Complete List of Music Distribution Companies for Independent Artists in 2024
In today's digital music landscape, choosing the right music distribution service can make or break your career as an independent artist. With countless options available, navigating the world of digital music distribution can feel overwhelming. This comprehensive list of music distribution companies will help you find the perfect partner to get your music on Spotify, Apple Music, and other major streaming platforms.
Whether you're looking for free music distribution, premium services with additional marketing support, or specialized distribution for specific genres, this guide covers everything you need to know to make an informed decision about distributing your music in 2024.
What is Music Distribution and Why Do Artists Need It?
Music distribution is the process of delivering your music to streaming platforms and digital stores. In the pre-digital era, physical distribution involved getting CDs and vinyl into record stores. Today, digital distribution companies serve as the bridge between independent artists and streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and many others.
Without a music distributor, independent artists would have no way to get their music on these platforms. Distribution companies handle the technical aspects of uploading music, collecting royalties, and ensuring your music appears correctly across all platforms.
Types of Music Distribution Services
Before diving into our list, it's important to understand the different types of distribution services available:
Free Distribution Services
These platforms allow artists to distribute their music without upfront costs, typically taking a percentage of royalties instead. They're perfect for those just starting out or with limited budgets.
Paid Distribution Services
These companies charge either a one-time fee per release or an annual subscription. They often provide additional services and typically take a smaller percentage of royalties (or none at all).
Label Services Distributors
These comprehensive services offer distribution plus marketing, promotion, playlist pitching, and other services typically associated with record labels.
Now, let's explore the extensive list of music distribution companies available to independent artists in 2024.
Major Digital Music Distribution Companies
DistroKid
Pricing: Annual subscription starting at $19.99/year
Revenue split: Artists keep 100% of royalties
Platforms: 150+ digital stores and streaming services
Key features: Unlimited releases, fast distribution, split payments between collaborators, Spotify pre-save links
Best for: Prolific artists who release music frequently
DistroKid has become one of the most popular distribution services due to its simple pricing model and artist-friendly terms. For a flat annual fee, you can upload unlimited songs and albums, making it extremely cost-effective for artists who release music regularly. The platform is known for its speed, often getting music onto streaming platforms within 24-48 hours.
TuneCore
Pricing: $9.99 per single, $29.99 per album, or subscription plans starting at $14.99/year
Revenue split: Artists keep 100% of royalties
Platforms: 150+ digital stores and streaming services
Key features: Detailed analytics, publishing administration, social media monetization
Best for: Artists looking for comprehensive services and detailed reporting
TuneCore is one of the oldest and most established digital distribution services. It offers a pay-per-release model as well as newer subscription options. TuneCore provides excellent analytics and has recently expanded its services to include social media monetization for platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
CD Baby
Pricing: $9.95 per single, $29 per album (one-time fee)
Revenue split: CD Baby takes 9% of royalties
Platforms: 150+ digital stores and streaming platforms
Key features: Physical distribution, sync licensing opportunities, publishing administration
Best for: Artists looking for a one-time payment model and physical distribution options
CD Baby is one of the pioneering music distribution services and remains a top choice for many independent artists. Unlike subscription-based services, CD Baby charges a one-time fee per release. They also offer physical distribution for CDs and vinyl, making them a great choice if you sell physical merchandise.
AWAL
Pricing: No upfront costs
Revenue split: AWAL takes 15% of royalties
Platforms: All major streaming services
Key features: Selective artist roster, marketing and promotional support, advance funding opportunities
Best for: Established indie artists with growing fanbases
AWAL (Artists Without A Label) takes a more selective approach than most distributors. They don't accept every artist who applies, instead focusing on those who demonstrate potential for growth. AWAL offers more label-like services, including marketing support and playlist pitching, making them ideal for artists who have already built some momentum.
Free and Low-Cost Music Distribution Options
Amuse
Pricing: Free tier available; Pro tier at $24.99/year
Revenue split: Artists keep 100% of royalties on both tiers
Platforms: All major streaming services
Key features: Fast-track releases on Pro tier, advance royalty payments, data insights
Best for: New artists looking to test the waters without upfront costs
Amuse offers a genuinely free distribution service with no hidden catches. Their model works by using data to identify promising artists, whom they may then offer record deals to. The Pro tier adds features like faster distribution and split payments.
RouteNote
Pricing: Free tier (RouteNote takes 15%); Premium tier starts at $9.99 per single
Revenue split: Artists keep 100% of royalties on Premium tier
Platforms: 95+ platforms including all major services
Key features: YouTube Content ID, SoundCloud monetization, flexible switching between tiers
Best for: Artists who want to start free and upgrade later
RouteNote offers flexibility with both free and premium options. You can start with their free tier and switch to premium once your music starts generating significant revenue. This makes it an excellent choice for artists who are just getting started and want to test the market.
SubmitHub
While primarily a promotional platform rather than a distributor, SubmitHub helps artists get their music to bloggers, playlist curators, and influencers. It's an important complementary service once your music is distributed.
