DistroKid - how long does it take to release?

[@yessirski4076]

Wow video is a year old and he’s still replying to comments! That’s dedication

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Of course!! And it lets me promote my newer videos and my DistroKid FAQ that you might find useful. 😁 studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@hyroglyph4485]

I would like to personally thank you Pete as you have answered all of my questions by responding to the comments. I did my very first release yesterday on distrokid. I will wait a couple of days. Thanks a million Pete.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Nice one! Congrats my friend.

[@hyroglyph4485]

@@PeteJohnsMusic one question though, where do i put the name of the producer? i still put the songs on youtube and credit them is that enough? as im assuming they have signed in their beat already.

[@yisuschristo]

🪐

[@CreativeSauce]

Really useful info, you take the mystery out of it all!

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Cheers my friend. It was certainly mysterious to me three years ago when I started researching it, so I want to make sure I share my experience to help out others who are in the same boat.

[@SamiJumppanen]

Reserve at least 4 weeks. That's what Distrokid help recommends when setting a release date. From spotify community answers: "It usually takes about two weeks for new music to reach Spotify". I recall things went more long winded since 2020+

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Yes, the longer lead time you can leave the better and the more likely your song will hit all platforms at the same time. Release times blew out in 2020 because so many more people were releasing, but reverted back to normal and in fact sometimes much quicker in 2021. studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@SamiJumppanen]

@@PeteJohnsMusic Thank you for the info! Greatly respected.

[@drgus8042]

Damn, Pete. You help a lot of people here. Even if i dont need your help i really appreciate it

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Cheers my friend. It is indeed a labour of love! 👍

[@blakeanthonymusic7943]

I uploaded mine on the 8th of April. Today is the 24th. I never got that 3rd email. Only the two about the artwork and processing. It has said “everything looks good! It’s headed to stores today” for two weeks. All green lights no. No response from distrokid. First time uploader. Hellllpppp

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. I juts released a video about this as I was getting similar reports from other folks too. We are seeing releases (especially first releases) taking up to 4 weeks at the moment. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iovQhKWXf9Brisk

[@engMohamedAshraf88]

Same here, i got UPC pending since 9th April till now!

[@ns4lliace]

I’m going through the same problem rn

[@okmaga]

The only channel who providing all important thing to for being Artist., thanks a-lot for always being helpful. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Thanks so much my friend! I hope you get value from the other videos on the channel and consider subscribing if you haven’t already. 👍

[@TyLegit]

Bruh mine just uploaded but ion see my song on any platform

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

You will get email notifications as your release is being processed and as it hits each different platform. All my DistroKid information is at studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@TyLegit]

@@PeteJohnsMusic ok but I did get an email saying it’s already on the platforms search my name nothing pop up

[@boguscat4859]

@@TyLegit hey did it ever make it to the platform?

[@TyLegit]

@@boguscat4859 yeah it’s out now on all platforms

[@ProjectKennels]

@@TyLegit how long did it take after you got the email?

[@DrMarco-ps4jw]

Nice pete thanks cause ive been thinking about this but you have done it and its amazing also its amazing and i love it i listen to it everyday😊

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Thank you my friend. I really appreciate it. 👍

[@hunkaarmusick2666]

I uploaded my music , 3 days ago on distrokid, and settled the release date 2 March, hope I will get Spotify for Artist soon

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Not sure sorry. I believe I got access once my music was released.

[@hunkaarmusick2666]

@@PeteJohnsMusic you might have setted the relese date near to your uploaded date, we should give 14 days after uploading, my friends did that lets she whats happen

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Best of luck with it!!

[@buzzardmusic5606]

Thank you sir, exactly what i was looking for!!!

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

You’re very welcome my friend. I hope you get value from the other videos here on the channel and consider subscribing. 👍

[@MrPixify]

Thank you Pete! very useful video as always!

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

You’re very welcome. 👍

[@kanromusic]

1 song taking 3 damn weeks, still not out till today.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Your first release? It can take a while based on how the platforms manager things. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iovQhKWXf9Brisk

[@HachaniGorma]

can't edit information on your payment issuer My bank information cannot be modified in the profit withdrawal field Additional Context: I'm facing the problem in more than two weeks, I can't edit information in your payment issuer

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Speak to DistroKid. I’m sure they can assist. studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@sebastianbaracaldo7729]

i uploaded a 24 song album around 1 am on wednesday. scheduled release for the 25th, but intended for tomorrow, friday. nothings happened yet.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hopefully it's all sorted by now!

[@TaylorKromOFFICIAL]

Amuse is completely free, an app you download, you get 100% royalties AND you get to customize your release date 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Yes, Amuse is pretty solid! I compared Amuse and DistroKid features in this video which you might find interesting. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXLCgmt3a8R-las

[@officialjavvey-music3382]

Taylor Krom OFFICIAL yeah , I’m using it to upload my first song but the thing I’ve noticed is it takes so long for the music to be put in stores e.g like 21 days

[@shrudd]

thank ya for the info homeslice

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

🤘😎

[@sinboyfanboy9938]

i need to create account on spotify or apple music before i upload music on destrokid or destrokid create automatic account for me ?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

DistroKid will create your artist name on all the platforms for you if you have not released before.

[@honeybadgerray2225]

I released an album on Monday and it has been 5 days and haven’t heard anything from them. I already have a green dot on the album cover and audio so how much longer do you think it will take for it to go live on stores?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

I haven’t ever had any release take longer then a day to start appearing on stores. Have you had confirmation emails from DistroKid at all?

