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\n\tIf you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.<\/p>\n
\n\tWhile many musicians would probably prefer to focus on writing, recording, and performing, independent artists often have to be their own managers, too. That means handling the many nitty-gritty details that go into getting music from their hard drive to listeners\u2019 headphones.<\/p>\n
\n\tOne of the early challenges is distribution. While there are plenty of platforms that allow artists to directly upload music, to reach a broader audience, independent artists need a distributor to get their music heard on major platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and others.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tHere\u2019s what artists need to know about getting their music on Spotify, the most widely used music streaming service, as well as other major platforms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tSince Spotify does not allow artists to upload music directly, independent musicians have to use a distributor. One of the most trusted options is DistroKid<\/a>; artists can upload music to the platform, which distributes it to Spotify within days. <\/p>\n \n\tSince this year, Spotify has supported high-resolution audio, meaning musicians can upload their audio in FLAC. It\u2019s a lossless compression format that better preserves a song\u2019s audio fidelity compared to MP3, which is considered a \u201clossy\u201d format.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tOne of the appeals of using DistroKid<\/a> to distribute music is that artists keep 100% of their profits \u2014 while Spotify takes a cut, DistroKid does not, allowing artists to generate more revenue from their streams. Users also get an unlimited number of uploads through DistroKid, and you can set your release date in advance for maximum reach.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tArtists can also take advantage of Spotify tools that help broaden their reach and engage fans. DistroKid lets users create a Spotify Canvas, a short, looping video that shows while the track is playing. Verification is another helpful tool to bolster an artist\u2019s presence, and DistroKid automatically verifies artists when they use the platform.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tUsers can also pitch upcoming releases to Spotify for consideration on playlists, including Release Radar, Spotify\u2019s weekly curated roundup of new releases.<\/p>\n \n\tIn addition to Spotify, DistroKid<\/a> can help artists get distributed on Apple Music, TikTok, Pandora, Amazon, Tidal, Deezer, and other platforms.\u00a0Artists can select which platforms they want to upload to through DistroKid<\/a>. <\/p>\n \n\tIt\u2019s no secret that how profits are split has led to some fractious relationships within bands, which is why it\u2019s a good idea to set profit-sharing in advance. Bands can use DistroKid<\/a> to set splits in advance, sharing profits between collaborators, producers, bandmates, and more.<\/p>\n \n\tArtists can access payments for their music through Distrokid.com\/bank, and they are typically paid about three months after release.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tAnd since merch is a big part of how artists make money, you can also get set up through DistroKid Direct, which allows you to sell t-shirts, totes, and more to fans around the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\t\tHow to Get Paid\t<\/h2>\n