BRING YOUR MUSIC TO DISTROBOLT
How to switch music distributors.
Prepare your catalogue, deliver through DistroBolt, check the new releases and coordinate removal of the old deliveries. Review your current agreement first. A careful move keeps the recording, identifiers and artist identity consistent; no code or submission alone guarantees platform matching or continuous availability.
Choose how you move.
Do it yourself: transfer releases through your DistroBolt account without buying our transfer service. Your normal distribution plan charges and royalty terms still apply.
Let us handle the practical work: our paid catalogue-transfer assistance is optional. Ask for an assessment if you would rather have our team do the work.
Ask for transfer helpMoving a catalogue is more than uploading a folder. The recording, identifiers, artwork and artist details need to agree with the releases already in stores. DistroBolt can assess your catalogue and help you plan the handover before you remove the existing delivery.
Tell us how many tracks and releases you have, your current distributor, your artist-profile links and your annual streams. We confirm the work, total price and distribution terms in writing before you book or pay.
Request your catalogue assessment1. Make a release inventory
List each single, EP and album, with the artist name, title, original release date and current store links. Record which tracks appear on more than one release. A track count and a release count describe different workloads; sending both helps us assess the job accurately.
Include the ISRC for each recording and any existing release identifier you have. Flag missing codes, alternate versions, remasters, covers, collaborations, disputed rights and releases with Content ID. Do not guess a missing identifier. Ask our team to help check it.
2. Gather the original assets
Prepare the original WAV audio and cover artwork, together with your existing metadata and credits. Keep the same recording when you want the new delivery to match the existing track. A changed recording may need different treatment; discuss that before uploading it under an existing ISRC.
- Audio: the correct final recording for every track.
- Artwork: the release image you have permission to use.
- Metadata: titles, artist names and roles, track order, language, explicit-content information and credits.
- Rights: recording ownership, relevant licences and collaborator agreements.
- Profiles: the existing Spotify and other artist-profile links that belong to your artists.
These are preparation items, not a promise that every asset is eligible. Your account's current upload requirements and the rights review still apply.
3. Prepare the delivery in your DistroBolt account
In your approved portal, use New Release → Audio Release to open Create New Release. Select the correct artist and prepare the assets and credits. Make clear that the music has been released before: retain its original release date, each unchanged recording’s ISRC and the existing release UPC/EAN in your records. Check every track rather than assuming one code covers an album.
Follow the current form for the requested identifiers and dates. If the previous-release, code or artist-matching controls are unclear, ask DistroBolt before submitting. Do not choose a guessed profile, replace an existing identifier just to progress, or assume a particular field is preselected. Confirm the intended destinations and rights before delivery.
Use the intended label name on the release. White label is included automatically; there is no separate white-label activation step. Review the credits, artist mapping, audio and artwork before submitting. If the account asks for information you cannot verify, stop and ask us before submitting incorrect data.
4. Keep the existing delivery in place
Do not request removal from your previous distributor as your first step. Submit the new delivery and allow the stores to process it. Then check the live release and artist profiles with our team. We look for the correct recordings, track identifiers and artist mapping before coordinating removal of the older delivery.
Store matching is controlled by the platforms. Reusing the correct identifiers and assets supports the process, but DistroBolt does not guarantee preserved stream counts, playlists, historical data or uninterrupted availability.
5. Coordinate the handover
When the new delivery has been checked, agree the next step with DistroBolt and request the previous delivery's removal through the existing distributor. Retain the relevant confirmations. Check for overlapping Content ID claims and other conflicting deliveries before treating the move as complete.
Do not close the old account before checking outstanding royalties, statements and its cancellation terms. Income from earlier periods may be reported later. Keep copies of your records and contact the previous provider about any money still due.
ISRC and UPC: keep the recording and release records separate
An ISRC identifies a recording. An unchanged recording normally retains its existing code when the distributor changes; a new performance, remix or materially changed recording requires separate review. A code is not proof that you own the recording or have permission to deliver it. Check the rights, licences and your current agreement as well as the identifier.
A UPC/EAN identifies the release package, not each song. Keep the existing release code and exact release details with your inventory. Ask DistroBolt to confirm how that code should be handled for your intended delivery, especially if the track list or release configuration changes. Do not reuse another release's code or assume UPC and ISRC are interchangeable. The ISRC and catalogue-transfer guide covers recording-code decisions in more detail.
Matching also depends on the audio and metadata. Spotify's track-linking guidance calls for the same audio and details such as duration, title and artist name. That does not establish a universal guarantee for streams, playlists, links or release history across platforms.
