How to release your music: distribution, royalties, copyright and samples

TUREFF• •0

Getting a song onto streaming services is easier than ever, but there is more to releasing music than uploading a file. You need to know who gets paid for what, how to register your work, and how to stay on the right side of copyright, especially if you use samples. This is a general overview, not legal advice; rules differ by country.

Two copyrights in every recording

Every released track usually involves two separate rights:

The composition: the melody, chords and lyrics, owned by the songwriters and their publishers.
The sound recording (the master): the actual recorded audio, owned by whoever made or paid for it, often the artist or a label.

If you write, record and produce everything yourself, you own both. The difference matters because they earn money through different routes.

Distribution

Major streaming services generally do not accept uploads directly from independent artists; you go through a digital distributor. Distributors deliver your track and artwork to the stores and pass on the recording royalties. They charge in different ways, such as yearly fees, per-release fees or a percentage. Compare the terms, including who keeps rights and how easily you can leave. Before you upload, you will typically need:

a final master in the format the distributor asks for
square artwork that meets their size requirements
accurate credits for writers, performers and producers
an ISRC code for each recording (many distributors issue these for you)

Plan a release date a few weeks ahead. Some services let you pitch unreleased music to their editorial teams in advance.

Royalties for songwriters

Streaming and broadcasts also pay royalties on the composition, but these are collected by different organisations.

Performing right organisations (PROs) collect royalties when a song is performed publicly, which includes radio, TV, live venues and streaming. In the UK this is PRS for Music. In the US the main ones are ASCAP and BMI, with others such as SESAC. Many countries have their own, and they collect for each other through reciprocal agreements.
Mechanical royalties come from reproducing the composition, including on-demand streams. In the US, the Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) collects streaming mechanicals; in the UK, MCPS sits alongside PRS within PRS for Music.

Societies generally pay only for works that are registered with them, so unregistered songs can leave money uncollected. Check each organisation's own site for membership rules and fees.

Samples need clearing

Using part of someone else's recording usually requires permission from both rights holders: the owner of the master (often a label) and the owner of the composition (the writers or publishers). Clearing one without the other does not clear the sample. There is no safe length; even a very short sample can need a licence.

Royalty-free sample packs come with a licence. Read it; some exclude certain uses.
Interpolation, re-recording a melody yourself, avoids the master licence but still needs the composition owners' permission.
Uncleared samples can lead to takedowns or claims after release, so clear them before you distribute.

Covers

Recording a cover means using someone else's composition. The rules for licensing covers differ between countries and between download and streaming releases. Many distributors offer guidance or a licensing route for covers; check theirs before uploading.

Mastering for streaming

Most streaming services apply loudness normalisation: they measure loudness in LUFS and turn louder tracks down to a target level, and some turn quieter tracks up. Targets differ between services and change over time, so check each platform's current documentation rather than relying on a single number. What this means in practice:

Squashing a master as loud as possible no longer makes it louder on most platforms; it just loses dynamics.
Leave some headroom on the true peak so the file does not distort after the services encode it.
Compare your master to reference tracks at matched loudness, not by eye on a meter.

A release checklist

Finished master and artwork.
Writers, splits and credits agreed in writing before release.
Samples cleared, or confirmed royalty-free.
Distributor chosen and release date set.
Songs registered with your PRO and mechanical collection society.
Release information checked for spelling of names and titles.

Have you released music independently? Share what you wish you had known, or ask about the step you are on, in the comments.