Does a distributor own my music?

It shouldn't. A standard distribution agreement gives the distributor permission to deliver your recordings and collect for them while you keep ownership. Read the agreement for any clause that transfers rights or ties you in for a long term.

Do distributors pitch my songs to playlists?

Most don't by default. On Spotify, you pitch an unreleased song to the editors yourself through Spotify for Artists. Spotify says pitching at least 7 days before release adds it to your followers' Release Radar.

What is the difference between a distributor and a label?

A label usually funds, markets and owns or controls recordings in exchange for a large share of income. A distributor mainly delivers and collects, for a fee or a smaller cut, and you keep the rights.

Can I change distributors without losing my streams?

Usually, if you redeliver the same recordings with the same ISRC codes and matching metadata, and time the takedown carefully so the old and new versions overlap briefly. Ask both distributors how they handle a transfer before you start.

Distributors, end to end

What a distributor actually does

When you release independently, you can't upload directly to most streaming services. A distributor sits in between. It:

Delivers your audio, artwork and metadata (titles, credits, release date) to streaming services and stores.
Assigns identifiers: an ISRC for each recording and a UPC for each release (the single, EP or album).
Collects the royalties your recordings earn on every platform it delivers to.
Reports and pays you, usually monthly or quarterly, after its fee or commission.

Many also offer extras: YouTube Content ID, caller-tune delivery, lyric delivery, pre-save links, and paying collaborators their share automatically.

What it usually doesn't do

Collect publishing royalties for the song. That's IPRS in India. See Module 2.
Market your music. Going live on Spotify isn't the same as anyone hearing it.
Pitch your song to editorial playlists. On Spotify you do that yourself, through Spotify for Artists.
Own your music. A distribution deal should leave ownership with you.

The pricing models

Model	How it works	Suits
Yearly subscription	A flat annual fee for unlimited releases; you keep all royalties	Artists releasing often
Per release	A one-off fee for each single or album	Occasional releases
Commission	No upfront fee; the distributor keeps a percentage of royalties	Artists starting out with small streams
Label services	A larger cut, plus marketing or advances	Artists with traction who want help

There's no universally cheapest option. Work out what each one costs at your actual streams over a year, and remember that subscription models can require you to keep paying to keep your music live. Read that part of the terms.

How to compare distributors

Ask every distributor the same questions:

Stores: Does it deliver to every platform your listeners use, including JioSaavn and the telecom caller-tune services?
Pricing: Fee, per-release charge, or commission? Are there extra charges for YouTube, caller tunes or splits?
Ownership: Do you keep 100% of your rights? Is there any clause that assigns rights or grants exclusive options?
Lock-in: How do you leave? Is there a minimum term or notice period?
Splits: Can it pay producers and collaborators their share directly?
YouTube: Does it offer Content ID, and does it handle false claims quickly?
Payments: How often, what minimum balance, and how are international earnings paid?
Support: Can you reach a person when a release goes wrong?

With more than 40% of Indian artists' Spotify royalties coming from listeners abroad, global store coverage and clean international payments matter as much as Indian platforms.

The metadata that matters

Metadata is the information attached to your release, and mistakes in it are one of the most common reasons money and credit go missing.

Artist name: identical spelling on every release, so it lands on the right profile.
Track titles: no extra words like "Official" or "New". Versions go in a version field ("Acoustic", "Remix").
Credits: every songwriter, composer and producer, spelled the same as on IPRS.
Language and genre: set correctly, so platforms can recommend it to the right listeners.
ISRC and UPC: record them for every release.
Explicit content: flag it honestly.

How to release properly

Deliver early. Aim for at least three to four weeks before release day. It gives you time to fix errors and to pitch.
Claim your artist profiles on Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists and YouTube.
Pitch on Spotify at least 7 days before release, through Spotify for Artists, so it lands on your followers' Release Radar.
Check the release on every platform on day one: artwork, credits, the right artist profile.
Register the song with IPRS before or around release.

Leaving a distributor

You can usually move without losing your history, if you're careful:

Get your ISRC codes and exact metadata for every release.
Upload to the new distributor first, with the same ISRCs, titles and audio.
Only then take down the releases from the old distributor, once the new ones are live.
Check your profiles for duplicates and ask platform support to merge if needed.

Ask both distributors how they handle a transfer before you start. Some make it easier than others.

A distributor is infrastructure, not a plan

A good distributor is the pipe, not the plan. Getting heard (your release plan, your content, your pitch, your relationships) still sits with you. The marketing track covers that in depth.

Your checklist

Write down which distributor holds each release, and the terms.
Check its store list against where your listeners are.
Record every ISRC and UPC.
Fix any metadata inconsistencies.
Make sure collaborators' splits are set up, or written down.