[@honeybadgerray2225]

Pete Johns yes i got the email where it approved my album cover and the audio the same day i released it, since then i got nothing

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Very odd. You might need to reach out to DistroKid to check on progress releasing to stores. Have you checked stores yet to see if it’s there? Sometimes it will hit Google Play and Apple Music faster than DK can notify you.

[@sherridellamore680]

Thank you very much!

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

You’re very welcome my friend. I hope you get value from the other videos here on the channel and consider subscribing. 👍

[@bykers81]

Hi Pete, good video thanks very much. When it comes to the all important dollar (or GBP for me), how does it all tie up when getting paid from these different platforms? I assume when signing up for Distrokid (or other) you enter details such as PayPal etc. Do you get royalties from the free to listen platforms such as Spotify? (I actually pay for premium so conscience is clean 👍🏼)

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. So, I covered this a little bit in a previous video but not in mich detail. Short answer - yes, you get paid for all streams but the amount per stream is literally parts of cents (pence?) per stream. (Free tiers are usually supported by advertising, so the ads are what pay the artists). My music is far from popular and I only get in the low thousands of streams per month, so make only a few dollars. I might make just enough in a year to cover my US$20 (although now that I use musician plus, which is 35, I’m probably a little behind). If you haven’t checked out this video from a few months back you might find it interesting. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpqTiahnprqkgNE

[@lestep6322]

Hey pete! I uploaded my song last Saturday (April 11) and it is now Tuesday night (April 14). I have received 2 emails confirming the song and the art is good. There is a yellow dot by the songs in “My Music”. There is no 3rd email about the songs being submitted to stores. How much longer would you predict the music to reach at least 1 store? thanks

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there my friend. DistroKid seem to be experiencing delays currently. The usual release times are 2-5 days but currently this seems to be more like 10-14. Like most things I guess we will need to be patient as businesses are working to maintain their standard work practices.

[@lestep6322]

Pete Johns ok thanks!

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

You're welcome.

[@ledon1372]

@@PeteJohnsMusic Hey guys, i uploaded my first song on Distrokid on April 14, 2020 ; everything looks good, my song is on the desk "It will be sent to stores today". The artwork looks fine, same for the song, same for lyrics, ... Now 9 days my song is expected to be sent "today"... Same as @lestep, no 3rd email and a yellow dot. Hoping to be soon on Spotify, GL to everyone ! Thanks for your content on KZbin, it is always complete ;-)

[@therealelchato]

Pandora takes longer . I just dropped mines on christmas . thanks for help ❤

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Nice one. You’re welcome.

[@shehanmalik99]

Hello, I amm waiting for a reply for this brother. I have uploaded many songs on Spotify so far. But the last two songs are getting delayed and when inquired, what they say is that, they are processing and will take more time. Now it had been more than a month and this never has happened with me. And I do violin covers on Spotify. What do you think is the issue???

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. If they are cover songs make sure you have tagged them as such when releasing. Covers have a different process and need a license to release. More info here. studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@santimo9577]

Hey Pete! Thanks for the content ! Quick question. I've been told that I should use a 3 week earlier release date to hope reach the Spotify playlist ? What do you think about it ? To do so am I force to buy the Musician Plus 35,99/years plan ? Thanks

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Depends on your musical goals. If having a lead up time to promote your song is imported then yes, you will need to r Musician Plus plan. studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@bentic3745]

i uploaded my first release on this sunday , today is thursday ...will distrokid automatically create an artist account on spotify or itunes?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Yes, once your release is in the stores you will get access to your artist accounts. 👍

[@royalrecord9922]

Pete Johns I release it on Tuesday how long will it take to upload? It's still appearing with a yellow dot

[@brookmusic8669]

@@royalrecord9922 same...

[@brookmusic8669]

@@royalrecord9922 is yours online now??

[@asix7458]

@@brookmusic8669 is yours online now ??

[@Pranav_Mathur]

Which plan are you using? Musician or Musician plus? And if I have musicians, how long will it take for me to release ? Can I choose dates?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

I'm on Musician Plus these days. My DistroKid FAQ will answer these questions and more - studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@stevenlarabia]

I set a release for January 20 and we on February and they haven’t released yet. I contact them, no response yet! I being having this problem lately with the past songs i summited. And art work and everything was good with the songs. It just says “ Your files have been successfully processed and your single is in the midst of being transferred to stores. This can take a few days (excluding weekends and holidays). Sometimes faster! We'll email you when it's done. “

[@stevenlarabia]

Ashley it’s taking months!🤷🏻‍♂️

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

That’s very strange indeed? And no response from DistroKid support? Should definitely not take more than a week to hit all stores unless there is an issue or a manual review?

[@williambenseny3347]

Same shit, sent last saturday, not live in a single platform

[@SimplySplendid]

I'm getting this as well. So frustrating.

[@entropyxnoise]

Hey Pete, thanks for the detailed video. We've uploaded our first single on the 5th April 2020. As of today, 17th April 2020, we have not receive the 3rd email and its still on ''Everything looks good & your single is on deck. It will be sent to stores today''. Do you have any idea how long should we wait for?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. That is getting on for quite long. The average wait times seem to have extended from the usual 2-5 days to about 10-14 days, so you're right on the edge of that. Would be worth reaching out to DistroKid I believe.

[@entropyxnoise]

@@PeteJohnsMusic Thank you so much for the prompt reply. I have already emailed them, so its just the waiting game now.

