To get your music on streaming platforms, you must sign up with a Digital Distributor (such as DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby). You upload your high-quality audio files (WAV or FLAC), your square cover art (3000x3000px), and your metadata. The distributor then sends your music to “Digital Service Providers” (DSPs) like Spotify and Apple Music. Once live, the distributor collects the Master Royalties generated from your streams and pays them out to you.
1. The 3-Step Distribution Process
Getting your music “live” is a technical process that requires three specific assets:
- The Audio: Most platforms require a 16-bit or 24-bit WAV file at a 44.1 kHz sample rate. MP3s are generally avoided as they lose quality during the distribution process.
- The Artwork: Your cover art must be a perfect square, typically 3000 x 3000 pixels. It should not contain social media handles, website URLs, or logos of the streaming platforms themselves.
- The Metadata: This is the “data about your data.” You must provide the correct artist name, song title, release date, and most importantly, the Songwriter Credits.
2. The Trap: Distribution is Not the Full Paycheck
Most independent artists believe that once their music is on Spotify and the distributor says, “You keep 100% of your royalties,” they are getting all their money. This is a myth.
Distributors only collect royalties for the Sound Recording (The Master). Every time your song is streamed, it actually generates two separate streams of income. If you only have a distributor, you are leaving the second half of your money in a “Black Box” where you may never be able to claim it.
3. What Your Distributor is Missing
When a song is streamed on Spotify, the money is split. Your distributor grabs the “Master” share, but they leave the “Composition” share behind.
| Type of Royalty | What it covers | Who collects it? |
| Master Royalty | The actual audio file (The Recording). | Your Distributor |
| Performance Royalty | The “Public Performance” of the song. | Your PRO (ASCAP/BMI/PRS) |
| Mechanical Royalty | The “Reproduction” of the song’s lyrics/melody. | A Publishing Administrator |
The Reality Check: Without a publishing administrator, your mechanical royalties from international streams and the “Publisher’s Share” of your performance royalties often go unclaimed. Distributors are not publishers. Even if they offer a “Pro” add-on, they often take a 15–20% commission on that money.
4. Why You Need Audiobulb to “Finish” the Job
Distribution gets you on the map; Audiobulb ensures you get the full treasure. While your distributor handles the files, we handle the global legal administration that distribution doesn’t touch.
- The “Mechanical” Gap: In the US, the MLC collects mechanical royalties.16 Internationally, dozens of different societies collect them. Your distributor doesn’t have the “pipes” to reach all of them. Audiobulb does.
- 0% Commission: Unlike distributors that charge a high percentage for publishing services, Audiobulb charges a flat $19.99/year. You keep 100% of your master money from your distributor AND 100% of your publishing money from us.
- Active Usage Tracking: Distribution is passive—they wait for Spotify to send a report. Audiobulb is active. We use technology to track where your music is being used (including unauthorized videos or remixes) so you can monetize your music wherever it travels.
5. Summary: The Professional Setup
To be a professional artist in 2025, your setup should look like this:
- Distributor: To get your music on Spotify and Apple Music.
- PRO (Performance Rights Org): To register as a songwriter.
- Audiobulb: To act as your Global Administrator, collecting your mechanical royalties, the publisher’s share of your performance royalties, and tracking your music’s usage worldwide.
Conclusion
Don’t be the artist who has a million streams but only half a paycheck. Distribution gets your music heard, but Publishing Administration gets you paid. By keeping your distribution and publishing separate, you maintain complete control over your career and your finances.
Your Next Step: Is your music already on Spotify? Join Audiobulb for $19.99/year to start collecting the “missing” half of your royalties and ensure your 100% ownership is protected globally.