YOUTUBE MUSIC RELEASE GUIDE

How to get your music on YouTube Music

Prepare your audio release in DistroBolt, confirm YouTube Music delivery and check the published recording and artist identity. A video on your own YouTube channel is not the same as a distributor-delivered music release. Content ID and Official Artist Channels also have separate purposes and eligibility checks.

Use this guide to prepare a first release or move an existing catalogue. You do not need to buy a produced music video just to prepare an ordinary audio release.

Apply for DistroBolt access

Already approved? Open your audio-release page. Check your current plan before starting another subscription.

1. Prepare the right files and release information

Finished audio: use the approved master, the correct track order and the lossless file format requested by the current DistroBolt form. Listen for an incorrect mix, clipped ending or unintended silence.
Artwork: the current DistroBolt intake form requires square artwork of at least 3000 × 3000 pixels, JPG/JPEG/PNG in RGB and no larger than 10 MB. Do not enlarge a small image to meet the dimensions. These are portal intake requirements; follow the current form if they change.
Metadata: prepare exact titles, primary and featured artists, contributor roles, language, explicit-content information, label name and relevant dates. Keep artwork and release information consistent.
Existing identity: save links to your own artist channel, any Topic channel and existing YouTube Music artist page or releases. Identify which is which; a channel you control and an automatically generated Topic channel serve different roles.
Rights: check recording and composition permissions, artwork, samples, beats, covers and collaborator agreements. Tell the team about an existing Content ID administrator or unresolved claim.

Common delays begin with the wrong master, missing credits, conflicting artist spellings or unresolved permissions. A licence allowing distribution does not automatically qualify the recording for Content ID. Use the release preparation checklist before starting.

2. Submit through DistroBolt and confirm the destination

Start with New Release → Audio Release. This opens Create New Release. Enter the basic details and follow the current upload requirements.
Prepare the tracks, artwork and credits. Use your own intended label name for each release; white label is included automatically. Do not confuse an audio release with the separate Video Release route.
Confirm YouTube Music delivery before submission. The release Services list uses the name Youtube Music. Check that this is included in your intended destinations. If the selection is unclear in your account, ask DistroBolt before submitting rather than assuming a default.
Identify the intended artist. Have your existing artist-page, channel and release links ready. Use the matching information requested by the current form; if a field or proposed match is unclear, send the links to DistroBolt. For a first release, explain that no existing artist page exists instead of selecting someone with the same name.
Review the release and any Content ID choice separately. The portal displays YouTube Content ID as a separate release detail. Confirm rights, administration and eligibility before requesting it. Review dates and metadata, submit only when ready, then retain your release reference.

If a destination or artist match is unclear, ask the team to check it before you submit. Account approval, payment and release submission are separate steps.

3. Know which YouTube service you are using

YouTube Music delivery: The distribution route for your audio catalogue and release information. Uploading a video yourself does not replace delivering the recording and metadata through a distributor.
Art Tracks: Automatically generated versions pairing a delivered recording with its artwork. They let listeners find an audio release without a separately produced video.
Your own videos: Videos you upload to a channel you manage. Channel management and any eligible channel monetization are separate from your DistroBolt audio-release submission.
Official Artist Channel (OAC): A YouTube artist-channel arrangement that brings the artist's content and audience together. It is not a subscription feature that guarantees approval.
Content ID: A rights-matching system for eligible reference material. It can generate claims on matching uploaded videos. It does not replace YouTube Music delivery or create an Official Artist Channel.

For an OAC, YouTube requires a music-focused channel for one artist or band, at least one official distributor- or label-delivered release, and compliance with its policies. You must also meet a partner route: a YouTube Partner Manager, YPP membership, a qualifying label network or distribution through a partner listed in YouTube's music-services directory. Ask DistroBolt to check your channel and the available request route. We do not promise OAC eligibility, approval or a completion date.

