Releasing Music Independently: Distribution, Metadata and Timeline

Getting your music onto streaming services and download stores is achievable for any band now. Getting it there correctly, with enough time to tell people, is where planning pays off.

How independent distribution works

A digital distributor delivers your audio, artwork and release information to streaming services and stores, then passes on the money those recordings earn. Pricing models vary: some charge a yearly fee, some charge per release, some keep a share of income. Before you sign up, read the terms and find out:

• What share of income, if any, the distributor keeps
• Whether anything in the agreement transfers ownership or exclusivity
• What happens to your releases if you stop paying or switch distributor
• How and when payments are made, and how you split them between members

Alongside distribution, direct-to-fan platforms and your own website can handle downloads and physical sales.

Get your assets ready

• Final mastered audio in the format your distributor asks for (usually high-quality WAV)
• Square artwork at the required size, following the distributor's artwork rules
• Final song titles, running order and any version labels
• Full credits: performers, writers, producers, engineers
• Lyrics, if you want them displayed
• A short bio and a couple of photos for press and profiles

Distributors publish rules about artwork. Text such as web addresses, prices or other brands' logos can get a release held back, so check before you finalise the cover.

Metadata: the boring part that matters

Names

Spell your band name exactly the same way everywhere, including capitals and punctuation. Small differences can split your music across two artist profiles.

Titles and versions

Keep titles clean and use the version field for things like "Demo", "Live" or "Acoustic", rather than stuffing them into the title.

Identifiers

Each recording gets an ISRC code and each release gets a UPC or EAN barcode. Many distributors can assign these for you. Keep a spreadsheet of them, and reuse the same ISRC when the same recording appears on a later release, such as a single that ends up on an EP.

Songwriting and royalties

Enter writers accurately. If members belong to a performing rights organisation, register the songs there too: songwriting royalties are collected separately from what your distributor pays for the recordings. Agree the writing splits first, and use the same figures everywhere.

The rest

Mark explicit content honestly, pick a genre that a new listener would recognise, and set the correct language.

Release planning timeline

1. 10–12 weeks beforeMasters and artwork finished. Pick the release date and the distributor.
2. 8 weeks beforeUpload the release and double-check every field. Register songs with your performing rights organisation. Draft a content plan.
3. 6 weeks beforeContact local press, blogs, community radio and independent curators. Book a launch show.
4. 4 weeks beforeAnnounce the date and artwork. Set up a pre-save or pre-order if your tools offer one.
5. 2 weeks beforeShare short clips and behind-the-scenes material. Rehearse the launch set.
6. Release weekShare links everywhere, play the show, and thank everyone who helped.
7. 1–4 weeks afterKeep posting: live videos, lyric snippets, stories behind the songs. Note what worked for next time.

Lead times differ between distributors and services, and some recommend extra notice if you want editorial consideration. Check their current guidance and give yourself more time rather than less.

Singles, EPs or albums?

For a newer band, a run of singles every couple of months gives you repeated reasons to talk to your audience, and an EP can collect them later. An album is a big investment of attention as well as money, and often lands harder once people already know who you are.

After release day

Check every listing appears under the right artist profile with the right artwork. Where services let artists claim their profile, do it and add a photo and bio. Report any mistakes through your distributor quickly. Then update your own links: website, social profiles and the sign-up sheet on your merch table should all point to the new release.