Resources
Guides
What to do when a release goes offline, and how to watch your catalog so you find out first.
Your song disappeared from Spotify: what to do in the first hour
A release vanished from your Spotify profile. How to tell if it was removed, merged or delayed, who can restore it, and what to send your distributor now.
Spotify removed your track for artificial streaming: how to respond
What an artificial-streaming takedown means, why innocent artists get flagged, how the appeal runs through your distributor, and how to protect future releases.
Someone else's music is on your Spotify artist profile (or yours is on theirs)
How Spotify profiles get mixed up, how to move a release with the content mismatch form or your distributor's tool, and how to stop it happening again.
Release monitoring for independent artists: what to watch and how
What release monitoring means for a self-released catalog, which changes to watch on Spotify, how to set it up, and what to look for in a tool.
Someone uploaded your song to Spotify under their name: how to get it removed
How to confirm a stolen or AI-copied upload on Spotify, file the infringement claim, bring in your distributor, and check the other platforms it spread to.
Your release isn't showing on Spotify on release day: what to check
Release day and your song isn't on Spotify. How to tell if it's processing, on the wrong profile or waiting on the time zone, and what to ask your distributor.
Your song was removed from Apple Music: why it happens and how to get it back
Why releases disappear from Apple Music, how to tell a takedown from a region or re-delivery issue, and what to send your distributor to get it restored.
ISRC code: what it is, how to find yours and when you need a new one
An ISRC identifies one recording. What the 12 characters mean, how to find the code for your song, who assigns it and why it should stay the same if you move.
How to claim Apple Music for Artists and what it tells you about your releases
How to claim Apple Music for Artists: what the request needs, who can claim, what the dashboard shows and how to fix a release on the wrong artist page.
Amazon Music for Artists: how to claim your profile and check your catalog
How to claim your Amazon Music for Artists profile, what it shows about your releases, and how to report a missing song or a release on the wrong profile.
Free music distribution: what to check before you upload
Before a free distributor gets your music, check who owns the rights, what happens if you leave, who issues your ISRCs and UPCs, and how takedowns work.
Spotify for Artists: how to claim your profile and what it can do
How to claim Spotify for Artists, how long review takes, who can join your team, what you can change there and what has to go through your distributor.
YouTube for artists: Official Artist Channel and YouTube Studio
How artists get a YouTube Official Artist Channel, what they need first, what song analytics show in YouTube Studio and how to fix releases on your channel.
Deezer for Creators: how to claim your artist page
How to claim your Deezer for Creators page, what the UPC check needs, how long review usually takes and how to fix wrong or duplicate artist pages on Deezer.
SoundCloud for Artists: plans, stats and fixing your profile
What SoundCloud for Artists is, how the Basic, Artist and Artist Pro plans differ on stats, and how to report tracks on the wrong SoundCloud profile.
Audiomack for Creators: how to claim your artist profile
How to claim your Audiomack artist profile with a claim code, why managers can't do it for you, how the badge works and how to merge duplicate profiles.
TIDAL for Artists: how to claim your profile and fix it
How to claim your TIDAL artist profile, why the distributor route is fastest, how long manual review can take and how to report wrong or duplicate profiles.
Pandora AMP: how to claim your artist page and get on Pandora
How to get on Pandora and claim Pandora AMP for artists: distributor delivery, review time, team roles, what Insights shows and what to do if music is missing.
Anghami for Creators: how to claim your artist profile
How to claim your Anghami for Creators profile, what the form asks for, how long review takes and who to email if your music is on the wrong Anghami profile.
Best music distribution services compared: prices, cuts and stores
DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Amuse, Ditto, RouteNote and more compared on price, your share, stores and what happens to your music if you stop paying.
DistroKid vs TuneCore: prices, stores and what happens if you stop paying
DistroKid vs TuneCore compared on plan prices, your share, SoundCloud and Audiomack, Content ID, using your own UPC and what happens when you stop paying.
DistroKid alternatives: what to use if you want something different
DistroKid alternatives by what you want to change: a lower price, no yearly fee, SoundCloud on the list, your own UPC or music that stays up if you stop paying.
DistroKid vs UnitedMasters: plans, SoundCloud and your codes
DistroKid vs UnitedMasters compared on plan prices, your share, SoundCloud and Audiomack, Content ID and what happens to your music if you stop paying.
DistroKid vs Ditto Music: prices, stores and your codes
DistroKid vs Ditto Music compared on yearly price, artists per plan, SoundCloud, Content ID, your own UPC and what happens to your music if you stop paying.
DistroKid vs LANDR: prices, editing and what happens if you cancel
DistroKid vs LANDR compared on yearly price, editing live releases, your own codes and what happens to your music and your earnings after you cancel.
Amuse vs DistroKid: prices, stores and what happens if you stop paying
Amuse vs DistroKid compared on yearly price, SoundCloud and Audiomack, Content ID, artificial streaming fees and what happens if your subscription ends.
Does DistroKid distribute to SoundCloud?
Does DistroKid upload to SoundCloud? Its store list doesn't name it. What that means, how to get your music there anyway and which distributors list it.
How to upload music to Spotify: the steps for independent artists
You can't upload songs straight to Spotify. How to use a distributor, what files to prepare, when to upload, and how to check your release went live.
