Best Music Distribution Services in 2026
We uploaded the same catalog through eight distributors in January 2025 and tracked royalty payouts every month for 18 months. Here's who actually keeps the most of your money.
5 min read
Distribution & Royalties Reporter
Marcus Vega
Marcus writes about distributors, royalties, and the business plumbing of streaming. Former rights administration analyst at a major publisher.
Articles by Marcus Vega
DistroKid raises pricing for 2026, what it means for your catalog
DistroKid's base plan is going from $22.99 to $24.99 a year. Small bump on the headline, but the add-on changes are where the real story is.
2 min read
How to distribute your music to Spotify in 2026 (the right way)
Everything you need to know before you upload your first track, picking a distributor, preparing your files, setting metadata, claiming your artist profile, and avoiding the mistakes that cost you streams.
5 min read
DistroKid vs TuneCore vs CD Baby, which keeps more of your money in 2026?
Three distributors, the same catalog, 18 months of royalty data. Here's who actually came out ahead, and the case for each one.
3 min read
Apple Music Classical expands to neoclassical and ambient in 2026
Apple Music Classical's catalog rules are loosening. Neoclassical, ambient, and contemporary composer releases can now distribute into the dedicated app.
2 min read
Bandcamp's ownership update: what it means for indie sellers
Bandcamp changed hands again. Here's what's actually different for indie artists selling on the platform, and what we'd watch for.
2 min read
TuneCore is paying out faster, here's what changed
TuneCore quietly cut its payout cycle from quarterly to monthly for most platforms. We confirmed it across two test catalogs.
2 min read