Check profiles, overlapping deliveries and old income
- Artist profiles: keep the correct existing platform links and check every live release against them. Do not create a new artist identity solely because you are moving distributors. Report an incorrect mapping with both the affected release and intended artist links; use our artist-profile mapping guide.
- Duplicate releases or downtime: coordinate any overlap and the old takedown after reviewing the new delivery. Platforms can show duplicates or process changes at different times. Report exact links and delivery dates rather than repeatedly uploading or removing versions. Neither a fixed overlap period nor uninterrupted playback is promised.
- Content ID: identify the current administrator, affected recordings, territories and open claims. Ordinary store delivery and Content ID administration are separate. Competing references can require review; taking down a store release does not prove that earlier references or claims have been released. Follow the Content ID handover guide.
- Earlier royalties: retain old statements, payout records and account access needed to resolve balances. Earlier usage may be reported after the move. Check which provider reports each period and contact the previous provider about sums it still owes; those balances do not automatically become a DistroBolt payout. Read royalty reporting and payouts.
What will the transfer cost?
There is no requirement to buy transfer assistance: you can prepare and submit the re-releases yourself through your DistroBolt account. Paid transfer help is separate from rights-registration assistance and from your ongoing distribution subscription. Your written proposal should identify the transfer work, whether a first-year subscription is included, renewal charges, applicable taxes and any per-release fees. No catalogue package price or first-year bundle is confirmed by this guide. Ask the team to confirm the scope and first-year coverage in writing rather than treating an indicative tier as a final offer.
Premium is currently €9 per month or €69 per year, with 90% of distribution revenue retained by the artist and 10% received by DistroBolt. Monthly billing renews monthly; yearly billing renews yearly. Existing one-time purchases keep their own terms. Do not start a second subscription while changing plans or moving a catalogue. Review current distribution plans and Premium activation and renewal terms. Essential annual release fees apply where relevant; practical transfer assistance is a separate service.
Large catalogue or established label?
Include annual streams across the catalogue in your assessment. Labels with more than 3 million streams a year should contact our team for an individual discussion. A high track count alone does not confirm a special rate, and Bolt cannot approve a bespoke distribution agreement on behalf of the team.
Let’s plan your move.
Send the inventory first. We will identify what is ready, what needs checking and which work is included before you commit.
Request a catalogue assessment · Read common questionsStart with a catalogue inventory.
Download the catalogue inventory · CSV
Use one row for each recording on each release. If the same recording appears on a single and an album, include both release entries and keep the existing ISRC where appropriate. Tell us both the number of unique recordings and the number of releases.
- Copy identifiers from your current distributor or release records. Mark anything missing instead of inventing a code.
- Match each row to the correct audio and artwork filenames. Flag remasters, edits, covers and disputed rights for review.
- Add the correct artist-profile links and note any existing Content ID provider or conflicting delivery.
- Keep a copy of statements, outstanding royalty information and cancellation terms from the previous distributor.
The template helps you organise the information; it is not an upload file for the distribution system and does not submit a transfer or place an order. Do not include passwords, banking details or identity documents.
Request a catalogue assessment when you want our team to review the work. You can also transfer releases yourself through your DistroBolt account without buying this assistance.
Questions before switching distributors
When should I cancel my old distributor?
Read the existing agreement before making changes. Separate cancellation of billing, account closure and removal of specific deliveries; they may not be the same action. Coordinate the move and check the new releases with DistroBolt before requesting the old takedown. Confirm any contract restrictions and outstanding balances first.
How long does a catalogue move take?
It depends on the catalogue, complete assets, rights, corrections and each platform's processing. Ask for a plan after the inventory has been reviewed. Do not announce a guaranteed switch date or remove old deliveries based only on a submission confirmation.
Will my artist profile, streams and playlists stay the same?
Prepare the correct existing profile links, recording codes, audio and metadata, then check the actual platform results. These support accurate matching, but DistroBolt cannot guarantee preserved streams, playlist placements, release history, URLs or uninterrupted availability.
Do I have to pay someone to move my catalogue?
No practical-transfer purchase is required to prepare and submit releases yourself through DistroBolt. Your applicable distribution fees and revenue share still apply. If you want the team to handle practical work, request an assessment and agree scope and complete terms before booking or paying.
What if I cannot find my original files or codes?
Collect what you have from your authorised release and delivery records. Mark missing values clearly, keep conflicting references and ask DistroBolt to review them. Do not substitute a different recording or invent an identifier. Missing material can change the work needed and the transfer plan.
What should I send for an assessment?
Send the number of tracks and releases, inventory, current provider, profile and release links, rights restrictions, existing Content ID administrator and relevant annual catalogue streams. Keep old royalty records for your own accounting. Do not send passwords, banking details or identity documents.