How much does Spotify pay per stream? What artists really get
Spotify has no fixed per-stream rate. How royalties work, what 1,000 to 1,000,000 streams may earn, the 1,000-stream rule, and what comes out first.
How to copyright a song in the US: what's automatic and what to register
Your song is protected once it's recorded or written down. When to register it, what the US Copyright Office charges, and the song vs recording difference.
DistroKid pricing and review: plans, extras and what to check
DistroKid's plans run from $24.99 to $89.99 a year. What each one includes, what the extras cost, what happens if you stop paying, and who it suits.
TikTok for Artists: how to get access and what it shows
How to get a certified TikTok artist account, sign in to TikTok for Artists, read your song data, invite your team and fix a sound linked to the wrong song.
How to upload music to Apple Music as an artist
Artists get on Apple Music through a distributor, not the app. How to choose one, what you need, when you can claim your page and how to check it's live.
How to start a record label: a practical checklist
How to start an independent record label: the business setup, artist agreements, distribution, UPC and ISRC codes, royalty sign-ups and keeping a catalog live.
AI artists on Spotify: the rules, the badges and what to do about fakes
Spotify's rules on AI music, voice clones and AI Persona badges, and what to do when AI music lands on your profile or copies your voice.
How to get verified on Spotify: Registered Artist vs Verified by Spotify
Spotify's blue check is now Registered Artist, and Verified by Spotify is a new badge with listener rules. How to create, claim and qualify your profile.
UPC code for music: what it is and how to get one
A UPC identifies a whole release, and an ISRC identifies a track. How to get a UPC for music, when it's free, when you need a new one and how to keep it.
SubmitHub vs Playlist Push vs Groover: cost and risks
How SubmitHub, Playlist Push and Groover work, what they cost and promise, and what Spotify's rules say about paying to be considered for playlists.
Single vs EP vs album: how many songs each one needs
An EP usually has 4 to 6 songs and runs 30 minutes or less. How stores tell a single, an EP and an album apart, and how to choose for your next release.
Record deals and 360 deals explained for artists
What a 360 deal is, how advances and recoupment work, the main types of record deal, what to check before you sign and how artists get a deal.
Album cover size for Spotify, Apple Music and distributors
The album cover sizes Apple Music, Spotify, DistroKid, TuneCore and CD Baby ask for, what size to make yours, and what gets artwork rejected.
How Spotify's algorithm works: Release Radar and Discover Weekly
What Spotify says shapes its recommendations, how Release Radar, Discover Weekly and Discovery Mode work, and what artists can actually do about them.
How to upload music to YouTube and YouTube Music
How to upload a song to YouTube as a video, get your releases on YouTube Music through a distributor, and what Art Tracks and Topic channels are.
How to change or remove a song on Spotify: name, cover art and takedowns
You can't edit a song in Spotify for Artists. How to change your artist name or cover art, remove a song, and fix a takedown through your distributor.
How to switch music distributors without losing your streams
Keep your ISRCs, titles, artwork and audio identical, and get the order right. What DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby and Ditto each tell you to do.
Musician website: what to include, and what you can skip
Your site needs your music, a bio, show dates, photos, a contact and an email signup. A simple checklist for a musician website, plus what builders cost.
How to make money from music: where artists really get paid
Streaming, songwriting royalties, direct sales, YouTube, shows, merch and more. How musicians get paid, what each source costs and what's still unclaimed.
How much do Apple Music, TIDAL, YouTube Music and Amazon pay per stream?
None of them publishes a fixed rate. What each service says, what outside estimates show per 1,000 streams, and why your own number will be different.
How to become an independent artist: release music without a label
What an independent artist is, what it costs, and how to release music yourself: rights, distribution, profiles, royalties, a website and a release plan.
Music marketing: how to promote your music as an independent artist
A simple plan for promoting your music: what to do before, during and after a release, Spotify's free and paid tools, short video, email and what to avoid.
DistroKid review: is it legit, and is it worth it?
Yes, DistroKid is a real distributor. What's good, what to watch for, what it costs after fees, and who it suits, from its own pages and public reviews.
RouteNote review: is it legit, and is it really free?
Yes, RouteNote is a real distributor, and its Free plan costs nothing but takes 15%. Premium prices, review wait times, payouts and who it suits.
Spotify Artist Profile Protection: how it works and how to turn it on
Spotify's Artist Profile Protection lets you review or block releases sent with your name. Who has it, the 28-day window, artist keys and what it misses.
Spotify songs greyed out or not available: why it happens and how to fix it
Why Spotify songs go grey or say they're not available: your country, offline mode, the explicit filter, hidden songs or a takedown. What to check first.
Songstats vs Soundcharts vs Chartmetric: which one tells you when a song goes missing?
What Songstats, Soundcharts and Chartmetric track, what they cost, and whether any of them alerts you when a release is taken down.
DistroKid removed your song: why it happens and what to do
Why DistroKid removes songs, including the October 2026 removals tied to UMG's lawsuit, how to find where your song is gone, and how to ask for it back.
How to check your music is live on every streaming platform
How to check every release is still live on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music and the rest: by hand, with your artist tools, or with a free scan.
Wrong songwriter or producer credits on Spotify: how to correct them
Where Spotify's songwriter, producer and performer credits come from, why they're often wrong or missing, and how to correct them through your distributor.