highest plan, you get to keep 100% of your royalties
- Pay more for faster distribution: If you want you music to be released faster, you will also have to pay a bit more
- No publishing or payment splitting: Unlike some of the other distribution services, there is no option for publishing administration or payment splitting between songwriters.
Why choose iMusician: iMusician is the best music distribution service for you if you’re looking to pay a one time fee per release and be sure that everything goes smoothly with their quick customer service.
Get 15% off on your first purchase with iMusician using the voucher IMD-GROOVER
Conclusion: The Best Music Distribution Services
There are so many music distribution channels out there nowadays for independent musicians, but we recommend checking out these top nine picks. They have either been around the longest and are the leaders in the industry, or are offering something new to independent artists in addition to distribution. There is no one way to distribute music – it really depends on your needs and budget. Once you’ve gotten your music distributed on streaming platforms, promote your project by sending your tracks to influencers in the music industry on Groover!
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