Distribution
Music Distribution: Cutting Through the Complexity
Some of the topics I typically discuss and get asked about may include, but are not limited to are:
• Digital Music Distribution – How music files are distributed today and how you get your music disseminated?
• metadata Embedding – What Metadata do you need and how is this embedded into your audio file.
• Software Utilities – SaaS standard software DISCO.AC used by music supervisors in the sync music world. Audacity is a free DAW used to prepare your files for metadata and to create FLAC files.
• Data Storage Formats? MP3, WAV, BWAV, AAC, AIFF (AIF), FLAC, etc. Also, what Sample Rate and Bit Depth?
• Performance Rights Organization (PRO) – which one fits your needs and work goals. There are currently 5 PROs in the USA, with BMI, ASCAP and SESAC as the major players and GMR (Global Music Rights), AMRA (American Music Rights Association) growing larger everyday. There is also the MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective) and SoundExchange, which are rights organizations that deal exclusively with streaming.
Each PRO tracks your metadata for royalty collection, but they operate in different ways. Yes, you need them both.
• Publishing – Do you self publish or go with a publisher. When is the right time?
• Music Licensing – Getting in touch with the Music Supervisors and what this can do for you!
Music distribution is one of the most common challenges artists face today. We’re all trying to solve the same puzzle: How do we release our music in a way that actually reaches listeners?
Back when everything lived on vinyl or CDs, it was simple—hand someone a disc, get paid, and move on. Today, the process is far more complex. After you choose a digital distributor and properly prepare your audio files, your music can technically go live. But that’s only the starting point.
The real challenge is visibility—making sure people know your music exists and motivating them to spend their time and money listening. And then comes the next hurdle: streaming royalties. With your music streaming through digital platforms, your revenue is tracked through metadata, and that metadata must be handled correctly for you to get paid.
Digital distribution can feel confusing and opaque, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. I can guide you step-by-step through the entire process—helping you understand it, manage it yourself, or confidently hand it off to the right partner.
Let’s turn a complicated system into a clear path forward for your music!