[@alexandersantiago2297]

I’ve uploaded on the same day and Have received the same messages. But, my project is still not on any platforms. Just curious has it gone live yet ?

[@zayxoxo]

entropy noise have you gone live?

[@entropyxnoise]

@@zayxoxo No, they replied me last week. The helpdesk told me to delete and reupload my single due to some error. I've done it and waiting again now.

[@JK-pu8jt]

Why not just make my release date right now? Wouldn't that mean that the song would be immediately available to listeners on the respective platforms following each one's approval of it? I just don't understand why the release date needs to be delayed if you want the song available asap.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

It is released as soon as possible, but this can vary by different platforms. Usually it is only a few days once you’ve released your first tune.

[@1pyroace1]

Wouldn’t recommend doing this because wouldn’t be able to submit to editorial on Spotify

[@Sleezewrld18]

@@1pyroace1 hey how would I know if distrokid is uploading to my KZbin channel I just got distrokid yesterday and I have no idea I been tryna upload music through my phone

[@1pyroace1]

@@Sleezewrld18 if u have a KZbin acc already and your uploading through distrokid KZbin there’s a setting that allows you to very your account thus merging your song from your distributor and your KZbin account

[@Sleezewrld18]

@@1pyroace1 how do I do that on phone I’m on phone tryna do that I just got this I’m mad confused 😂I don’t want them uploading to the wrong one and do Yk what the setting is called ?

[@denny-michael]

Cool! what about cover songs? how long do they take to get your mechanical license?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

I’ve only done one but it only took a couple of daysz

[@zayxoxo]

PETE U ROCK!

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

🤘🤘🤘

[@sunniimusic5867]

so i am confused because i wanted to wait for a while so i could let my song be pitched to spotify for playlist consideration but apparently distrokid does it in a couple days but i want to wait for like 4 weeks so idk how to do that?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

You’ll need the Musician Plus account if you want to define a release date. Here’s some details - kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2KYpJ2wabl0obs

[@_CarmenLedesma_]

Hello, how long did it take to get your verified badge on spotify ?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. I can’t actually remember sorry? It was a few weeks after my first EP release I believe?

[@Majestykgrace]

Hey Pete, I just released a song through Distrokid for the first time. Everything was going okay until started receiving messages from Fans based in Africa that can’t see the song on KZbin ( it says video unavailable) that’s 45+ countries where we have fans that uses mainly KZbin for streaming music and we are missing out…how can we have it fixed?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Haven’t come across this sorry? Maybe ask DistroKid directly. studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@osixblack]

I used Distrokid for an old song and everything worked perfect. I just finished and released my latest Album to KZbin aswell as DK. My first track goes through every time ( I aborted and uploaded the album 3 times now) it says my artwork is good and my first song got through with a green dot. The other 5 are having issues I’m it sure why, all songs are in the same Wav. Format and have proper titles and all. Please help, thank you, you’re vids help a lot

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Have DistroKid responded to the issue at all? That’s always the best bet. There are definitely significant delays with releases right now, but I haven’t come across one where one song is approved but others in the same release are not? 🤔

[@osixblack]

Pete Johns my dumb self 😂 the one song passed because it was 32bit and the rest were 64bit. DK goes up to 24bit they said but it will accept 32. Problem solved lol thanks for the reply 🙏🏻

[@theteenkalani9078]

if you are starting out on distrokid and you drop your song on all platforms .....do you need to make a account or something for every platform the song drops on ?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Nope. DistroKid handles all that and you’ll get the Spotify Artists and Apple Musician accounts once you have released. studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@cnotee148]

I published it and it accepted my art work and song but not my original lyrics so I deleted them and left it blank. its been 3 days and I haven't gotten a meal confirming they sent it to stores? plz help

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Is it still showing as pending release in your Dashboard? And have you recieved the confirmation email from DistroKid that it has been submitted?

[@rohitjurgumusic9081]

Hi Pete! I submitted my first single release two days ago, but I can't see it on any of the platforms, and I don't have an account on any of the music services like Spotify. Do I need to register as an artist on these platforms? Should I wait a few more days as this is my first upload, which could take some time?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. In my experience your first release often takes a week or two to hit all platforms. You’ll get email updates as it hits the different stores. studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@rohitjurgumusic9081]

thanks you . Now my music is released. I have verified my Spotify today, but I don't see a blue tick mark on my profile, but it does say its artist profile. Does it take days or a week to show the blue tick mark?

[@PunjabiBets-qb1jg]

Bro how much times take for release?? ​@@rohitjurgumusic9081

[@aidavocal8839]

Hi Pete. Thanks so much! Two questions: 1. When you upload to Distrokid, do you use a WAV file for better quality? is there a limit of file size on Distrokid? and is artwork required for every single release? 2. I've been reading about SoundExchange as a non-profit company who collects royalties, for artists and copyright owners of SR, but I see that Distrokid collects and pays out those royalties too? So no need to sign up for SoundExchange? Thank you :)

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Interesting questions and it does start to get a little more complex here, so I’ll try to do my best. 1. Yes, you will always want to use a WAV file for all digital releases. The reason for this is that your audio will be compressed for streaming and sales platforms by Spotify, Apple, Google etc. If you upload a compressed audio file, it will get compressed again anyway which can often result in poorer audio quality. I believe there is a limit in terms of the length of a song but I haven’t explored this. The actual file size isn’t limited but if you are exporting a standard 44.1kHz, 24- bit (or 16-bit in the case of Amuse) WAV File it will be a pretty standard size.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

2. SoundExchange is different from the sort of royalties you will get paid using DistroKid or amuse as these are more related to digital performing rights, which are paid when your songs are streamed on services like Pandora and web radio. To collect the actual royalties from folks choosing to buy or stream your song, you need to use a distributor to act as the “middle man” between you and the platforms.

