Everything you need to know about distributing your music
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Navigate to 'Catalog' in your dashboard and click 'Create New Release'. Fill in your release details including title, artist name, genre, release date, and upload your music files. Make sure your cover art is at least 1000x1000 pixels (3000x3000 recommended) in JPG or PNG format. After submission, our team will review your release within 1-2 business days.
We support WAV, FLAC, MP3, and AIFF formats. For best quality, we recommend uploading WAV or FLAC files at 16-bit/44.1kHz or higher (24-bit/48kHz is ideal for audiophile quality). The maximum file size per track is 500MB. Avoid MP3 uploads as they are lossy compressed formats.
Once approved by our team (usually within 1-2 business days), your release will be delivered to streaming platforms. Most platforms take 1-7 days to publish, with some taking up to 14 days. Spotify typically takes 2-5 days, Apple Music 1-3 days, YouTube Music 3-7 days. Always submit at least 2 weeks before your desired release date to ensure timely delivery.
A Single contains 1-3 tracks with a total duration under 30 minutes. An EP (Extended Play) has 4-6 tracks or runs 15-30 minutes total. An Album has 7 or more tracks or exceeds 30 minutes in total duration. These industry-standard definitions affect how your release appears on streaming platforms.
We distribute to 150+ platforms worldwide including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal, YouTube Music, Pandora, TikTok, Instagram Music, Snapchat, Beatport, Traxsource, Audiomack, Boomplay, Anghami, JioSaavn, and many more. You can see the full list in your release submission form and select which platforms you want.
Yes! During release submission, you can choose which platforms you want your music distributed to. You can also update platform selection for existing releases from the edit page. However, once a release goes live on a platform, removing it requires a takedown request which takes 7-14 days to process.
By default, we distribute your music worldwide to all available territories. You can restrict distribution to specific countries or regions if needed (for example, if you have separate distribution deals in certain territories). Configure this in the 'Territory Settings' section during release submission.
Yes, but with important restrictions. For cover songs, you must obtain a mechanical license before distribution (we can help facilitate this). For remixes, you MUST have written permission from the original copyright holders. Unauthorized remixes or covers can result in takedowns, account suspension, and legal liability. Always clear your rights first.
Royalties are calculated based on streams and downloads from all platforms. We receive royalty reports from platforms every quarter (every 3 months) with a 2-3 month delay. For example, January-March streams are reported to us in May-June. Once your balance reaches the minimum payout threshold, you can request a payout via PayPal or bank transfer. View detailed earnings in the Royalties section of your dashboard.
The minimum payout threshold is €100 (or equivalent in USD/GBP/RSD). Once your balance reaches this amount, you can request a payout from your dashboard. We process payments twice monthly on the 1st and 15th. Funds typically arrive within 3-5 business days for PayPal and 5-10 days for bank transfers.
Royalty reports arrive quarterly as platforms pay on a delayed schedule. Reports typically arrive 2-3 months after the streaming period ends. January-March streams are reported in May-June, April-June in July-August, July-September in October-November, October-December in January-February. This delay is standard across the industry due to how platforms process and report data.
We operate on a transparent revenue share model. Our standard agreement is a 80/20 split (you keep 80%, we keep 20%) to cover distribution, storage, bandwidth, and platform fees. Premium members may have different rates. There are no hidden fees, annual charges, or per-release costs. You keep the majority of your earnings, and you always own 100% of your master rights.
Spotify pays approximately $0.003-0.005 per stream on average, but this varies based on listener location, subscription type (Premium vs Free), and total streams. Apple Music pays slightly higher at $0.007-0.01 per stream. Tidal and Deezer pay the most at $0.01-0.015. These are industry-wide averages and not specific to our label. Your actual earnings depend on where and how your music is streamed.
YOU own 100% of the copyright and master rights to your music. We only act as your distribution partner and never claim ownership of your work. You retain all rights to license, sync, sell, or distribute your music elsewhere. Our agreement is non-exclusive, meaning you can distribute through other services simultaneously if you wish (though we don't recommend this to avoid duplicate content issues).
A master recording (sound recording copyright) is the actual recorded audio file - the specific performance captured. A composition (musical work copyright) is the underlying song itself - the melody, lyrics, and musical arrangement. As the artist/producer, you typically own the master. If you wrote the song, you own the composition. If you didn't write it (cover song), someone else owns the composition and you need a license.
Copyright automatically exists the moment you create and fix your work in a tangible form (recording it). However, we strongly recommend registering your copyright with your country's copyright office (US Copyright Office, EUIPO, etc.) for maximum legal protection. Registration provides legal proof of ownership and is required if you ever need to sue for infringement. Our distribution does NOT register copyright for you.
If you find your music being used without permission: 1) Document the infringement with screenshots and URLs. 2) Send a DMCA takedown notice to the platform hosting the content. 3) Contact us with details and we can help submit claims on major platforms. 4) Consider legal action for serious cases. Having your copyright registered significantly strengthens your legal position in disputes.
Using samples requires proper clearance. You MUST obtain permission from both the master recording owner (usually the record label) and the composition owner (usually the publisher/songwriter). Uncleared samples can result in your release being taken down, legal action, and all royalties being transferred to the copyright holder. Even short samples require clearance. There are no 'fair use' exceptions for commercial music distribution.
