DISTRIBUTION FOR INDEPENDENT LABELS
Music distribution for record labels
Manage music from multiple artists with DistroBolt's release workflow, catalogue, royalty reporting and free collaborator splits. For independent labels and teams, the starting point is a clear artist roster, accurate release information and an agreed way to account for recording income.
Get personal help preparing releases and planning a catalogue move. Choose the current standard distribution plan that fits your catalogue, or discuss a tailored label agreement where applicable.
Discuss your label with DistroBoltA practical home for a multi-artist catalogue
This service is for independent record labels, artist-led imprints and teams coordinating several artists or releases. DistroBolt can help you prepare consistent credits, identify the correct artist profiles, review release materials and understand available royalty reports.
Your own label name is used in the release information. White label is included automatically: remember to enter the intended label name for each new release. This describes the release identity; it is not a promise of a separate branded control panel, reseller rights or permission to run your own distribution service.
Get started and manage releases
- Prepare your roster and account. Bring the artist names, existing artist-profile links, release count, rights position and any current distribution agreements. New customers apply for account access. If an account already exists, ask the team to check it before creating another or starting a second subscription.
- Select the right artist. In the approved portal, use New Release → Audio Release to open Create New Release. The form has a Main Artist selector and CREATE NEW option. Choose the existing identity where appropriate; check spelling, roles and profile links before adding another artist with the same name.
- Prepare each release. Supply the finished audio, artwork, metadata, contributors, label name, dates and necessary rights. Review main versus featured artist roles. Use our release checklist and artist-profile mapping guide.
- Confirm delivery and submit. Check the intended supported destinations, territories and any rights-dependent services in the current release flow. Ask us if a selection is unclear. Resolve corrections and check the published release and artist links; submitting is not proof that a release is live.
- Follow the catalogue and reports. Use Catalogue to find releases. The Sales menu provides Royalty earnings, Royalty Splits and Analytics. Activity analytics and accounted royalties serve different purposes and may update at different times.
Agree who operates the account and who may approve releases with DistroBolt before onboarding your team. Do not share passwords or login codes. We do not promise separate staff roles, artist-restricted access or approval permissions without checking the actual account and agreement.
Keep label agreements separate from distribution fees
Under DistroBolt's standard terms, 90% of applicable distribution revenue goes to the artist side and 10% to DistroBolt, including applicable Content ID revenue. The artist side can include agreed label and collaborator allocations. Your label's contract with its artists is separate from DistroBolt's revenue share and subscription or release fees.
Illustrative allocation: with €1,000 applicable royalty revenue, DistroBolt's standard share is €100 and €900 remains. If a label and artist have agreed to divide that remainder 60/40, the label allocation is €540 and the artist allocation is €360. Total allocation: €1,000. This is an arithmetic example, not a suggested artist deal, stream forecast or bank-payment promise. Plan fees and applicable tax/payment treatment are separate.
Free splits, with recipient acceptance
Royalty splits and recipient accounts are free. A collaborator does not need a paid distribution subscription simply to receive a share. In Sales → Royalty Splits, the Payment Splits page lets you select the release for setup or review. Agree the participants, account emails, calculation basis, percentages and period before confirming a split.
Collaborators receive an invitation and must accept it to receive their royalty share. The current system describes percentage changes as applying to future payments; do not assume a change rewrites earlier statements. Check any period or correction question before saving. No extra DistroBolt fee is charged to receive or withdraw a collaborator share, but applicable payout requirements and reporting still apply.
Use the royalty-split guide and examples and royalty reporting and payouts guide. Distribution splits concern recording revenue under the relevant arrangement; songwriter/publishing royalties and concert or merchandise income are separate. A statement balance does not imply an automatic monthly bank transfer.
Choose your plan or discuss a label agreement
- Essential: free account, with €3.98 per single per year or €8.98 per EP/album per year. The standard 90/10 revenue allocation applies. Confirm the account arrangement for your roster; do not infer a particular artist limit from a per-release price.
- Premium: unlimited artists and releases under the applicable distribution terms for €9 billed monthly or €69 billed yearly. Twelve monthly payments total €108. Premium replaces Essential annual per-release fees while active; the standard 90/10 allocation still applies.
- Label discussion: labels with more than 3 million annual streams across their catalogue can contact DistroBolt to discuss an individual royalty agreement. Request a confidential discussion; no acceptance, individual rate or commercial term is promised on this page.
Essential and Premium include the same listed distribution features: supported streaming/social delivery, white label release identity, free splits and recipients, available analytics and Content ID for eligible recordings. Beatport and cover licensing depend on approval, rights and the applicable scope. Store acceptance, rights approval and outcomes are not guaranteed.
New recurring Premium subscriptions renew until cancelled. Billing starts at payment; DistroBolt checks account ownership and payment, activates Premium manually and confirms activation. Cancellation stops future renewal at the end of the paid period; existing one-time Premium purchases keep their original terms. Read Premium activation and renewal terms before paying.
Paid mastering, cover design, promotion, hands-on transfer work and third-party subscriptions are separate. Check current distribution plans and our distribution-cost guide. If your existing plan or catalogue needs a change, ask us to confirm renewal and transition handling rather than opening another subscription.
Move a label catalogue carefully
Prepare an inventory of releases and tracks, artists, original masters, artwork, metadata, existing ISRCs, UPC/EANs, artist-profile links and rights or territory restrictions. Include collaborator splits, existing Content ID administrators, open claims and any pending releases.
Coordinate new delivery and checks before requesting removal of previous deliveries. Keep earlier distributor statements and payment records: moving the catalogue does not move every historical balance or reporting obligation automatically. Matching, streams, playlists, links and uninterrupted availability depend on platforms and cannot be guaranteed.
You can prepare the move yourself; practical assistance is an optional separate service. Read the catalogue-transfer guide, ISRC guide and Content ID handover guide. Use the existing catalogue assessment form for a review of hands-on help. It is an assessment request, not an immediate order or payment.
Talk to a person at DistroBolt
Use our existing meeting page or email mail@distrobolt.com. Bring the roster size, release count, current provider, annual catalogue stream figures if relevant and the help you need. The team can clarify account setup, release preparation, artist mapping, reports and migration scope. Do not include passwords, login codes or unrelated private documents.
Tell us whether you need ordinary distribution support or a separately scoped production or migration project. We will confirm the relevant route and terms; no response time or round-the-clock availability is promised here.
Label questions
Can a label manage multiple artists?
The release workflow has an artist selector and supports catalogue management. Premium's current offer includes unlimited artists and releases under its distribution terms. Confirm account access for your team separately; multi-artist distribution is not the same as individual employee permissions.
Do my artists need paid accounts to receive splits?
No. Recipient accounts and splits are free, and recipients must accept their invitations. Their payout and reporting requirements still apply. Agree whether the split is of the amount remaining after DistroBolt's share before setting percentages.
Does white label mean I receive a separate branded platform?
This page promises your label identity on releases, using the intended label name. A separate branded panel, reseller arrangement or team-access model would need its own confirmed product capability and agreement.
Can we agree a different revenue share?
The standard allocation is 90/10. Labels exceeding 3 million annual catalogue streams can ask for an individual discussion. DistroBolt must confirm any tailored agreement in writing; do not apply an assumed rate to your accounting.
Plan the next stage for your label.
Bring your roster, catalogue and goals so we can identify the right setup and support.
Discuss your label with DistroBolt