[@aidavocal8839]

@@PeteJohnsMusic yes, so do I need to sign up for Sound Exchange or I don't? they collect royalties for digital streaming AND downloads, which is what Distrokid offers also, isn't it?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

I wasn't aware that SoundExchange managed royalties from sales and streaming as well? It's a bit of a complicated area. You will need a distributor to actually get the music released and as far as I know, whoever you distribute with is who will collect sales and streaming royalties.

[@aidavocal8839]

Pete Johns thanks Pete. Not sure how often you release your singles, but do you copyright them all separately before uploading to Distrokid? I know it takes time to hear back from the copyright office, at least in the U.S.

[@MrTimdriver]

Cheers Pete.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

You’re very welcome my friend. I hope you get value from the other videos here on the channel and consider subscribing. 👍

[@Roman6ixv3]

I uploaded an EP to be released on MARCH 26th and it still hasn't dropped

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Really? I have heard of delays currently with releases, which is probably to be expected with interruptions to workforces at DK and the stores. When did you upload the tune?

[@Roman6ixv3]

Pete Johns I uploaded it march 25th I thought u could do next day releases with the musician plus plan. But The original date was march 30th but had to change the cover art. So when I reuploaded it on the 25th I made the release next day

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Okay got it. Yeah, I’m hearing around a week at the moment for most releases.

[@zainahmed9454]

Hey Pete, it’s now been a whole week since I uploaded the release and everything got approved. The release date was set for last Friday, and my release still has not gone live. Along with that, my email to distrokid support has not been replied to even though I sent it about 5 days ago

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

That’s not good! I know like all companies they are struggling to have enough people working to meet demand. Try again through their support. It is taking around a week for songs to appear in stores right now so you’re not alone at least.

[@jbrawny4123]

@@PeteJohnsMusic i was wondering the same, good to note that this isn't a single issue

[@zayxoxo]

Pete Johns unreal brother. I always come back here for such useful information. Usually I get the green dot and it’s uploaded right away. But for some reason I have a yellow dot beside my album and it’s concerning me🤔🤔

[@MySpace123]

I have questions: Is Distrokid a free distributor..? I tried Amuse but it'll take 21 days to get released on Spotify.. and also can I upload also my music on Distrokid while it's still pending on Amuse..?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hi there. DistroKid is $19.99 per year. This video should help explain things for you - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXLCgmt3a8R-las

[@MySpace123]

Thank you..

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Very welcome.

[@ysofrvr]

Hello, I send my 10 songs mixtape to stores yesterday and the release date is 25 July. Do you think it will be available by then if everything goes well?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

If you have released before, this turnaround should be possible. For first releases it can often take a little longer unfortunately.

[@zakarilewis1240]

Hey Pete, I uploaded an album on distrokid 4 days ago on the 8th of September and now it’s the 14th , I have received the email saying all the songs and the artwork has been verified the same day, but it’s not in any stores and I haven’t received any other emails, why is that?. Or is that normal.

[@Thepaolo98]

Vlone Kari what date did you chose it to be released?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there my friend. That doesn't sound normal at all? You should have received more emails that your song was submitted to stores by now. Anything yet?

[@zakarilewis1240]

Pete Johns ya😂it started releasing the next day, now it’s out on everything

[@Richwaytilla_Music]

I got my email saying my music is being reviewed it say it take 1-2 business days to be approved but I have been waiting 6 days I’m not even approved yet

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Yes, it appears DistroKid and other distributors are experiencing delays right now with releases due to higher demand and I’m assuming impacts on working arrangements. I talk about this in a related video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/iovQhKWXf9Brisk

[@hazeinthehill]

i uploaded my single last month of June 24th, I set it to release on July 24th. 3 days ago. It still has not released and this is very disappointing. i just wanna know if other people are facing this big of a delay or if I am doing something wrong.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Yup. This should explain things. Have been significant delays due to the current world situation, and the resulting significant increase in people releasing music - kzbin.info/www/bejne/iovQhKWXf9Brisk

[@Majestykgrace]

Hey Pete, I have a quick question… I’ve submitted first single ever with a release date 2 weeks in advance… will my audience be able to listen the previews I’ve set while submitting, or it won’t appear in store until the actual release date

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Previews will be available once it’s released on platforms. Prior to that you’ll need to use the other DistroKid tools to create preview videos to share. studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@beatsbyinertia]

so does distrokid not give you a date for release day once its been reviewed?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

No, with the Musician plan it will be released as soon as possible but this varies by store and DistroKid aren’t advised of exact dates.

[@beatsbyinertia]

@@PeteJohnsMusic okay thank tou

[@sifurbo]

Hey Pete, Thanks for this video. I just put my first release up on distrokid about 5 days ago, And it's scheduled to be released on 21st August. This is my first release and I want to claim my Spotify Profile pre-launch. Will I get a URI link from Spotify even if my track is set go live at a later date? Thanks

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. From memory you’ll get access to Spotify for Artists once it is released.

[@zayxoxo]

How did you get these emails on the same day? Is it because you’re an existing user of DistroKid?

