What Do I Need to Distribute My Music? Complete Checklist (2026)
What Do I Need to Distribute My Music? Complete Checklist (2026)
Distributing music to Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, and other streaming platforms requires four things: a finished audio file, cover artwork, complete metadata, and a music distributor. That’s it. But the details of each requirement determine whether your release goes live on schedule or gets rejected and delayed — sometimes by weeks.
This guide covers every requirement in full, plus a printable-style checklist you can work through before every release.
The Complete Music Distribution Checklist
Audio file
☐ Format: WAV or FLAC (MP3 not accepted by most distributors)
☐ Bit depth: 16-bit minimum, 24-bit recommended
☐ Sample rate: 44.1 kHz minimum
☐ Loudness: mastered to -14 dB LUFS (Spotify, Amazon, TikTok) or -16 dB LUFS (Apple Music)
☐ No clipping, no distortion at peaks
☐ Stereo file (not mono, unless intentional)
☐ Final master version — not a mix, not a demo
Cover artwork
☐ Square format — 3000×3000 pixels minimum
☐ JPEG or PNG format, maximum 10MB
☐ RGB colour space (not CMYK)
☐ No website URLs or social media handles
☐ No third-party logos or copyrighted imagery
☐ No explicit content
☐ If artist name or title appears on artwork — must match metadata exactly
☐ Readable at thumbnail size (50×50 px)
Metadata
☐ Track title — final, exact spelling, no changes after release
☐ Artist name — identical to every previous and future release
☐ Songwriter/composer credit(s) — the person who wrote the song, not the performer if different
☐ Producer credit — if applicable
☐ Featured artist credit — if applicable, in the correct field (not added to artist name)
☐ Genre and subgenre — accurate, not aspirational
☐ Language — primary language of lyrics
☐ Explicit flag — checked if track contains explicit content
☐ Label name — your own name, a custom label name, or blank
☐ Release date — at minimum 1 week out; 4–6 weeks recommended for editorial pitching
Codes and identifiers
☐ ISRC code — one per track, assigned automatically by your distributor
☐ UPC code — one per release (single, EP, or album), assigned automatically by your distributor
☐ If re-releasing an existing recording: use the same ISRC to preserve streaming history
Rights and licensing
☐ You own or control the master recording rights
☐ You own or control the composition rights (or have a mechanical license for cover songs)
☐ All samples cleared, or no samples used
☐ Co-writer splits documented and agreed in writing
Royalty registration (do before release)
☐ PRO registration: ASCAP or BMI (US), PRS (UK), SOCAN (Canada), or your national equivalent
☐ MLC registration: themlc.com — collects US streaming mechanical royalties
☐ SoundExchange registration: soundexchange.com — collects digital performance royalties from non-interactive streaming
Distributor selection
☐ Distributor confirmed to include Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Amazon Music, Deezer
☐ 0% royalty commission on paid plans
☐ Cover song licensing handled automatically (if releasing a cover)
☐ Catalog stays live if you stop releasing (pay-per-release) or if you maintain subscription
Post-upload (before release day)
☐ Spotify for Artists profile claimed
☐ Spotify editorial pitch submitted (at least 7 days before release, ideally 14–28)
☐ Apple Music for Artists profile claimed
☐ Pre-save campaign set up and link shared
☐ Independent curator pitches sent (2–3 weeks before release)
☐ Release day social content prepared
1. Audio File: What You Actually Need to Know
The most common technical rejection reason: uploading an MP3 instead of a lossless file. Every major distributor requires WAV or FLAC as the source file. Platforms convert your audio for delivery in their own formats (Spotify uses Ogg Vorbis; Apple Music preserves lossless for its lossless tier). They convert from your source — starting from a compressed MP3 degrades quality further in that process.
The second most common audio issue: incorrect loudness. Streaming platforms normalize all tracks to a target loudness level. Mastering significantly louder than the target doesn’t make your track sound louder on the platform — it gets turned down to match, which can make it sound duller or more compressed than tracks mastered correctly.
