Spotify is the world’s largest music streaming platform, and a presence there is essential for any artist. However, unlike some platforms, you cannot upload your music directly to Spotify.

To get your music on Spotify, you must use a digital music distributor. This guide covers the preparation, the technical specs Spotify requires, and how to get your track ready for a professional release.

The “Upload to Spotify” Process (The Distribution Path)

Getting on Spotify means uploading to a distributor first. Here is the general process.

1. Choose Your Distributor You need a service to act as the “middle-man.” These companies send your music to Spotify (and hundreds of other stores) and collect your royalties. Popular choices include:

• TuneCore
• amuse
• Symphonic
• Ditto Music
• Horus Music

2. Get Your Assets Ready Before you log in to your distributor, have these three things:

• Your Final Mastered Audio File: A high-quality WAV file.
• Your Square Album Artwork: A 3000×3000 pixel JPG or PNG.
• Your Metadata: All your song credits (title, artist, songwriters, etc.).

3. Upload to Your Distributor Log in to your chosen distributor and create a new release. You will upload your audio, artwork, and fill in all the metadata here.

4. Set a Future Release Date This is the most critical step for Spotify. Set your release date at least 2-4 weeks in the future. This does two things:

• It gives the distributor time to process and deliver your song to Spotify.
• It gives you time to pitch your song to Spotify’s editorial playlists.

Technical Criteria (What Spotify Requires)

Your distributor will enforce these rules because Spotify requires them. If your files don’t meet these specs, they will be rejected.

Audio Requirements:

• Format: WAV (lossless).
• Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz
• Bit Depth: 16-bit or 24-bit.

Artwork Requirements:

• Proportion: Exactly Square (1:1)
• Size: 3000 x 3000 pixels (Recommended standard)
• Format: JPG or PNG

How Masterchannel Perfects Your Track for Spotify

Mastering is the final, critical step before distribution. It ensures your song sounds polished and competitive, which is especially important on a platform like Spotify.

Here’s how Masterchannel optimizes your music for a global release via your distributor:

• Tailored for Streaming: Masterchannel’s AI-powered mastering is specifically designed with streaming platforms in mind. It optimizes your track’s loudness to the standards of services like Spotify, ensuring your song sounds consistently great everywhere.

• Preserving Quality, Enhancing Power: You can upload your high-resolution audio file (e.g., 24-bit, 44.1kHz WAV) to Masterchannel and receive a professionally mastered file back with the same specifications.

• Unleash Your Sonic Potential: The mastering process isn’t just about volume. Masterchannel analyzes and enhances the entire frequency spectrum, improves stereo width, and manages the dynamic range to make your music feel more alive and engaging for the listener.

• Confidence in Your Release: By mastering with Masterchannel, you can be confident that the file you’re delivering to your distributor is the best it can possibly be. This professional touch ensures your music stands shoulder-to-shoulder with major label releases, giving your artistic vision the high-quality sound it deserves on the world’s biggest streaming platform.

Before you upload to your distributor, give your music the professional polish it needs to stand out on Spotify.