[@zayxoxo]

I’m referring to the ones on the 24th

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. It is usually only 1-2 days response from DistroKid. And keep in mind I'm in Australia, so we are in the "future" - almost a day ahead. So the dates don't always exactly line up.

[@zayxoxo]

Pete Johns thank you for getting back and with the video upload. I found your information most useful. Cheers, from the past!

[@petecharlesmusic4262]

I haven't finalised my artwork but have uploaded with a decent looking photo for now to get the release up and running. The artwork has been approved and song is processing. If I want to change the photo afterwards, can I do that before it is released in a few weeks?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Yes, you can. My advice is to get everything ready and finalised before you submit however. studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@bigcheesegod6194]

thanks man for making this video, I just started using distrokid, uploaded three songs today on DK, and right now it shows a green dot on the left side of the album, does that means it has been uploaded to every store, Spotify, youtube music, iheart radio, and every other store? Or is it just telling me it only been delivered to the stores and wait for a couple of days? Can you share your experience on this? Thank you

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Yup. It means it’s been processed at DistroKid’s end and they are waiting for updates from the stores. I have a FAQ on my web site here - studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@UniVS427]

I uploaded an album over a week ago and everything has been processed successfully but ever since then its been saying "its in the midst of being transferred to stores" and it was supposed to be released today! I wonder if i should abort the album and reupload it? It's not fair to artists who select their release dates but then come the day its supposed to be out, its still "being added to stores"?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

That’s strange? I don’t usually use the release date option myself. Have you checked the stores themselves? Or used a service like Songwhip to see if they are already available? Also consider what time zone you are in. Here in Australia we are aways a day behind as we are in the future.

[@HonkyDonk22]

I have the Same problem. I wanted to Upload a Song to Spotify and its all good but it isn't on

[@HonkyDonk22]

@Sagr Yadav Not yet

[@UniVS427]

@Sagr Yadav yes! it did 6-8 hours after i emailed distrokid about it

[@wethmus]

posted in the Stors on the same day? I've been waiting for 4 days!

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

You'll get update emails from DistroKid when it is released. Can take 3-4 weeks for your first release. Reach out to DistroKid if any issues.

[@wethmus]

@@PeteJohnsMusic im happy 🙈 is postet now in youtube but not yet in spotify and apple ❤🥰🤴🏻🙏

[@danieltalisveiber607]

Hey pete! Ive uploaded a song about a month ago and it hasn't gone live yet, theres also a yellow dot next to the song. not sure what im doing wrong.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. I haven’t personally had this issue sorry. What emails have you received from DistroKid? They normally let you know along the way if there have been any issues and confirm that you don’t has been submitted to stores, and again once it is released?

[@danieltalisveiber607]

@@PeteJohnsMusic Hey pete, thanks for the quick response. I have gotten 2 emails stating my artwork and audio have been successfully processed but thats it, no other emails. im having this problem with 2 other singles. ive sent an email to distrokids support but unfortunately got no response :(

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hmmmm.... very odd. You should have received another email saying it has been submitted to stores. Hopefully DK support will respond soon and help you get it sorted.

[@Majestykgrace]

How can you find out if your songs are in store before the release date? I also want people to pre-listen (preview it)

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Previews will be available once it’s released on platforms. Prior to that you’ll need to use the other DistroKid tools to create preview videos to share. studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@YousefKaddouri]

Hi, I’ve tot a green light on my release and everything seems to be delivered to the platforms. However i just uploaded yesterday. Can I still assume everything will be live tomorrow, especially spotify is my interest. I don’t have a URI yet thats why I am a bit curious if everything Will be live tonight.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. It can vary between each store how long it takes to actually be live, but you’ll get a confirmation email from DistroKid when it is - studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@YousefKaddouri]

@@PeteJohnsMusic thanks for the reaction. Too bad spotify is not live yet. And on all the other platforms they posted my song on the wrong artist page. How long does it take to fix that? I Think something went wrong in the upload settings. I wanted to create a new artist page, however DistroKid says i’m all set. Can I change the artist page for next releases?

[@andreiutubrb7141]

Great video but I have a question. If you upload a song with a custom release date, will you receive all the mails the day of the release ? Because I'm releasing my first single and I didn't received any mail excepted that my song is succesfully submitted to stores :) Thanks

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there, the “successfully submitted” should arrive pretty quickly and then the emails confirming it’s in each store are usually around the release day. Sometimes it’s actually in the stores before you get the email.

[@andreiutubrb7141]

@@PeteJohnsMusic thank you very much!! And you helped me so much with your videos, keep going !!

[@riteshpamnani1711]

Hi there Pete,actually I have a query after selecting KZbin music in the list,does distrokid upload the music video also or just the music and if it it just upload the music can I upload the music video myself from the same logged in account via youtube,waiting for your reply.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hi there. DistroKid uploads the audio along with your album artwork to KZbin music, but not a video file at all. If you have your own video, you can release his separately, it to your own channel, not the music channel created by DistroKid.

[@balderzmusic4631]

Hi Pete, I am looking to start singing and making music, do you think Distrokid musician plan is good for someone like me to upload music? I know you may not see this as its an old video but id appreciate it if you do :) Thanks.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Once you have some finished songs to release DistroKid is excellent. I talk about releasing you own music online in this week’s Q&A video / kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXulaH5jnKaCjLs

[@balderzmusic4631]

@@PeteJohnsMusic Would you recommend that i get the Musician plan? And can you upload Song Covers to Distrokid or is that not legal etc?