Content ID is YouTube's automatic copyright detection system. We register your music in Content ID, which scans all YouTube videos for matches. When your music is detected, you can monetize the video, block it, or just track it. This protects your rights and generates revenue from user-generated content. Content ID registration is included with all distributions at no extra cost.
We're not just a distributor - we're an independent music label that truly supports artists. We offer personalized A&R feedback, promotional support, playlist pitching, social media strategy, and artist development resources. Unlike automated distributors, every release is manually reviewed by our team. We focus on quality over quantity and build long-term relationships with our artists. We're based in the Balkans and understand the regional music scene deeply.
Yes! All releases distributed through Alter™ Exclusive are eligible for our playlist pitching service. Our team has relationships with curators on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and independent playlists. We pitch your music to relevant playlists based on genre, mood, and market. While we can't guarantee placement (editorial decisions are out of our control), we significantly increase your chances of being discovered.
We offer social media strategy consultation, press release writing, music video promotion, influencer outreach, radio plugging (where applicable), pre-save campaign setup, and marketing materials design. Premium members get priority access to our promotional team. We also run featured artist spotlights on our website and social channels. Our goal is to amplify your music, not just distribute it.
You can create and manage multiple artist profiles under your label account. This is perfect for record labels, managers, or producers working with several artists. Each artist gets their own profile with bio, social links, and release history. You can organize everything from one dashboard while maintaining distinct artist identities on streaming platforms.
Our team manually reviews every release for quality control, metadata accuracy, copyright compliance, and audio quality issues. We check for: proper cover art formatting, correct ISRC codes, accurate metadata, audio quality problems (clipping, distortion), copyright issues, and platform policy compliance. This ensures your release meets all platform requirements and maximizes your chances of editorial consideration. Reviews typically take 1-2 business days.
Once your first release is live on Spotify (usually 2-5 days after delivery), go to artists.spotify.com and search for your artist name. Click 'Claim Your Profile' and verify your identity. You'll need to provide proof you're the artist (link to social media, website, or previous releases). Once verified, you can customize your profile, submit to playlists, and access detailed streaming analytics.
Apple Music verification is automatic for artists with significant presence on the platform. After your first release, create an Apple Music for Artists account at artists.apple.com. You'll gain access to analytics and promotional tools. The blue verification checkmark appears automatically once Apple's algorithm determines you're an established artist (typically after multiple releases and streams).
Different platforms have different processing times. Spotify typically publishes in 2-5 days, Apple Music in 1-3 days, Amazon Music in 3-7 days, YouTube Music in 3-7 days, TikTok in 5-10 days, and smaller platforms can take up to 14 days. If your release hasn't appeared after these timeframes, contact support with your release details and we'll investigate.
Yes! We deliver your music to TikTok's commercial music library and Meta (Facebook/Instagram) music library. Once processed (typically 5-10 days), users can add your music to their videos. You earn royalties every time your music is used. This is increasingly becoming a major revenue stream and promotional tool for artists. Make sure to create your own TikTok content using your music to boost discovery.
Go to 'Catalog', find the release you want to take down, click the three-dot menu, and select 'Request Takedown'. Provide a reason for the takedown. Our admin team will review and approve the request. Note that takedowns can take 7-14 days to process across all platforms. Some platforms may take longer. Once taken down, the release cannot be easily re-uploaded with the same metadata/UPC.
Yes, but with caveats. You can create a new release with the same audio content, but it will be treated as a completely new release with new ISRC/UPC codes. Streaming counts, playlist placements, and algorithm data will NOT carry over - you start from zero. For this reason, we strongly recommend updating existing releases instead of taking down and re-uploading when possible.
You will continue to receive royalties for all streams that occurred before the takedown date. These earnings will be paid out according to the normal quarterly schedule. No earnings are lost due to takedowns. However, once the content is removed from platforms, you will no longer earn from future streams (obviously). Pending royalties from the period before takedown are always paid.
If a platform takes down your release due to copyright claims, policy violations, or quality issues, you'll receive an email notification explaining the reason. You can dispute the takedown if you believe it's incorrect by providing proof of rights/ownership. For copyright disputes, you may need to provide mechanical licenses, sample clearances, or collaboration agreements. Repeated violations can result in account suspension.
Navigate to the 'Artists' section in your dashboard. Click on the artist you want to edit and update their information including name, bio, profile image, and social media links. Changes will be reflected in future releases. For existing releases, metadata changes require platform redelivery which can take 5-7 days to update across all platforms.
Yes! Click on your workspace logo in the sidebar to access Workspace Settings. Here you can customize your workspace name, default currency preference (EUR/USD/GBP/RSD), interface language (English/Serbian), notification preferences, and payout settings. Your workspace is your label environment - all your artists and releases are organized under it.
Currently, each account is individual and we don't have multi-user workspaces yet. For label management, you can create separate releases under different artist names using the 'Artists' section. We're developing enterprise team features with role-based permissions (Admin, Manager, Artist) coming in Q2 2025. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates.
To close your account, contact support with your request. Before closing, you must: 1) Request takedown for all active releases. 2) Wait for all releases to be fully removed from platforms (14+ days). 3) Withdraw any remaining balance (must be above minimum threshold). Once confirmed, we'll permanently delete your account and all associated data within 30 days per GDPR requirements.
Can't find what you're looking for? Our support team is ready to assist you with any questions.