How to find the right music distributor

A distributor delivers your music to Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, YouTube and the other stores, and collects what they pay. Most offer the same stores. They differ on price, how they pay, and what else they do.

Start with what similar artists use

Look up the distributor of ten artists at your level in your genre. If most of them use one or two companies, that tells you who handles your kind of music well. Paste their songs into Pulse, or check by hand with the methods in this guide.

What to compare

Question	Why it matters
Yearly fee, per-release fee or a share of income?	A yearly fee suits frequent releases; a share of income suits occasional ones.
Does it pay splits to collaborators?	Saves you paying producers and features by hand.
How and when does it pay out?	Payout methods, minimums and fees vary.
TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Content ID?	These pay for videos that use your song and are where songs now break.
Who issues the ISRCs and UPC?	You want codes you can keep if you move.
What happens if you leave?	Check the notice period and whether releases come down when you cancel.
Can you reach a person?	Takedowns, wrong artist profiles and missing royalties need real support.
Advances or marketing?	Label services companies offer them, usually for a longer term and a larger share.

The kinds of distributor

• Self-serve (DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Amuse): anyone can upload; you keep the rights.
• Label and artist services (The Orchard, AWAL, ADA, Symphonic): selective, often with advances and marketing.
• Platform (TikTok SoundOn): starts on one platform and extends to the others.

The distributor directory lists each one with how its releases show up in store data.

AMM Distro

AMM Distro is a distributor from the company behind ANTHM. Artists and labels apply to join; it handles delivery, splits, payouts and TikTok, and works with ANTHM for UGC campaigns.