[@therealelchato]

Great video

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Thanks my friend! I hope you get value from the other videos on the channel and consider subscribing if you haven’t already. 👍

[@poeticpoetreas8330]

This is helpful! I would appreciate if someone can help me on this. How long does it take to release the first single? and when do you announce your release date for marketing when you don't when when it it be out in the market? Thank you guys, Treasure

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. I've just released a new video with some updated information that may help - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eH-van-HitJpgKs Marketing? Depends on your intentions and there are a number of ways to do this. I'm probably the wrong person to ask as I just put my music out there and let folks know once it's available. If you want a "release date", make sure you upload well in advance, and you'll need the "Musucian Plus" account.

[@overcashOc]

I have 2 questions , do I have to wait for my first upload to go live on all stores before I can update my profiles on all the platforms it got posted to( as in profile pic, bio etc.) And do i have to do them all separately?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

All the profile information is on the actual stores and streaming platforms so yes, you’ll need to manage these separately (where you can), and generally wait until you get access after your release is live.

[@overcashOc]

Thank you I appreciate the feedback!

[@ManuelMonti_AncoraMusica]

Hi Pete! I've a question. I uploaded my first release on 4th March. The album is live on the store since March 9th. However by now my album in Distrokid is in status of "processing" with a yellow dot. I haven't neither stats nor access to Spotify for Artists. It is normal? Thank you very much!

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. It can be a little delayed updating, especially at the moment. Has the song actually appeared in stores? Also, you won’t get details about streams until your payment start coming in 3 months later unless you have the Musician Plus account with daily stats.

[@ManuelMonti_AncoraMusica]

​@@PeteJohnsMusic thank you for your answer! The song appears in all stores. I have Musician Plus account with daily stats. Daily stats page says "Looks like you haven't released anything yet. Check back here once your music is in stores."

[@officialWWM]

Hi, could you please explain one thing. Distrokid says the price for the song will be 99 cents. I assume that's only if someone actually downloads it, not just stream it? Also, who gets the 99 cents?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Yup. 99 cents is the purchase price of you sell a copy on iTunes, Amazon, etc. Streaming is of course free or whatever the subscription fee is. The stores generally take 30% and you get paid 70%.

[@officialWWM]

@@PeteJohnsMusic Oh, thanks. So you get paid nothing for streams, only downloads?

[@JoelStephen]

Hey Pete ! I have a question related to the KZbin video. My first single (with distrokid) will be out on the 20th December. I am also working to make a music video for the same track. I wish to release it on the same day(because it is a Christmas song). Is there a way I can connect both the releases or make any income out of my video song as well?? My chances are that the video will be shared more swiftly through my friend circle.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. So I’m terms of connecting the two it’s not super easy. If you have an existing KZbin channel you can apply for this to become an artist channel which will bring your DistroKid releases over to it, but that requires you to have songs already released on a “topic” channel. Google artist and topic channels to find out more about that. Money? You’d need a monetised KZbin channel that is part of the KZbin Partner Program and therefore runs ads to generate revenue.

[@JoelStephen]

@@PeteJohnsMusic got it. Thanks so much. This song would be my first release so I guess I can only apply for the artist account after the release. I saw a video about connecting the “topic account” to my KZbin channel. But it was a quick review.

[@DaveChoppy]

Hey Pete. I wanted to ask if you know if spotify process a song through on Saturday. Example, if I upload a song to distrokid on Thursday, will it upload to spotify on Friday or Saturday or even Sunday? I cant find anything on spotify's website that says so.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

I think most of the processing is automated so as far as I understand, songs are being processed pretty much 24/7.

[@eleosofia]

Hii! I uploaded my first single today to distrokid with the musician plus plan and I set the release date to Friday. Do you think it’s safe to tell my Instagram followers it’s actually coming out on Friday? The dot is green but I’m worried about delays. I have a second question, will distrokid give me my URI link for Spotify artists the day of release?? Thank you very much 😊 🙏

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Spotify for Artists comes soon after release. Not sure if it will be on day one. Release date should be okay, but unfortunately there are no 100% guarantees at the moment. Http://studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@eleosofia]

Pete Johns thank you very much 😊

[@panosgodin]

Do you know if I can seperate release day from the day my album appears on platforms? For example, I don't have problem if the album appear on 3rd of October, but I would like the platforms shows that "This album was released on 1st of October".

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

So, I believe you can update the release date after the fact through the “edit release” option? But believe you need to have the Musician Plus plan. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYDQfZtoaJhpfdU

[@panosgodin]

@@PeteJohnsMusic I have "Musician plus" and I'll upload the album tomorrow! I will put 01.10 as the release day. I'm just wondering, if it will not be able to appear until 01.10, but a few days later, what date will be shown as the released.

[@meron1098]

I uploaded my song a few days ago (cover song) and asked it to be released July 15th (so like 10 days apart) I've never used distrokid and was just wondering if they would get it to stores onetime? I was using this other distributor but they were impossible to get a hold of and completely messed up my release! So now im scrambling trying to figure this out!

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hi there. So you used the Musician Plus account to select the release date? There are some delays at the moment. Check out this video for more information and how to get in touch with DistroKid if you need to. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eH-van-HitJpgKs

[@n3xtbit683]

you guys what should i do distrokid has not uploaded my music in a month please help

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

What did DistroKid reply with when you contacted them? studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@n3xtbit683]

@@PeteJohnsMusic It says that I can't reply to the message and that their questions might help but didn't really say how long or what to do but everything is good so far though

[@ItsJoelAnthxny]

If I am to pick a release date, will distrokid send me an email before to say it is on the store, or will the store upload it on that day and then I get a confirmation from distrokid on that day also?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. If you have the Musician Plus account and pick a release date, as long as it is at least 2 weeks in the future you should see your releases in stores that day. I would go 4 weeks if you possibly can to be sure.

