Looking to expand your audience and distribute your music on major platforms? Here’s what you need to know.
By Kyle Hodge
All products and services featured are independently selected by editors. However, Billboard may earn a commission on purchases made through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
As an independent artist, distributing your music can be challenging. While platforms like Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and YouTube are accessible, sharing your work on major streaming platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify, or Tidal requires more than just uploading your tracks. To help you reach a larger audience, here�s what you need to know about music distribution as an independent artist.
If you’re signed to a label, they typically handle distribution for you. However, independent artists must go through third-party distributors to share their music on major platforms. Services like DistroKid simplify this process significantly.
DistroKid manages the bulk of the work, distributing your tracks and albums to major streaming services, automatically adding metadata and song credits, scheduling release dates, and allowing unlimited track uploads while you retain 100% of your profits. Recently, DistroKid introduced DistroKid Direct, a platform that enables independent artists to create an online store for merchandising, with artists keeping all their earnings.
DistroKid provides various tiered membership options, starting at just $2.08 for the Musician tier, which includes unlimited uploads, lyric inclusion in Google, a Spotify verified check mark, and royalty splits. The Musician Plus tier, priced at $3.75/month, offers additional features like synced lyrics in Apple Music, daily streaming stats, customizable label names, and adjustable iTunes pricing. The Ultimate tier, at $7.50/month, includes free iPhone app access, 1TB instant file sharing, and contact info for thousands of playlists.
No matter which tier you choose, artists enjoy considerable freedom in how and when to distribute their music. DistroKid also ensures that royalties are automatically split among all collaborators, including producers, songwriters, and artists, ensuring fair compensation for everyone involved.
Once you set up your profile and select your membership plan, all the tools you need to upload, share, and distribute your music are easily accessible. For artists seeking to grow their audience, DistroKid is a fantastic option for sharing music on major platforms.