Platform
Loudness target
What happens if you’re louder
Spotify
-14 dB LUFS
Track turned down to match, may sound duller
Apple Music
-16 dB LUFS
Track turned down, lossless quality preserved
Amazon Music
-14 dB LUFS
Track turned down to match
TikTok
-14 dB LUFS
Normalization applied before delivery
YouTube Music
-14 dB LUFS
Normalization applied
Master to -14 dB LUFS as a universal target and your release will play back correctly across every platform. If Apple Music is your primary platform and you want to optimize specifically for it, master to -16 dB LUFS.
2. Cover Artwork: The Most Common Rejection Reason
Cover artwork rejections delay more releases than audio issues — because artists underestimate how specific platform requirements are. The requirements that trip up most artists:
Resolution too low. 3000×3000 pixels is the minimum. Many artists design at smaller sizes and scale up — this produces blurry results that get rejected or display poorly as thumbnails. Design at 3000×3000 from the start.
Social media handles or URLs in the artwork. Any text in the artwork that functions as promotional content — @handles, website addresses, QR codes — violates platform guidelines. Keep artwork to purely visual content, artist name if desired, and release title if desired.
Mismatched text. If your artist name appears on the artwork, it must match your metadata exactly — same spelling, same capitalisation, same punctuation. «The Artist» in the artwork and «the artist» in metadata creates a discrepancy that can delay or reject your submission.
Copyright issues. Using a stock image without a commercial licence, incorporating a third-party logo, or using someone else’s photography without written permission creates copyright liability. Use original photography, commissioned design, or properly licensed imagery.
3. Metadata: Why Getting It Right Matters
Metadata is not administrative paperwork — it directly affects three things that determine your release’s success:
Discoverability. Genre and subgenre tags determine which algorithmic playlists your track is eligible for. Wrong genre tags put your track in the wrong algorithmic bucket, reducing the likelihood of playlist fit and saves. Spotify’s algorithm uses metadata to decide which listeners to surface your track to — accurate genre tagging is foundational to that process.
Royalty routing. Songwriter credits determine where mechanical and publishing royalties flow. Missing or incorrect songwriter credits mean royalties route to the wrong place or sit unclaimed. This is especially important for cover songs, where the original songwriter’s name must be provided for mechanical royalties to route correctly.
Artist profile integrity. Your artist name in metadata must match exactly across every release. Even minor variations — capitalisation differences, punctuation, spacing — create separate artist profiles on streaming platforms. A split artist profile divides your followers, streaming history, and algorithmic momentum across multiple identities that can be very difficult to merge after the fact.
4. ISRC and UPC Codes: What They Are and Where They Come From
Every track needs an ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) — a 12-character alphanumeric identifier (format: XX-XXX-YY-NNNNN) that uniquely identifies your specific recording. Every release needs a UPC (Universal Product Code) — the barcode that identifies the release as a product for retail and streaming purposes.
Your distributor assigns both automatically during the upload process at no extra charge. You don’t need to register for them independently.
One critical rule about ISRC codes: keep the same ISRC for the same recording across different releases. If you release a track as a standalone single and later include it in an EP or album, use the same ISRC for that recording in both releases. This preserves the stream count from the single — all streams are attributed to the same ISRC and tallied together. Using a new ISRC for the same recording resets the stream history, losing all previous plays.
5. Rights and Licensing: What You Must Have in Place
Original music
If you wrote and recorded the track yourself, you automatically own both the master recording (your performance) and the composition (the melody and lyrics). No additional licensing is needed. If you co-wrote with others, document the ownership split in a co-writer agreement before distributing — this determines how publishing royalties are divided and prevents disputes later.
Cover songs
Releasing a cover song requires a mechanical license — the legal authorization to reproduce and distribute a copyrighted composition that you didn’t write. Distributors that handle cover licensing automatically (like Globex Music) take care of this when you flag the release as a cover during upload and provide the original songwriter’s name. Without a mechanical license, the original publisher can issue a takedown and claim all revenue your cover generated.
