DistroKid has revolutionized music distribution for independent artists, offering a fast and straightforward way to get your tracks onto major streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal. But to make the most of this powerful platform, it’s crucial to get your upload right from the start.


This guide will walk you through DistroKid’s upload process, detail the essential technical specs, and explain how Masterchannel can give your music the professional polish it needs to shine.

The DistroKid Upload Process

DistroKid is known for its user-friendly interface. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what to expect when you’re ready to release your music.

1. Prepare Your Assets: Before you begin the upload, have everything ready to go:
   
   
   • The Mastered Audio File: This should be the final, highest-quality version of your song. You can master your song here.
     
     
   • Square Album Artwork: Your artwork needs to be high-resolution and meet specific formatting requirements.
     
     
   • Complete Metadata: This includes your artist name, song title, release date, genre, songwriter credits, and any featured artists. Accuracy here is key for proper crediting and royalty payments.
     
     
2. Log In and Click “Upload”: Once in your DistroKid account, the “Upload” section is your starting point.
   
   
3. Choose Your Services: Select all the streaming platforms and online stores where you want your music to be available. DistroKid distributes to over 150 partners, so you have a wide reach.
   
   
4. Enter Your Release Information: This is where you’ll input all the metadata you prepared.
   
   
   • Artist/Band Name: Ensure this is consistent with your existing profiles on services like Spotify and Apple Music.
     
     
   • Release Date: You can set a future release date, which is highly recommended to allow time for playlist pitching.
     
     
   • Song Title and Songwriter Info: Double-check spelling and crediting. This is crucial for publishing royalties.
     
     
   • Artwork: Upload your artwork file. DistroKid’s uploader will alert you if it doesn’t meet their size and resolution requirements (ideally 3000×3000 pixels).
     
     
5. Upload Your Audio File: Drag and drop your final audio file. This is where the technical quality of your track matters most.
   
   
6. Select Your “Extras”: DistroKid offers several add-ons, such as the option to have your music discovered by Shazam or to get a YouTube Content ID.
   
   
7. Review and Submit: Carefully look over all the details of your submission. Once you’re confident everything is correct, hit “Done” and DistroKid will begin the process of sending your music to the selected services.

Technical Criterias for Distrokid

To ensure your music sounds its best across all platforms, DistroKid recommends you upload high-quality audio files. While they can accept various formats, following their guidelines will prevent any unwanted conversions or loss in quality.

• File Format: It is highly recommended to upload in an uncompressed format. The best options are WAV or FLAC. While you can upload MP3s, they are not ideal as they are compressed (lossy) formats.
  
  
• Sample Rate: The industry standard and recommended sample rate is 44.1 kHz.
  
  
• Bit Depth: A 16-bit or 24-bit file is ideal. Uploading in 24-bit provides higher resolution audio, which is beneficial as streaming services are increasingly supporting higher-fidelity sound.
  
  

DistroKid takes your high-quality file and transcodes it into the specific formats required by each streaming service (like AAC for Apple Music and Ogg Vorbis for Spotify). Providing them with the best possible source file is the single most important factor in how your music will sound to your listeners.

How Masterchannel Perfects Your Track for DistroKid

Mastering is the final, critical step before distribution. It ensures your song has a professional, polished sound that is balanced, clear, and loud enough to compete with other commercial releases. Using Masterchannel before you upload to DistroKid can make a significant difference.

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

1. 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 and Apple Music, ensuring your song sounds consistently great everywhere without triggering their loudness normalization penalties.
   
   
2. 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. For instance, if you provide a 24-bit file, Masterchannel will deliver a mastered 24-bit file, allowing you to upload the highest possible quality to DistroKid. This process enhances the clarity, punch, and overall impact of your track while preserving its technical integrity.
   
   
3. 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.
   
   
4. Confidence in Your Release: By mastering with Masterchannel, you can be confident that the file you’re delivering to DistroKid 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.
   
   
   

Before you hit “Upload” on your next DistroKid release, give your music the final polish it needs. A professional master is not just a technical step; it’s an investment in your art.