Premium Distribution Services with Additional Features
United Masters
Pricing: Free tier (United Masters takes 10%); Premium tier at $59.99/year
Revenue split: Artists keep 100% of royalties on Premium tier
Platforms: All major streaming services
Key features: Brand partnership opportunities, audience analytics, direct fan engagement tools
Best for: Artists looking to connect with brands and build direct fan relationships
United Masters has made a name for itself by connecting independent artists with major brands for partnership opportunities. Their platform focuses on audience building and direct fan engagement, making them a great choice for artists who want to leverage their music for broader opportunities.
Ditto Music
Pricing: Starting at $19/year
Revenue split: Artists keep 100% of royalties
Platforms: 200+ stores and streaming services
Key features: Record label services, distribution, publishing administration, Spotify for Artists instant access
Best for: Artists looking for a balance of distribution and label services
Ditto Music offers various subscription tiers to suit different artist needs. Their higher tiers include features like chart registration, which can be important for artists targeting official charts. They also offer Ditto Music Publishing, which helps with sync licensing opportunities.
Symphonic Distribution
Pricing: Starting at $19.99 per single
Revenue split: Varies by tier, but typically 15% on the basic tier
Platforms: 200+ digital stores and streaming services
Key features: Marketing services, sync licensing, YouTube monetization, publishing administration
Best for: Electronic, DJ, and urban artists looking for specialized support
Symphonic Distribution began with a focus on electronic music but has expanded to support all genres. They offer a range of professional services beyond simple distribution, including marketing support and sync licensing opportunities. Their application process is selective, focusing on artists with demonstrated potential.
Label Services Distributors
The Orchard
Pricing: Custom pricing, generally not directly accessible to individual artists
Revenue split: Negotiable
Platforms: All major platforms worldwide
Key features: Full-service global distribution, marketing, sync licensing, physical distribution
Best for: Established indie labels and artists with significant traction
The Orchard, owned by Sony Music, is one of the largest music distributors in the world. They typically work with established indie labels rather than individual artists. Their services are comprehensive, including marketing, physical distribution, and sync licensing. Artists usually need to be referred or have significant traction to work with The Orchard directly.
EMPIRE
Pricing: Custom deals, not publicly disclosed
Revenue split: Negotiable
Platforms: All major platforms
Key features: Marketing, promotion, publishing, brand partnerships
Best for: Urban artists with established fanbases
EMPIRE has made a name for itself in hip-hop and R&B, working with many breakthrough artists in these genres. They function as both a distributor and a label, offering custom deals based on an artist's needs and potential. While they're selective about who they work with, they have a track record of breaking new artists into the mainstream.
Specialized Music Distribution Services
Bandcamp
Pricing: Free to use, Bandcamp takes 15% of digital sales (10% after $5000 in sales)
Revenue split: Artists keep 85% of digital sales initially
Platforms: Bandcamp only, not other streaming services
Key features: Direct fan support, name-your-price options, physical merchandise sales
Best for: Artists with dedicated fanbases willing to purchase music directly
Bandcamp isn't a traditional distributor as it doesn't place your music on streaming services. Instead, it provides a platform for selling music directly to fans, who often pay more than the minimum price to support artists they love. Bandcamp is particularly popular in indie, electronic, and experimental music communities.
Landr Distribution
Pricing: Starting at $20/year for the basic plan
Revenue split: Artists keep 100% of royalties
Platforms: 150+ streaming services and stores
Key features: Bundled with Landr's mastering service, promotional tools, cover art creation
Best for: Artists who also use Landr for mastering
Landr began as an automated mastering service but has expanded to offer distribution as well. Their bundled subscription packages provide both mastering and distribution, making them a convenient one-stop shop for artists who want to finalize and release their music through a single platform.
SoundCloud for Artists
Pricing: Included with SoundCloud Pro Unlimited ($12/month) or standalone tiers starting at $19.99/year
Revenue split: Artists keep 100% of royalties
Platforms: All major streaming services plus SoundCloud monetization
Key features: SoundCloud integration, fan insights, direct upload from SoundCloud to other platforms
Best for: Artists with established SoundCloud followings
SoundCloud's distribution service, formerly known as Repost, allows artists to distribute music to major streaming platforms while also monetizing plays on SoundCloud itself. This is particularly valuable for artists who have built a following on SoundCloud and want to expand to other platforms.
Regional and Specialized Music Distributors
Believe Digital/TuneCore
Believe Digital (which owns TuneCore) offers specialized distribution and label services with particularly strong international reach, especially in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
OneRPM
Pricing: Free uploading with revenue share model
Revenue split: OneRPM takes between 15-30% depending on services used
Platforms: All major platforms
Key features: Strong presence in Latin America, marketing and promotional services, video distribution
Best for: Latin artists or those targeting Latin American markets
OneRPM has a particularly strong presence in Latin America, making them an excellent choice for Latin artists or those looking to tap into Latin American markets. They offer a range of services beyond distribution, including marketing and video distribution.
