1. RDistro
Distributing with RDistro requires artists to apply and get ‘accepted’ before you can start releasing unlimited music to 200+ online stores.
Despite a $0 sign up fee, a successful application won’t stop you getting hit with RDistro’s mandatory 15% royalty split on all streams, sales & downloads of your music.
2. Tunecore
Limited releases priced at $9.99 per single and $29.99 per album ($49.99 annually), makes TuneCore one of the priciest distributors on our list. Not forgetting you’ll also pay an extra $1.98 everytime you want to release to an additional store.
Artists keep 100% of the profits they earn from their sales and streaming revenue, but you’ll want to really consider whether the high upfront costs are worth it.
Tunecore’s online interface currently has no options for label copy and info such as barcodes and ISRCs, making it more difficult for artists who wish to process their own releases.
3. CD Baby
CD Baby currently distributes to over 150 online stores. Releases are limited and with fees required per release, as opposed to a recurring annual cost. Singles are currently priced at $9.95 and albums at $29, making CD Baby slightly cheaper than TuneCore but not by much.
Perhaps what’s most apparent is CB Baby’s 9% commission take on ALL releases. There’s also no option for splitting payments with other artists, plus extra fees associated with collecting YouTube royalties.
4. United Masters
UnitedMasters offers unlimited releases to 30+ stores (Spotify, Apple Music and all the usual big players) at a $5 recurring monthly rate – or $60 per year.
There’s also the option to release your music with the platform for free (without the $5 monthly member charge), but beware! UnitedMasters will take 10% of all royalties you earn from your streams and downloads.
5. Distrokid
Distrokid distributes to 150+ online music streaming services and stores for a yearly subscription fee of $19.99, with artists keeping all of their royalties.
Weak analytics reports are one of Distrokid’s biggest complaints, requiring users to delve into large & complex files to find out basic information about the performance of their work. And with so many users and limited customer support features, it can be difficult to get in touch regarding questions about your release.
Also be weary of hidden fees – such as those associated with access to Shazam and Distrokid’s “Leave a Legacy” programme which claims to keep music on digital stores indefinitely (for a price).
6. Amuse
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Currently coming in at $5 a month is Amuse’s Pro package. Features include unlimited releases, royalty splits and 100% of royalties paid to the artist.
Amuse has a limited store catalogue, currently only distributing to 11 digital streaming services (+8 additional stores for Pro users). Their 14 day Spotify turnover also puts them in last place in terms of speed to Spotify.
7. ONErpm
Although it’s free to distribute your music via ONErpm, you’ll pay the price in the form of a 15% revenue commission fee from any profits earned from streaming, sales & downloads of your music (rising to 30% for ringtones & YouTube).
With fewer partnerships than the majority with just over 30 online and digital stores, you’ll have to decide whether the 0 release fee is worth the high commission loss and very limited store reach.
8. Horus Music
Horus Music offers unlimited uploads to over 150+ stores for artists looking to release content on a regular basis at £20 a year, with artists receiving 100% of their royalty revenue.
Although they’ve been around since 2006, the company has yet to see any notable artists to vouch for their case.
9. Landr
At a glance, LANDR offers artists music distribution to all major music platforms for $9 per single and $25 per EP or album. Unlimited releases are only available when you sign up to the LANDR Pro service, currently priced at $25 a month.
Tied with ONErpm, LANDR takes a hefty 15% commission fee. Recently launched in 2017, the company is one of the newest in the industry, having previously specialised in music mastering rather than distribution. This makes LANDR a high risk choice in terms of both experience and reputability.
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