[@ItsJoelAnthxny]

Pete Johns Thank you for your reply! The perfect response I needed

[@rosariocool15]

I never got that third email

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. How long has it been? Is this your first release? And what is displayed when you go to distrokid.com?

[@rosariocool15]

@@PeteJohnsMusic this is my first release its been about 2 days. Uploaded it march 22nd i have green lights on everything and it sayd everything looks good sending to stores today. but it said that message for like 2 day now. You think it might be this corona shit??

[@michaellconlon]

same thing is currently happening with me, did your song end up being sent?

[@samboyy9368]

That's very informative! I just uploaded to distrokid yesterday and it says my song is live on Google play, but I cannot find my track on Google play. Why is it?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. So when you click the link in the email it doesn’t take you to your song? I did the same thing yesterday and got the email, which took me straight to my single.

[@jubrillawal313]

I uploaded my song on the 26th of February by when do you think I would get my links ready from distrokid thanks .

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. It usually takes 2-5 days before you start seeing the emails telling you it has been released, as long as you have the confirmation that your audio file and artwork were approved and the song was sent to stores.

[@jubrillawal313]

Okay thanks boss I will keep waiting sir

[@drgus8042]

JayTripz Music Oh god, me too! What a concidence

[@jubrillawal313]

@@drgus8042 Wow really? When do you think we would get our links? Please let me know when you get yours bro

[@pax9584]

Hey Pete! I personally only pay for Spotify so do I need to create an Account on every Store or is distrokid doing this for me?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Yes, a “Spotify for Artists” and Apple Music profile are automatically created for you by the stores, and all other platforms don’t require an account for your music to be released, so you don’t need to do anything.

[@bangdeejayz2413]

If i have a Dj mixtape can i upload it also

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Yup. Can upload as a single, EP or album. But if it is covers or uses samples you’ll need to carefully consider the options for this type of music. Details here - studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@alexpark354]

hey pete, quick question, if I submit my single on distrokid on the Dec 6th, will it be out by Dec 13th?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Yep, it should be on most platforms. In my experience it takes 24-48 hours to hit Apple, Google and Spotify. Maximum I’ve experienced is 7 days to Spotify but it’s usually less.

[@givemeblowvro2038]

Everytime I try and upload it says checking for name availability please wait and I’ve waited for so long and it still says the same thing

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

That's a weird one. Have you confirmed that your name is one not being used by another artist?

[@Khyati_Srivastava]

What does the yellow dot mean?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Sounds like it’s still in the process of being released. When did you upload? Your first release can take a little longer sometimes.

[@Khyati_Srivastava]

@@PeteJohnsMusic Hello! Yes, it's my first release and I uploaded the songs on 24th March, they are cover songs and I haven't recorded them officially, home recorded

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Did you tag them as cover songs when you released them? You need to enter the original songwriter and agree to pay the additional $1 per month.

[@Khyati_Srivastava]

@@PeteJohnsMusic Hello! I really wanna know can I get a refund from distrokid?

[@topmastering3139]

Please help ? Let's say my music is already been uploaded to Spotify / iTunes, so I have to upload the same tracks in the Distrokid "Upload" section anyway ? Or what to do ? Thanks for the answer

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. How did they get uploaded to Spotify in the first place? You would need to use whatever distributor releases them or originally to remove them, then repulsed with DistroKid

[@topmastering3139]

@@PeteJohnsMusic So when I see the previous releases there, then what ? So what it all means? I can only upload to Distrokid only the tracks aren't on the Spotify ?? But How did they added automatically to Spotify to my account ? Only I have access to Spotify, this is so funny

[@topmastering3139]

I heard that I don't have to put the tracks into Distrokid if I see them publicly on Spotify / iTunes or anywhere.. and I have to upload them only before they are on Spotify right? So what do you recommends, should I contact the record label owner that I want to upload to Distro before they will do some actions or what?

[@dabywhat.u.cooking]

Hi Pete! My single is supposed to be out today in the dashboard it says : RELEASE This single was successfully processed and delivered to stores. When do u think it will be live? Thanks Pete!

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Depends when you submitted it. If you chose to release as soon as possible let it usually takes 2-3 days from submitting to being available. You will get an email when it is available on each store.

[@dabywhat.u.cooking]

@@PeteJohnsMusic i submitted on February 23,

[@dabywhat.u.cooking]

Jahahaha its out

[@ekwhh43]

daby how long did it take to upload for Spotify for you?

[@dabywhat.u.cooking]

ekwhh it uploads the day i tell them to post now

[@BCASHization]

This my 1st sign up but it been 5 days no live yet

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hi there. What have you received back from DistroKid? You should have received confirmation that your song and artwork has been approved and is delivered to stores?

[@BCASHization]

Yeah I got Deezer just now how do I get my accounts I gotta get

[@BCASHization]

Ima wait hopefully Spotify is next good look tho

[@DoctorSilence95]

My song hasn't been sent to stores (it's been 3 days) and it was scheduled to drop tomorrow:/ can I push the release back once it's sent to stores? I don't wanna abort the upload since it'll delay it even more . Is it possible? I re uploaded a song and that went through almost immediately and I can change the release date on that. Ut how does that work on a song that's not released yet? Can I delay my release date?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

If you’re on the standard Musician plan you don’t have the ability to change the date sorry, especially once it’s been submitted.