Fresh Tunes
Fresh Tunes offers free music distribution with a focus on serving artists in Eastern Europe and Russia, though they distribute worldwide.
How to Choose the Right Music Distribution Company
With so many options available, choosing the right music distributor can be challenging. Here are some factors to consider:
Pricing Structure
Consider your release schedule. If you release music frequently, a service with a flat annual fee like DistroKid might be more cost-effective than pay-per-release models. If you release infrequently, a service like CD Baby with one-time fees might make more sense.
Revenue Split
Some distributors take a percentage of your royalties, while others let you keep 100% but charge upfront fees. Calculate which model works best based on your expected earnings.
Speed of Distribution
If timing is important for your release strategy, check how quickly each service can get your music on platforms. Some distributors offer rush delivery as a premium feature.
Additional Services
Consider what else you need beyond basic distribution. Do you need help with marketing? Publishing administration? Physical distribution? Some services offer these as add-ons or as part of premium tiers.
Analytics and Reporting
Different distributors offer varying levels of detail in their analytics. If having detailed data about who's listening to your music and where is important to you, prioritize services with robust reporting features.
Payment Frequency
Distributors vary in how frequently they pay out royalties. Some pay monthly, while others pay quarterly. Consider what works best for your financial planning.
Platform Reach
Most major distributors cover all the important platforms, but if you're targeting specific regional services or stores, check that your chosen distributor works with them.
Essential Features to Look for in a Music Distributor
When evaluating music distribution companies, look for these essential features:
Pre-save links: Allow fans to save your music before it's released
Royalty splitting: Automatically divide earnings between collaborators
YouTube Content ID: Monetize your music when used in YouTube videos
Publishing administration: Help collect mechanical royalties and performance rights
Direct fan features: Tools to engage with and sell to fans directly
Playlist pitching: Support for submitting to official platform playlists
Social media monetization: Collect royalties when your music is used on TikTok, Instagram, etc.
Establishing Your Online Presence Beyond Distribution
While distribution gets your music onto streaming platforms, building a comprehensive online presence is crucial for career growth. Consider creating a professional musician website to showcase your work, connect with fans, and sell merchandise directly.
Many artists combine multiple platforms to create a complete digital strategy:
A distribution service to get music on streaming platforms
A dedicated artist website for your home base online
Social media profiles for daily engagement
Email marketing to build direct relationships with fans
Platforms like Bandcamp or Patreon for direct support
How to Maximize Your Distribution Strategy
Release Planning
Plan your releases strategically. Most distributors recommend submitting your music 3-4 weeks before your desired release date to ensure everything is set up properly. This gives you time to plan pre-save campaigns, submit for playlist consideration, and build anticipation.
Metadata Optimization
Pay careful attention to your metadata when uploading. This includes correct spelling, featuring artist information, genre selection, and appropriate content flags. Proper metadata ensures your music is discoverable and categorized correctly across platforms.
Leveraging Pre-Save Campaigns
Most distributors offer pre-save links that allow fans to save your music before it's released. Use these campaigns to build anticipation and drive day-one streams, which can help trigger algorithmic recommendations.
Utilizing Distribution Analytics
The data provided by your distributor can offer valuable insights into who's listening to your music and where. Use this information to plan tours, target ads, and refine your marketing strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Music Distribution
How much does it cost to distribute a song?
Costs vary widely from free (with revenue sharing) to around $9-20 per single or $20-60 per year for unlimited distribution, depending on the service you choose.
Can I change distributors after releasing music?
Yes, though the process varies by distributor. You'll need to release your music through your new distributor and then request your old distributor to take down previous versions. This should be done carefully to avoid duplicate versions appearing on streaming services.
How do I collect royalties from my distributed music?
Your distributor collects streaming and download royalties and pays them to you according to their payment schedule. However, for performance royalties, you should register with a PRO (Performing Rights Organization) like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. For publishing royalties, consider a publishing administrator or a distributor that offers publishing administration.
How long does it take to get music on streaming platforms?
Typically, it takes 1-7 business days for your music to appear on major platforms after it's approved by your distributor. For timed releases, most distributors recommend submitting at least 3-4 weeks in advance to ensure everything is ready for your chosen release date.
Do I need a separate distributor for each streaming platform?
No, most music distributors will deliver your music to all major platforms through a single submission. However, some artists choose to use different services for different purposes, such as using Bandcamp for direct sales while using another distributor for streaming platforms.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Music Distribution Partner
The best music distribution company for you depends on your specific needs, budget, and career stage. Many artists start with free or low-cost options like Amuse or DistroKid and graduate to more comprehensive services as their careers develop.
Remember that distribution is just one part of your music career. The most successful independent artists combine great distribution with thoughtful marketing, engaging social media presence, live performances, and direct fan relationships.
Take the time to research and compare several distributors before making your decision. Many services offer free trials or starter plans that can help you test their features before committing. And don't forget to build your own music website to complement your distribution strategy with a professional online presence.
With the right distribution partner and a comprehensive digital strategy, you can effectively share your music with the world while maintaining creative control and maximizing your revenue as an independent artist.