Samples
If your track uses any audio from another recording — even a brief loop, a drum break, or a vocal snippet — you need two separate clearances: a master license from the label that owns the original recording, and a sync/mechanical license from the publisher who owns the composition. Both can be refused, and both can be expensive. Many independent artists avoid samples entirely or use royalty-free sample libraries specifically to avoid this complexity.
6. Which Distributor to Choose
Your distributor is the only path to major streaming platforms as an independent artist. The right choice depends on your release frequency, whether you release covers or originals, and how you value catalog stability.
Your situation
Best fit
1–5 releases per year, want no annual fee
Globex Music ($1/single, pay-per-release, catalog stays live)
10+ releases per year, originals only
DistroKid ($24.99/yr, unlimited uploads)
Releasing covers + originals
Globex Music (automatic cover licensing at same $1/single price)
Globex Music or CD Baby (one-time fee, no annual renewal)
Regardless of which distributor you choose: confirm 0% royalty commission on your plan, verify all target platforms are included in the base price, and understand what happens to your catalog if you stop paying or switch services.
What Happens After You Upload
Uploading to your distributor starts a sequence of events that takes 1–2 weeks before your music is live on all platforms:
Distributor moderation — technical review of your audio, artwork, and metadata (48 hours with Globex Music)
Platform delivery — your distributor sends the release to every platform you selected (2–7 days depending on platform)
Release goes live — your track appears in search results and is available to listeners
Royalty collection begins — platforms report streams monthly; your distributor pays out on a rolling 2–3 month delay
The steps you should take while waiting for delivery:
Claim your Spotify for Artists profile immediately after delivery is confirmed
Submit your Spotify editorial pitch — the pitch tool becomes available once the release is in Spotify’s system
Claim your Apple Music for Artists profile
Set up your pre-save campaign and start sharing the link
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a record label to distribute my music?
No. Independent artists distribute directly through a music distributor without any label affiliation. You retain full ownership of your recordings. A distributor is a delivery service — they get your music onto platforms and collect royalties, but don’t acquire rights to your music.
Do I need an ISRC code before distributing my music?
Your distributor assigns ISRC codes automatically during the upload process — you don’t need to obtain one independently before uploading. If you’re re-distributing an existing recording that already has an ISRC, provide that code to ensure streaming history is preserved across the transition.
Can I distribute a cover song?
Yes, but cover songs require a mechanical license in addition to standard distribution. Globex Music handles mechanical licensing automatically when you flag the release as a cover and provide the original songwriter’s name — no separate licensing service required. The cost is the same $1 per single as an original music release.
How much does it cost to distribute music?
Distribution costs vary by service. Globex Music charges from $1 per single with no annual fee and 0% royalty commission. DistroKid charges $24.99/year for unlimited releases. Free tiers at some services take 10–15% of your royalties. The total cost of a release also includes production, mixing, mastering, and artwork if you outsource those — which can range from $0 (fully DIY) to $500+ depending on your production setup.
What format should I export my music in for distribution?
WAV or FLAC, 16-bit minimum, 44.1 kHz sample rate. Most distributors don’t accept MP3 as a source file. Export at the highest quality your DAW supports — if you recorded at 24-bit/48 kHz or higher, upload that version. Platforms apply their own conversion for delivery; a higher-quality source produces better output.
How far in advance should I set my release date?
At minimum one week from your upload date to ensure delivery before the release date. Ideally 4–6 weeks — this gives you time for distributor moderation and delivery, the Spotify editorial pitch window (which requires the release to be in Spotify’s system before you can submit), pre-save campaign duration, and curator and press outreach.
Ready to distribute? Globex Music handles every technical requirement — including ISRC and UPC code assignment and automatic cover song licensing — from $1 per single. Upload your audio, artwork, and metadata, and your music can be live on Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, and 150+ platforms within days.