[@shooterbro2008]

Aye brotha signed up wit distro have not gotten my email for my song to be live on Spotify yet and it’s been a while my Apple Music and iTunes one went live and now waiting on the artist verification claim email from Apple

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Yep, there are delays across all the stores and platforms right now so it will go through eventually but you may need to wait a little longer. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iovQhKWXf9Brisk

[@Cheloski_]

Hey I just released a song named MVC DRILL$$ - Money Tendencies on all platforms but Spotify is the only one I’m having issues with where I won’t hear my song, it’s there when you search it but I can’t play it, any reason why that’s happening? Appreciate any feedback this is my first single I have released

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. That’s a weird one! You might need to reach out to DistroKid. Http://studiolivetoday.com/distrokid.

[@djcodice36]

My card got declined , any solutions? Tried so many times

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Haven’t come across that before sorry? Shouldn’t work with any VISA or MasterCard.

[@mikk699maaks3]

i had to use another computer

[@dabywhat.u.cooking]

HI PETE! I just dropped a song called K-BOY. In Distrokid when i tap upload new music it says if it wants me to crete a new spotify user but i already have one. It doesnt let me change it pls help me

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. You have released music can to Spotify before under your artist name? It should then match it up. Note that this doesn’t relate to your standard Spotify account for music listening.

[@dabywhat.u.cooking]

Pete Johns yes i have and still it doesnt show up

[@dabywhat.u.cooking]

Pete Johns Bro I figured it out now i have another problem my profile pic in spotify is the cover of my single and I previously changed the profile pic why does it show the cover for some people

[@gordonshumway8190]

It's been a month and my song is only on 5 of the streaming services. Is this normal?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Not usually. Where is it kissing from?

[@gordonshumway8190]

@@PeteJohnsMusic Google, tidal, Facebook/Instagram, tiktok, amazon, pandora, I heart radio

[@gordonshumway8190]

Still nothing...

[@matchalad]

When I search my song on Spotify, it’s there & playable. However, I only got the notification that it’s live on Apple Music & iTunes. Should I announce that my single is live or wait till I get the notification for Spotify. Again, it’s already up, but could it still be processing?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Yes, it's often about 24 hours to get the confirmation email. But if it's there, you're pretty safe.

[@matchalad]

@@PeteJohnsMusic Thank you very much, Pete!! 🙏🏽

[@benyji]

Do weekends count as days ?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. Sometimes they seem to. Different platforms seem to have different timing.

[@shiny9962]

Hi Pete , I uploaded my song yesterday , and setted the realease date on today at 2:00 am , the dot is green. How many days i must wait?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. In thy broadtail it has been generally 24-48 hours, but currently releases are taking around a week to hit stores

[@boguscat4859]

Ok so I’m on the basic plan on distrokid, it says I can’t change the date to its release so it just says “Today”. If I do upload my album today will I still have to wait a couple of days for it to be on ever platform or will be there already?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Yup. It will just be released as soon as possible on all platforms. studiolivetoday.com/distrokid

[@zainahmed9454]

Hey Pete. I scheduled my release for April 3rd and everything was cleared and ready for release. Then yesterday it didn’t release and i’m still waiting for an email about its release. what should i do?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. What day did you upload it? I have had delays reported with releases - up to a week. So if you’ve only downloaded it a few days before the release date it may not hit the stores.

[@zainahmed9454]

Pete Johns I uploaded it on Tuesday, which is the same day it got approved, and then scheduled it for Friday

[@thegreatsphinx525]

was it a cover or did it involve a cover song? because it can take about two weeks for licensing to come in for those

[@domenicd2203]

I submitted my single 3 days ago when will it be in stores?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

What updates have you received from DistroKid? They should be contacting you when your upload is approved and then distributed to stores, and then once it is released.

[@domenicd2203]

Pete Johns just the emails earlier where they said their said the song was processed and my album art was approved

[@HistoryUncovered1]

Hey, will my music be uploaded to Spotify and have a page by distrokid . Or do I definitely need to contact Spotify myself. My song comes out on march 1st?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

Hey there. DistroKid will manage sending you song and all the details to every platform so you won’t need to do anything.

[@HistoryUncovered1]

@@PeteJohnsMusic yes so on release date what will the page look like?

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

It varies on each different platform. You will get an email as your song is released on every platform.

[@osixblack]

I’m sure I got my ducks in a row, but I do have a confusing issue. I have a Spotify account that was made through distrokid I think and it is verified but when I try to claim it it says the profile has been claimed. How do I get access because I have a Spotify account already but it is not the same I want to either link the verified page to that or already get access to that account and just get rid of the one I personally made.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

This can happen if there are changes to names or if you have a name hats similar to a other artist. I believe you’ll need to reach out to Spotify to get this sorted.

[@osixblack]

Pete Johns will do, thanks a lot 🙏🏻

[@essjaymusic]

Hey man good video, so I've hat uploaded a single and i received an mail from distrokid saying my music is live and it's playing on Google play and deezer Bt when I searched for my song it was not there.

[@PeteJohnsMusic]

That's strange? What's your artist and track name and I'll take a look?

[@samboyy9368]

I encountered the same issue. What's your thought on it ?

[@essjaymusic]

@@PeteJohnsMusic my stage name is Essjay. track name is Ghost