How to Find the Best Worldwide Music Distributors for Your Needs

Discovering and choosing the right music distributors to release your music worldwide can significantly impact your success. There are various distributors available, each with their own features, costs, and benefits. This article will explore some of the top distributors, helping you find the perfect fit for your music career.

Anti-Joy - Best Value for Your Budget

Anti-Joy offers an affordable and comprehensive service with a yearly subscription of only 7.99, making it highly accessible to artists of all backgrounds. With this plan, you can upload unlimited music, maintain full control over your rights and royalties, and even distribute to major platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Instagram, and more. Here are some key features and benefits:

Unlimited Music Uploads: Upload as much music as you wish without hitting any limits. Fast Distribution: Enjoy fast distribution in just 72 hours. Custom Release Date Option: Arrange a custom release date across all your plans. Claim YouTube OAC and Spotify for Artists: Optimize your music's performance on these platforms. Free YouTube Content ID: Available with the Plus Plan, no commission required. Multiple Artists Pricing: Pay a fraction of the price when uploading for multiple artists. No Promo Art Generator: This feature is not available yet.

DistroKid - Fast and Reliable Distribution

DistroKid is a well-established music distributor, known for its speed and reliability. It offers a yearly subscription of 19.99, making it cost-effective if you distribute a significant amount of music. Key features and benefits include:

Fast Distribution: Reach multiple platforms within a week. Unlimited Music Uploads: Unlimited tracks for your artists. Tools for Enhanced Distribution: Spotify pre-save, promo art, and more. Claim Spotify for Artists Instantly: Save time by instantly claiming your music on Spotify. Multiple Artist Distribution: This can get quite expensive for multiple artists.

Tunecore - The Most Expensive Option

Tunecore is the most expensive on the market, with per-release pricing that can quickly add up. Its yearly subscription starts at 9.99 for a single or 29.99 for an album. Pros include full control over your rights and royalties, publishing administration, and more. However, here are some cons to consider:

High Prices: Can become very expensive if you upload often. No Promo Art Generator: This feature is currently not available. Complexity: The service is quite complex and requires some planning.

CD Baby - Long-Term Solution

CD Baby stands out as an excellent long-term solution with a one-time payment for each album or single. The pros include efficient long-term distribution and full rights and royalties management. Here are the cons to be aware of:

One-Time Fee: You'll need to buy UPC barcodes yourself. Commission: 20% commission on the Standard plan. Expensive Frequent Uploads: Higher costs if you upload music frequently.

Ditto - Affordable and Feature-Rich

Ditto offers a yearly subscription of 20, making it highly affordable for unlimited music distribution. This platform offers insights and analytics reports, publishing administration, and other unique features. However, there are some downsides to keep in mind:

Costly for Multiple Artists: Very expensive for distributing more than a few artists.

Landr - Cost-Effective with Analytics

Landr provides cost-effective distribution, with single and album pricing at 9 and 29 respectively, with a 15% commission unless you opt for the 89/yr plan that removes the commission. Pros include YouTube Content ID, affordable and easy cover song licensing, and claim Spotify for Artists instantly. Cons:

Commission: 9-15% unless you pay the premium plan. Costly per Release: Pay per release unless you pay the premium plan. Limit on Artists: Distribute to a maximum of 7 artists for the premium plan.

OneRPM - Free with Commission

OneRPM offers a unique model of distributing music for free on major services, with a 15% commission. Features include unlimited uploads, playlist pitching, and promo art generator. Cons include potential slowness and commission, as well as a 50 minimum withdrawal requirement. Pros:

Unlimited Uploads and Artists: No limits on how much music you can upload. Royalty Splitting: Option to split royalties. Support: Generally not as slow as reported, except for support.

Conclusion

Selecting the right music distributor is crucial for your success in the music industry. If you are frequently uploading music and value affordability and comprehensive features, Anti-Joy is a great choice. For those looking for a long-term, efficient solution with no yearly subscription creeping in, CD Baby is highly recommended. If you are aiming for free distribution on major platforms, OneRPM provides a solid alternative. Happy music distribution!