How to Create and Distribute a Release
Step-by-step guide to sharing your music
To distribute your music, go to the “Catalog/Albums” section and click “Create a Record.” On the platform, record is the general term used for any type of release—whether it’s a single, EP, or full album.
Once your release is created, you’ll go through six tabs to complete all the required metadata.
1. Album Info
Here’s what you’ll need to fill in:
• Title: For singles, this must match the track title listed under the “Tracks” tab.
• Version: Only use this field if it’s a remix, alternate version, or special edition.
• Title Language: The primary language of the release’s titles.
• Format: Choose whether it’s a single, EP, or album.
• Cover Art: Upload the artwork from your computer.
• Genre: Select both a primary and secondary genre.
• Credits: Add all participating artists and assign their specific roles.
• Label: If you don’t have a label, use the main artist’s name—this will appear in YouTube claims.
• UPC & Reference Number: If you don’t have these, check the box to have them generated automatically after your release is approved.
2. Licensing
This tab covers key details about the release timeline and rights:
• Digital Release Date: Choose when you’d like your music to go live (keep in mind that DSPs typically take 2–15 days to publish).
• Release Time: Currently in beta.
• Original Release Date: Use this if you’re re-releasing previously published material.
• Copyright:
• (C): Legal owner of the composition and lyrics.
• (P): Legal owner of the sound recording (this name will show on platforms like Spotify).
• Territories: Select the countries where your release will be available.
• Price Category: Choose a pricing tier for digital stores.
3. Tracks
If you’re uploading new tracks that aren’t already in your catalog, select “From your computer.”
Once uploaded, review and edit the metadata for each track.
If the tracks already exist in your catalog, you can add them by choosing “From Catalog.”
4. Preview & Distribution
This is your final review before going live:
• Click “Distribute this record” in the upper right corner.
• A list of distribution channels will appear.
• If anything’s missing or incorrect, you’ll see a notification with the issue to fix.
• After resolving any errors, choose the channels you want, review the summary, and proceed to checkout.
5. History
Once your release has been submitted, this tab lets you track its progress:
• Check whether it’s been approved by the Quality Control team.
• The “Completed On” and “Delivery Time” fields will show how long the process took.
• Remember: most DSPs take between 2 and 15 days to make your release available to the public.
6. Distribution
This tab is where you can manage, update, or take down your release:
• Use the “All Channels” option to apply changes across the board.
• Or, if you need to make edits for a specific channel, use the “Actions” column to do so individually.