4. Keep timing and rights checks separate

DistroBolt's checks, delivery and YouTube's processing are different stages. Submission is not proof that the release is live. Prepare early and allow for corrections; no exact publication date, playlist placement, Content ID approval or channel approval is guaranteed.

Content ID references require exclusive rights in the claimed territories and suitable, distinct material. Non-exclusive third-party content and production loops can make a reference ineligible. Declare licences and samples before requesting administration. DistroBolt includes Content ID for eligible recordings under the applicable rights and service terms; inclusion is not automatic acceptance of every recording.

If moving a catalogue, coordinate ordinary delivery and Content ID administration separately. Competing references or ownership assertions can cause conflicts. Do not assume removing an old store release releases its Content ID references or claims. Read Content ID when changing distributors and the catalogue-transfer guide before changing administration or removing old deliveries.

5. Understand income, fees and reporting

The standard DistroBolt allocation is 90% to the artist side and 10% to DistroBolt, including applicable Content ID revenue. Essential costs €3.98 per single per year or €8.98 per EP/album per year. Premium costs €9 per month or €69 per year and replaces Essential annual release fees while active; the revenue share still applies. Eligible Content ID is included rather than a separate Marketplace purchase.

For an illustrative €100 applicable royalty amount, the standard allocation is €90 to the artist side and €10 to DistroBolt. This is not a promised payment for a number of streams or views. Use the actual statement and agreement for the accounting basis, currency and applicable treatment.

YouTube Music recording income: revenue reported for the distributed recordings.
Eligible Content ID income: revenue from applicable rights administration and monetized uses; it is not every view on every matching video.
Your channel income: any direct channel earnings follow the relevant YouTube arrangements; do not assume they are all paid through the distributor.
Songwriter and publishing royalties: composition rights are separate from the recording. Check the relevant collecting or publishing arrangements.

Reporting and payouts vary by service and period. Views, analytics and payable balances are different measures; there is no fixed rate promised per stream or video view. Read royalty reporting and payouts, current plans and prices and Premium terms. Practical migration work and other Marketplace services are optional separate services.

Practical YouTube Music questions

Can I release on YouTube Music before I have my own channel?

Prepare the audio release and tell DistroBolt that this is your first release with no existing artist page. An OAC requires a channel and additional criteria; do not select an unrelated artist identity just to complete a field.

My release appears under the wrong artist. What should I send?

Send DistroBolt your release reference, the incorrect release or artist link, and the intended artist, Topic and own-channel links where available. Explain which channel you control. Read the artist-profile mapping guide. Avoid a duplicate upload as a substitute for a correction.

Do I keep my ISRC when moving an unchanged recording?

Changing distributor alone does not make a recording new. Normally retain its existing ISRC and keep UPC/EAN information separately. Check altered recordings, remixes and edits before reusing a code. See the ISRC and transfer guide. Identifiers do not guarantee preserved views, playlists, links or availability.

Why did my own video receive a Content ID claim?

A claim can reflect recording or composition administration, including an existing administrator. It is not automatically a copyright strike. Check the claimant and matched content in YouTube Studio. Send the video link, ISRC and claim information to DistroBolt when it concerns our administration. Do not dispute solely because you uploaded the video; first establish the rights and claim basis.

What if two administrators claim the same recording?

Save the claims, territories and relevant agreements. Ask DistroBolt to coordinate the administration review. Multiple claims can concern different rights or territories, so their presence alone does not prove an error. Do not enable another reference or cancel existing administration blindly.

Does a delivered release mean I have Content ID and an OAC?

No. Check the release's destination and Content ID status separately. Official Artist Channel eligibility and requests are another process. Ask DistroBolt to clarify the next step if your account or rights position is unclear.

Prepare your YouTube Music release with DistroBolt.

Bring the correct files, rights and artist links. For a delivery, identity or administration question, contact the DistroBolt team before making changes.

Apply for DistroBolt access

Already approved? Open your audio-release page · Read the release checklist

DistroBolt · Updated 3 November 2026. Check current plan terms and platform requirements before submission or payment.