DistroKid in 2025: A Step-by-Step Upload Guide

If you want a fast, effective way to publish music on leading platforms, DistroKid is a top choice. Below is a concise roadmap for 2025 uploads, including timestamps from my video. Embed your full walkthrough video on this page for a deeper look.

1. Choose Your Plan

• Musician Plan: $23/year. One artist, basic features.
• Musician Plus: Custom label name, scheduling, multiple artists.
• Label: Higher tiers for managing five or more artists.

(See video at 0:00 for an overview.)

2. Select Stores & Beatport

• Leave the default selections (Spotify, Apple, TikTok, YouTube Music) checked.
• Beatport is a $10/month add-on mainly for EDM. Non-EDM creators can still opt in for exposure to DJs.

(Video at 0:16 discusses store setup. Beatport at 1:17.)

3. Confirm Rights & Metadata

• Publishing Rights: Check the Snapchat/TikTok/Roblox boxes only if you own 100% of the rights. Roblox requires no PRO affiliation (ASCAP/BMI).
• Artist Name: Avoid duplicates or trademark conflicts.
• Release Date: Give yourself 1–2 weeks, or even a month, for review and playlist pitching.

(Video at 2:12 for rights details, 3:40 for track count, 4:21 for new artists.)

4. Artwork & Credits

• Use a clean, square cover image you own. No social-media logos or URLs.
• Apple Music now requires at least one performer and one producer credit.
• For covers, pay $12/year per track to legally release them.

(Artwork at 9:59, Apple credits at 19:44, cover songs at 15:17.)

5. Optional Extras

• Leave a Legacy: $29 for singles, $49 for albums to keep releases live if you stop paying for DistroKid.
• Social Media Pack, Loudness Normalization: Evaluate if they fit your needs.
• DistroVid: $99.99/year for unlimited music video distribution.

(Video at 20:59 for a quick breakdown.)

6. Final Checks & Upload

• Accept the terms, confirm you own or licensed all content.
• After upload, watch for these status indicators in DistroKid:
  • Yellow Dot: Pending approval
  • Green Dot: Sent to stores
  • Red Dot: Rejected (requires fixes)
• Some stores go live within hours, while Spotify may take a day or two.

(Wrap-up details at 24:20 – 26:01.)

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Key Reminders

• Plan the release at least a week in advance—preferably a month.
• Check your PRO registrations if you use Roblox or specialized services.
• Update your artist profiles (Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists) once your track is live.
• Don’t buy streams—focus on organic promotion for real engagement.

Want the full rundown?  and jump to the timestamps listed for specific steps. For more music distribution insights, bookmark JackRighteous.com.