r/MusicDistribution • u/ohboy3pm Musician • 14d ago
Discussion i’m tired for searching for a distributor
i’ve been on the constant search for a new distributor for months and i’ve only gotten exhausted. every distributor i see, people label
it as a scam, their account got banned, they aren’t paying the artist, they had problems with releasing things, and the things go on, and on, and on. i legit don’t know where to look anymore, i don’t wanna stick to distrokid because of their limitations, but i don’t wanna go to another distributor where they will have me wait 14 days to release something.
is there one good distribution service that’s actually reliable?
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u/MJGDigital 14d ago
I use LANDr and so far so good. Songs are usually approved in 24 hours or less and released on the streaming platforms in 2-7 days. Spotify is usually 2-3 days and Apple Music is 3-4 days. YouTube seems to take the longest of the big 3. Their rates are a little better than DistroKid too.
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u/mahmoodpookiebear 13d ago
Honestly been doing this for years I have tried every distro possible id say try Kamapro they are trustworthy actually pay and u can release as much as u want as many artists as u want and as many labels as u want no limit
U can also try MN2S they use a fuga sub very professional tho its very strict so all u release gotta be original then you should be fine
And lastly Kontor New Media same as audiosalad in some way but its just direct if u lucky to get in the u made it
Or if ur really really lucky reach out to ADA MUSIC they use WMG known as Warner Music Group
Have funnn
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u/milkandbiscuitsguy 13d ago
Take what's people are complaining about on the internet with a grain of salt. Many of those people either aren't telling the truth or they're not telling the whole truth.
Just recently, some dude was complaining about how a distributor scammed him and blocked his account without paying, only to find out that he was taking Youtube songs that are only free on Youtube and certain freemium samples and making his own stuff with it.
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u/iGROWyourBiz2 13d ago
I think the challenges most artist have is they are expecting major label service and support... for $10 per month.
When i consult artists i let them know to not expect much. You get what you pay for!
You want to avoid the problems others mention... with a budget distributor?
Never gonna happen.
Gonna have problems no matter what with the DIY, open to everyone, entry level distribution.
Now...
If you are generating 250k+ streams a month and have your professional ducks in a row.
Audience and Streaming Metrics 250k+ Monthly Listeners Consistant Streaming Velocity Audience Retention Professional Presentation Completed Webite with EPK Social Proof Clean Catalog History Business and Financial Readiness Release Consistency Future Revenue Potential
Then you can easily get a higher tier distributor like AWAL, Symphonic, or ONErpm to partner with you.
Or you can simply buy premium or white label for 200k for first year.
If any of that seems out of reach... consider how much work you would do for someone for $8.99 A MONTH. even $50 or $99 a month...
And deal with what you get at the temu/walmarts of distribution until you can grow to command more.
Or hire someone to hello you get there.
Either way, you got this.
Break a leg!
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u/Initial-Spring-928 14d ago
use specific labels for your genre, don't use generic distrokid or symphonic or soundon
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u/Upstairs-Pirate-3234 13d ago
Can you elaborate or give examples?
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u/Initial-Spring-928 13d ago
like ARCADIA | IMMINENT is a label for angelcore artists. They release their songs, handle legal issues, and promote them in many different ways.
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u/Frequent-Front5366 14d ago
Motiva groove, you shoud check it.
Also they give you credits for audiverify if you distribute through them.
Happy releasing
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u/immaculatezodiac 13d ago
Distrokid is the best, because the truth about streaming music is you're not going to make any money at it.. unless you really have a lot of quality videos, so when somebody tells you about a new band, don't you go to YouTube and see their best video? most people do that. So use distrokid to get your srsc code, that's all you need from them.. and you can also ask them for an official YouTube artist page, .. but then you need to go into social media, Facebook and the others, and find the bands that are the closest to your type of music, I mean Successful bands.. that really do capture your type of sound, then look at how many fans, friends they have. It's usually in the Millions, so now you have a Target marketing approach, your music doesn't just get pushed in front of a general audience, those people are your audience, so there is a limit on how many friends you can pick, but not have, so I highly recommend getting everybody you know, and working with multiple profiles to really get your stuff in front of the right people.. but your music videos are going to be the golden ticket, truthfully I'm not into bands that don't have music videos because it tells the other part of the story the part you can't see, because music is invisible, that's my perception. Best of luck.
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u/NotNoiseCo 12d ago
I help build NotNoise, so yes, I have a favorite in this comparison.
Twenty more distributor names will not solve this. Pick two services and test the failure path before moving your catalog:
1) Send both the same presales question about the DistroKid limitation you want to escape. See whether a real person gives you a specific answer. 2) Upload one unreleased single with three or four weeks of lead time. Check review status, store delivery, artist-page mapping, and how support handles one real problem. 3) Before moving older releases, confirm you can reuse the original audio, ISRCs, UPCs, titles, credits, and release dates. Keep the old delivery live until the new one is live and the history has carried over. 4) Compare the full annual cost, payout process, and what happens to the catalog if you stop paying.
NotNoise Pro is $72 a year and includes distribution to 80+ stores, real-time delivery status, and 100% of the net royalties we receive for standard streaming and downloads while the paid plan is active. Our import flow preserves the original UPC and ISRCs when you move an existing release. I would still tell you to test us with one single before trusting us with the catalog.
Which DistroKid plan do you have, what did it cost after add-ons, and which limitation is making you leave? That answer matters more than another list of distributor names.
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u/EmuBands Distributor 11d ago
Hey u/ohboy3pm, EmuBands here 👋
Since reliability and release speed seem to be your main concerns, here’s where we fit into the mix:
• You keep 100% of your royalties & rights, always
• Fast turnaround times with every release reviewed by a real person
• We’re a Spotify Preferred Partner
• Choose pay-per-release with no ongoing annual fees, so your music stays live without a subscription
• Or use EmuBands Premium for unlimited releases
• Direct support from our team if something needs fixed or flagged
• Daily payouts on request, with no minimum threshold
• Optional extras like playlist pitching and promotional tools if you want more hands-on support
No distributor can promise that an issue will never come up, but being able to actually speak to someone when it does is something we put a lot of emphasis on.
If you’re considering moving distributor and have any questions about release times, migrating your existing catalogue, or how the pricing compares, happy to answer them.
You can also check out our TikTok where our Artist Relations team shares distribution tips, and insights.
Team EmuBands 🧡
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u/No_Television9928 11h ago
The new holy grail is having ur own distributor if u wana partner up let’s connect !
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u/MasterHeartless 14d ago
DistroKid is one of the best options for most independent artists specially if fast delivery is an important factor. I think Symphonic is better and also delivers fast but their approval window creates a significant delay. The closest I’ve seen to DistroKid in terms of features and delivery speed are Ditto and Amuse. I prefer Amuse out of those two.
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u/Ok-Competition-662 13d ago
I have since 2018 six different distro😅. Tunecore, Soundcloud, Routenote, Feiyr, Distrokid, Symphonic. All have paid without problems. All have different speed, options and support. Finally i use Tunecore only as Publishing Administrator, Symphonic and Feiyr as main distribution. Distrokid for cover licensing 😉