The Best Music Distribution Services in 2024
But with so many music distribution options out there, it can be hard knowing where to start. That’s why we’ve compiled all the essential info you need to know about the best music distributors to help you make the best possible choice for your music career.
What is music distribution?
Music distribution is all about getting your music out into the world, and more importantly, into the ears of potential new listeners - all while getting paid. But getting your music heard in an oversaturated market can be difficult, especially for artists who are just starting out.
It’s essential you work with a distributor who provides all the tools you need to get heard, and for a fair price (and doesn’t take a sneaky slice of your royalties in the process).
For that reason, choosing the right music distributor to get your music on Spotify, Apple Music and everywhere else is one of the most important decisions ANY new artist will make.
The best music distribution companies in 2024
With the ever-growing number of distribution services on the market, making the right choice can feel overwhelming.
At Ditto, our goal is to support and empower independent artists at every stage in their careers. We give you the best value for money, a range of useful added features & more genuine future career prospects than any other distributor on the market - all while letting you make money from music and keep EVERYTHING you earn in royalties.
But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s a list of the biggest global music distributors and the deals they offer to artists, so you can make an informed decision about who to distribute YOUR music with.
1. Ditto Music
£19 a year for unlimited releases to more online digital stores than anywhere else makes Ditto the cheapest & most effective way to distribute your music online.
You’ll keep 100% of your rights & royalties plus a 30-day free trial when you sign up to make sure we’re the right fit for you.
We’ve got a huge variety of additional services and tools to help push your music out - including free pre-save links, promotion, publishing, sync placements, playlisting, royalty splits, lyric uploads & more. Artists also have the opportunity to get upstreamed and signed to our label and artist management services, which has already seen an impressive roster of global talent.
With over 15 years in the industry, Ditto’s independent ethos still remains at the heart of the company. And we’re on-hand 24/7 to provide artists with support.
2. Tunecore
Limited releases priced at $9.99 per single and $29.99 per album ($49.99 annually), makes TuneCore one of the priciest distributors on our list. Not forgetting you’ll also pay an extra $1.98 everytime you want to release to an additional store.
Artists keep 100% of the profits they earn from their sales and streaming revenue, but you’ll want to really consider whether the high upfront costs are worth it.
Tunecore’s online interface currently has no options for label copy and info such as barcodes and ISRCs, making it more difficult for artists who wish to process their own releases.
3. CD Baby
CD Baby currently distributes to over 150 online stores. Releases are limited and with fees required per release, as opposed to a recurring annual cost. Singles are currently priced at $9.95 and albums at $29, making CD Baby slightly cheaper than TuneCore but not by much.
Perhaps what’s most apparent is CB Baby’s 9% commission take on ALL releases. There’s also no option for splitting payments with other artists, plus extra fees associated with collecting YouTube royalties.
4. United Masters
UnitedMasters offers unlimited releases to 30+ stores (Spotify, Apple Music and all the usual big players) at a $5 recurring monthly rate - or $60 per year.
There’s also the option to release your music with the platform for free (without the $5 monthly member charge), but beware! UnitedMasters will take 10% of all royalties you earn from your streams and downloads.
5. Distrokid
Distrokid distributes to 150+ online music streaming services and stores for a yearly subscription fee of $19.99, with artists keeping all of their royalties.
Weak analytics reports are one of Distrokid's biggest complaints, requiring users to delve into large & complex files to find out basic information about the performance of their work. And with so many users and limited customer support features, it can be difficult to get in touch regarding questions about your release.
Also be weary of hidden fees - such as those associated with access to Shazam and Distrokid’s “Leave a Legacy” programme which claims to keep music on digital stores indefinitely (for a price).
6. Amuse
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Currently coming in at $5 a month is Amuse’s Pro package. Features include unlimited releases, royalty splits and 100% of royalties paid to the artist.
Amuse has a limited store catalogue, currently only distributing to 11 digital streaming services (+8 additional stores for Pro users). Their 14 day Spotify turnover also puts them in last place in terms of speed to Spotify.
7. ONErpm
Although it’s free to distribute your music via ONErpm, you’ll pay the price in the form of a 15% revenue commission fee from any profits earned from streaming, sales & downloads of your music (rising to 30% for ringtones & YouTube).
With fewer partnerships than the majority with just over 30 online and digital stores, you’ll have to decide whether the 0 release fee is worth the high commission loss and very limited store reach.
8. Horus Music
Horus Music offers unlimited uploads to over 150+ stores for artists looking to release content on a regular basis at £20 a year, with artists receiving 100% of their royalty revenue.
Although they’ve been around since 2006, the company has yet to see any notable artists to vouch for their case.
9. Landr
At a glance, LANDR offers artists music distribution to all major music platforms for $9 per single and $25 per EP or album. Unlimited releases are only available when you sign up to the LANDR Pro service, currently priced at $25 a month.
Tied with ONErpm, LANDR takes a hefty 15% commission fee. Recently launched in 2017, the company is one of the newest in the industry, having previously specialised in music mastering rather than distribution. This makes LANDR a high risk choice in terms of both experience and reputability.
10. EmuBands
Releasing your music with EmuBands works out at $42.50 per single, $59.95 for an EP and $84.95 per album - putting it at the bottom of our list in terms of affordability & value for your cash.
Distribution is restricted to just 61 stores & currently EmuBands don’t offer an unlimited release option - not ideal for artists who’re planning to release music on the regular.
11. Symphonic
Distributing with Symphonic requires artists to apply and get ‘accepted’ before you can start releasing unlimited music to 200+ online stores.
Despite a $0 sign up fee, a successful application won’t stop you getting hit with Symphonic’s mandatory 15% royalty split on all streams, sales & downloads of your music.
12. Record Union
Record Union is a distributor that helps artists and labels send their music to a range of digital platforms and streaming services around the world. With subscription prices starting at $19.99 per year for 1-2 tracks getting sent to their full list of stores, Record Union isn't the cheapest option on our list, but does offer another alternative for artists looking to keep hold of 100% of their earnings.
It's worth noting that Record Union's store list is far less extensive than other distributors, with their basic plans only sending your music to 5 popular platforms.
13. RouteNote
RouteNote is another company that offers music distribution services, with multiple subscription options. Although RouteNote offers a free service option to musicians, this option only lets you keep 85% of your royalties. To keep 100% (the standard across all Ditto subs), it'll cost you up to $55 a year to release an extended album.
The best music aggregators reviewed
Still not sure which music distribution service is right for you? Here’s how the biggest players stack up against each other.
Now you've got all the info you need to know to make the best possible choice of distributor for you and your music.
Happy releasing!
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