It is difficult to select the best music distribution service for your music. You must determine which service is the most dependable to use with your music. This is not something to be concerned about if you work for a music label because your label will handle music distribution. As an independent artist, you must find a distribution service that will deliver your music to the appropriate stores.
There are premium and free music distribution services. In this article, we will be looking into, the top free music distribution services found online.
This article will be extensive and dynamic, it does need proper research and for that reason, I will be updating it frequently.
The websites and apps listed below offer a wide array of services and opportunities for musicians to distribute their music. They range from marketing and promotion to distribution and sales.
RouteNote
RouteNote is a free platform for musicians to upload their music and share it with the world. It provides other musicians to listen to your music, download it, or even collaborate with it. RouteNote has over 2.9 million tracks distributed through the site by over 719.6k artists.
It distributes to the following music store; Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, YouTube, Youtube Music, amazon music, Deezer, Tidal, Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, TikTok, resso, pandora, Huawei Music, Anghami, Claro Musica, Melon, Kanjian, Bugs, AWA, YG, Tencent, Netease, Napster, iHeart Radio, Jio Saavn, Kuack, qobuz, FLO.
How to join RouteNote
To join RouteNote, go to RouteNotes' Official Website or copy and insert the following referral code 2f91c653. By using the above link or code, I will earn 2% of your earnings which will come from RouteNote's cut. insert your username, email address, create and confirm your password, set your security question and answer, add your PayPal email, enter a referral code if you have, read and agree to terms and conditions and confirm you are not a problem, lastly click Sign Up.
How to distribute your music through RouteNote
Album Details To distribute, click on create a new release, add the release title and click create a release. Add album details like the language of your title, album version, artist name, primary genre, and secondary genre, composition and sound recording copyright and record label name which can be your artist name if you don't have a label, original release date, select if your song is explicit or not and then save and continue.
Add Audio Upload your audio which must be a high-quality mp3 320kbps - 44.1khz or high-quality44.1khz FLAC. You first add the track name and upload your track, then, save and continue.
Add Artwork
Add jpg artwork should be 3000px by 3000px, professional quality and less than 25 MB with RGB colour space. it should not contain any website link, contact information, pornography images, pricing information, copyrighted images, or blurry images.
Manage Stores
Lastly, manage the stores that you intend to distribute to and distribute your track or album. You can choose stores individually or select all at once. You are also given the chance to include or exclude distributing territories but for worldwide distribution DO NOT add territories information.
RouteNote gives you 85% of your Royalty earnings if you distribute your tracks on free mode. To get 100% of your earnings, you are required to pay $10 for your single, $20 for your EP, $30 for your album and $40 for Extra Album. You will get all other features in addition to all your Royalties.
RouteNote has a 4.2-star rating based on 390+ reviews in Trust
Pilot.
NB RouteNote processes music stats and royalties payment from date
15-20 of every month. You have to attain a $50 minimum threshold
to receive payments every month to your Paypal account. If you
don't attain this, your balance is carried over.
Songtradr
The other store that offers free music distribution is Songtradr. It offers distribution, monetization and licensing, connecting artists with brands, advertisers, film, TV and more at the same time.
It has a free starter plan that gives 90% of your distribution Royalties.
>Songtradr distributes to the following music store; Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon, 7Digital, ACRCloud, Alibaba. Anghami, Apple Music, AWA, BCM Music, Beatport, Boomplay, Deezer, Dubset Media Holdings, Facebook/Instagram, Hungama, iHeart, Inprodicon, iTunes, Jaxsta, Juno Dance, KDIGITAL, KKBOX, MixCloud, Musikazoo, Napster, Naxos, NetEase, Pandora, Primephonic, Qobuz, QUB Musique, Resso, ROXI, Saavn, Soundtrack Your Brand, Spotify, Target Media, Tencent, Tesla, Tik Tok, Tidal, Traxsource, Triller, UMA, WEYV, Yandex, YouTube Music.
How to join Songtradr
Sign up on Songtradr through their Official Website link. They offer two different ways to join; Through Email or Facebook.
If you choose the Email Way which I recommend, You will be asked to insert your First Name and Last Name, Company name which is optional, your email address [of course], your preferred password which should be 6 or more characters and a repeat of that password, select that you want to sell music and confirm that you are not a robot. You are also given the chance to insert your profile picture in that sign up form.
How to distribute your music through Songtradr
Uploading Your Music
After creating your Songtradr account using and confirming your
email address, You can then proceed to distribute your music through
this great service.
I first recommend that you first upload your music through the
upload button so that You can fill in your track details so as to
make your single or album distribution process smooth. It is
recommended that you render your music files in a
Lossless (i.e. 24bit/48Khz WAV or AIF) format which is the
quality of the file that Songtradr requires.
Filing in your file's metadata on Songtradr
After your files upload hits 100%, the next step required is filing in your metadata. I will illustrate this using one of my recently released tracks Horizon The song's metadata page form has six categories field which requires different info. They are;
- Recording-here you are required to fill in your song recording info like song title, recording year, release date, country of origin, artwork Size: 1500px by 1500px png or jpg. (upload your already prepared artwork.)
You are also required to choose the main artists and if there are more artists involved add them as featured or contributing artists. Also, set up master ownership and percentage. You can then set up your song visibility options like song visibility on your Songtradr's public profile, hide on public search, restricting song download and restricting your song to 30 seconds preview.
- Copyright-Enter your song copyright title which should be the song title without the artist name. Enter your ISWC unique identifier if you work with a PRO (Performing Rights Organization). Enter your song's copyright year, choose your song's primary lyrics language if there is any, Select if your song is a public domain one. Add copyright owners and their respective percentages of ownership. You can also add song lyrics as they appear in your song. Save and continue to the next category.
- Metadata-Here you are required to choose your track's vocal type, choose if your track is clean or explicit, choose your song's tempo, key in the BPM of your track, choose your song's genre, mood and theme. You can also choose the featured instrument, the era of your track, musical key of your song and enter the style of your track in "in the style of" field.
