Welcome to my newsletter. This segment, Hobby Killer, is a step-by-step guide on transforming your passion for music from a hobby into a sustainable career. I’m not here to sell you a dream or claim to be a master of the craft—I’m a student of the game, learning the industry in real-time. As I navigate this journey, I’m documenting everything I learn, sharing insights, strategies, and hard-earned lessons for like-minded artists who are on a similar path. This isn’t theory—it’s a blueprint in progress.

For independent artists, getting music onto major music streaming platforms aka Digital Service Providers (DSPs) like Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal is an essential step toward building an audience. However, these platforms do not allow artists to upload music directly. Instead, artists must use a third-party distributor. This guide will walk you through the simplest way to upload your music, compare major distribution services, and highlight the distributor I personally choose to use and why.

Step 1: Prepare Your Music and Artwork

Before choosing a distributor, ensure you have the following:

A high-quality WAV or MP3 file (most distributors prefer WAV for best quality)
Album or single artwork (minimum 3000x3000 pixels, JPEG or PNG format)
ISRC code (most distributors provide this if you don’t have one)
Metadata (song title, artist name, album title, genre, etc.)

Music metadata is the essential information attached to your audio file that helps DSPs categorize and display your music correctly. This includes details such as the song title, artist name, album title, genre, release year, and ISRC (International Standard Recording Code). Embedding metadata ensures that your music is properly credited and discoverable. Most DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) allow you to input metadata when exporting files, but you can also use software like Mp3tag or iTunes to manually add metadata before uploading your track to a distributor.

Step 2: Choose a Distributor

Distributors act as the bridge between artists and streaming platforms, ensuring your music is available for streaming and purchase. Here’s a breakdown of some major distribution platforms:

DistroKid

Pros: Fastest distribution speed (often within 24-48 hours). Unlimited uploads for a flat yearly fee ($22.99/year for basic plan). Keeps 100% of royalties. Easy to use

Cons: Subscription-based; if you stop paying, your music can be removed. Limited additional services compared to competitors. Company has some bad reviews from the underground music community.

Comments: I have personally used DistroKid in the past and encountered several issues. Many of my peers who used the platform found their music added to playlists without their consent, often leading to takedowns. Additionally, I participated in their affiliate program but was not compensated. After finally reaching the owner—surprisingly, he was personally handling such matters—he sent me only half of the referral fees owed via PayPal. The entire experience felt unusual, and combined with other recurring criticisms, I ultimately chose to discontinue using their service. I would advise proceeding with caution. Its easy and fast, but it might cost you later.

LANDR

Pros: Flexible pricing plans (pay-per-release or unlimited with a subscription). Retains 100% of royalties. State of the art AI Mastering Software. A large database of cleared samples for producers. And a plethora of resources for artists on the rise.

Cons: Slower distribution times compared to DistroKid.

Comments: I am currently in the process of removing my new music from their platform. For the first time in my life, I received a takedown notice for one of my songs. However, instead of addressing just that track, Landr put my entire catalog on hold, disrupting the momentum I had built. This included three separate projects—multiple singles and an album—all of which were paused and removed from streaming services on all platforms.

After a month of silence from their support team, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Since I had self-produced the track in question, I was able to clear its beat by leasing it to myself under our label LLC. As a result, the song was reinstated across all streaming platforms. Strangely, two days later, Landr contacted me to say they had resolved the issue—despite my independent intervention. This left me confused, and after reaching out for clarification, I once again received no response.

Uncertainty is never a good sign, so I’ve ultimately decided to pull my catalog from their service as I return to a distributor that has never given me issues. I’m not particularly angry—just confused. That said, I still appreciate Landr for its artist resources, AI mastering, production software, and extensive database of cleared samples for producers. Those features alone make their subscription worthwhile. However, as a distributor, I’m no longer sure where I stand with them. I could have slipped through the cracks and the bad service could be a rare occurrence. So we will see.

UNITED MASTERS

UnitedMasters is a solid option for independent artists looking for distribution and branding opportunities!

Pros: User-friendly platform with straightforward distribution. Brand Partnership Opportunities – Access to exclusive deals with brands like the NBA, ESPN, and Apple Music. Ownership – Artists retain full ownership of their masters. Sync Licensing – Offers chances to get music placed in films, commercials, and video games.Provides decent insights and tools for promoting music. Free tier available, plus premium options for more features. The recently introduced a new section of the platform for helping producers lease and manage beats!

Cons: UnitedMasters takes a 10% cut of royalties unless you upgrade to the paid plan ($59.99/year). Compared to something like Repost Network, UnitedMasters doesn’t provide strong artist-to-fan connection tools. While brand partnerships are a selling point, some artists feel it leans more toward corporate sponsorships than grassroots artist growth. Some artists have complained about delayed payments and lack of responsive customer service.

CD Baby

Pros: One-time payment per release (no annual fees). Wide platform reach, including YouTube Content ID and sync licensing. Offers physical distribution options!

Cons: Higher upfront costs compared to subscription-based models. 9% commission on royalties