Music Distro: The Ultimate Music Distribution Guide. Everything you need to choose and use a music distributor—codes, royalties, contracts, and strategy—explained clearly for 2026

Indie artists, this is the Music Distro deep dive that protects your money and your rights. We start by killing the “upload direct to Spotify” myth and map how distributors/aggregators actually work—metadata accuracy, playlist chances, splits, and payouts. Then we go surgical on ISRC (per track/version/video) and UPC (per single/EP/album), because these codes are the plumbing between your music, charts, and cash flow.

Next, we separate the three royalty pipes:

1. Distributor → streaming/store payouts for the recording (master)
2. PRO + MLC → songwriting/composition royalties
3. SoundExchange / PPCA / PPL → recording performance in broadcast-style uses

We close with traps to avoid: assuming distribution = publishing admin, metadata typos that break discovery, relying on outdated comparison posts, and inorganic streaming that can get you banned or clawed back.

Grab the Release-Ready Checklist in the show notes to repeat this process for every drop—so no stream, spin, or broadcast goes unclaimed.

Read the companion guide: Music Distro: The Most Helpful Guide to Choosing (and Using) a Music Distribution Company in 2026 — https://beatstorapon.com/blog/ultimate-music-distribution-guide-2026/

Chapters / Timestamps (from transcript)

• 00:00 Intro — why Music Distro matters (business side of getting heard)
• 02:15 You need a distributor/aggregator (how it works, payouts, metadata)
• 04:50 ISRC rules (per version/video; don’t reuse)
• 09:50 UPC for releases (single/EP/album; charting & sales tracking)
• 12:10 The “other money”: PRO/MLC (song) vs SoundExchange/PPCA/PPL (recording performance)
• 14:40 Pitfalls: publishing ≠ distribution, metadata errors, inorganic streams/clawbacks
• 16:00 Checklist recap — connect the pipes, don’t miss a cent

If you’re still comparing options, see the best platforms to distribute music for free https://beatstorapon.com/blog/the-best-platforms-to-distribute-music-for-free-and-reach-your-fans/

 ISRC (per track/version/video) and UPC (per single/EP/album). These aren’t admin—they’re the plumbing between your music, charts, and cash flow. For a deeper explainer (including ISWC/DDEX), read Music metadata: ISRC / ISWC / UPC / DDEX https://beatstorapon.com/blog/music-metadata-isrc-iswc-upc-ddex/

Contracts, rights, and revenue streams—start with the business blueprint for contracts, royalties & revenue https://beatstorapon.com/blog/mastering-the-business-of-hip-hop-your-2025-blueprint-for-contracts-royalties-revenue-streams/ and copyright & contracts essentials for artists  https://beatstorapon.com/blog/copyright-contracts-essentials-for-rap-artists-2025-the-ultimate-guide/

We’re building the future—empowering every artist and creator with the tools, beats, and network to share their voice, connect boldly, and leave a mark on the world. 🔗 Visit us at https://beatstorapon.com.

Keep creating. Keep sharing. Keep rising.