July 28, 2024
1. Review contracts
Before choosing a new distributor, carefully review their terms and conditions, including exclusivity, contract length, and ownership rights. You can also schedule a call with them to get a sense of their level of personal support.
2. Take down your previous release
Once your new release is live on DSPs, you can request that your current distributor take down your previous release from stores. Most distributors have a takedown button, but some may require an email or official request. You can also wait for the process to finalize before moving on.
3. Export your data
You can use a free template to log in to your existing distributor's platform and copy and paste your information. Your distribution service may also allow you to bulk export your catalog's data, or you can copy and paste song information into a spreadsheet.
4. Send your music to your new distributor
You can now send your music to your new distributor and make any desired changes, such as modifying the title, artwork, or format.
5. Copy your ISRC number
Make sure to copy the ISRC number from your old distributor and paste it into the section where your new distributor asks for it.
6. Use the same UPC and ISRCs
If you're redistributing the same album, you can use the same UPC for the album and the same Song ISRCs for each track. This will help you keep your statistics and playlists within streaming services.
7. Consider overlapping distribution
To avoid hiccups, you can try having your music live on both platforms at the same time for a couple of days.
