A complete guide to distributing your music digitally in India — which platforms to use, how to choose a distributor, what to watch out for, and how royalties flow back to you.
What Is Music Distribution?
Digital distribution is the process of getting your recorded music onto streaming platforms (DSPs — Digital Service Providers) like Spotify, Apple Music, JioSaavn, Gaana, and Wynk Music. A distributor is the intermediary between you and these platforms. They handle the technical upload, metadata submission, and royalty collection from each platform, then pass earnings to you.
Without a distributor, you cannot get your music onto major streaming platforms as an independent artist.
Key Distributors Available in India
Distrokid
Website: distrokid.com Pricing model: Annual flat fee (approximately USD 22–36/year, unlimited releases) Royalty split: 100% of royalties to artist India-specific DSPs covered: Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music. Coverage of JioSaavn, Gaana, and Wynk varies — verify current status before using. Strengths: Fast upload (often 24–48 hours), unlimited releases, Spotify for Artists Verified checkmark support, HyperFollow pre-save links. Weaknesses: Annual fee even if you release nothing; customer support via ticketing only; India-specific platforms coverage not always guaranteed. Best for: Artists who release frequently and want low cost per release.
Tunecore
Website: tunecore.com Pricing model: Per-release fee (single: ~USD 9.99/year, album: ~USD 29.99/year) Royalty split: 100% of royalties to artist India-specific DSPs covered: Major global DSPs plus JioSaavn, Gaana, Wynk Music, Hungama. Strengths: Strong India DSP coverage, established company with detailed royalty reporting. Weaknesses: Annual renewal fees per release; can become expensive for large catalogue. Best for: Artists with moderate release frequency who want strong India DSP placement.
BELIEVE DIGITAL (via TuneCore or direct) Website: believe.com Model: Commission-based (typically 15–20% of royalties) or hybrid India presence: Strong — Believe has an India office and strong relationships with JioSaavn, Gaana, and other Indian DSPs. Strengths: Active A&R and label services division; marketing support available; strong India presence. Weaknesses: Not as accessible for complete beginners; more suited to artists with some profile. Best for: Mid-career artists wanting both distribution and label services support.
Oklisten
Website: oklisten.com India-founded and India-focused. Pricing: Commission-based. Strengths: Deep expertise in Indian music and Indian DSPs; strong relationships with JioSaavn, Gaana, Wynk, Hungama, and AIR; good for Indian language music (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, etc.). Weaknesses: Smaller global footprint than DistroKid/TuneCore. Best for: Artists whose primary audience is in India; Hindi/regional language releases.
Amuse
Website: amuse.io Pricing model: Free tier (limited) + premium subscription Royalty split: Tiered by plan Strengths: Free option for basic distribution; mobile-first interface. Weaknesses: Free tier has limited features and slower distribution. Best for: Artists testing their first releases before committing to a paid platform.
ORCHARD / SONY MUSIC / UNIVERSAL (Label Deals) These major distributors are not accessible to independent artists directly. However, if you sign with a label like Azadi Records, Pagal Haina, or Underscore Records, they will handle your distribution through these networks.
KEY DSPs IN INDIA — WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Spotify
The largest global streaming platform. In India, Spotify has grown significantly since its 2019 launch but JioSaavn remains dominant in terms of domestic listeners. Royalty rate: Approximately $0.003–0.005 per stream (varies by listener country and account type). Editorial pitching: Pitch via Spotify for Artists dashboard. Submit at least 7 days before release date. Pitching to playlists like Indie India, New Music Friday India can dramatically increase visibility.
Apple Music
Strong globally, but a smaller market share in India compared to JioSaavn. Royalty rate: Approximately $0.01 per stream (typically higher than Spotify). Editorial pitching: Via Apple Music for Artists.
Jiosaavn
The most listened-to streaming platform in India by monthly active users. Owned by Reliance Jio. Deeply embedded in the Indian mobile ecosystem (pre-installed on many Jio devices). Royalty rate: Lower than Spotify per stream due to market dynamics, but volume can be very high for popular Indian tracks. Artist access: JioSaavn for Artists dashboard. Some distributors have direct editorial relationships.
GAANA (Times Music) Second-largest Indian DSP. Strong with Hindi film music audience but also relevant for indie. Artist access: Limited artist-facing tools; reach via your distributor.
WYNK MUSIC (Airtel) Pre-installed on Airtel devices. Significant passive listening base. Relevance for indie: Growing, especially with Airtel's expansion.
Youtube Music
Relevant because many Indian listeners consume music via YouTube (often the free, ad-supported version). Content ID through your distributor captures revenue from YouTube listens. Ensure your distributor submits your music to YouTube Music and Content ID.
Amazon Music
Growing in India via Amazon Prime Music. Worth being present on but not currently a primary discovery platform for indie.
How Royalties Flow
When a listener streams your song on Spotify India: 1. Spotify pays a royalty to your distributor (typically quarterly, some platforms monthly). 2. Your distributor deducts their fee (commission % or flat annual fee). 3. The remaining royalty is transferred to your account (UPI / NEFT / PayPal depending on distributor).
Important distinction:
- Mechanical royalties (for the composition/song): Collected by IPRS on behalf of composers and lyricists. Your distributor does NOT collect these — IPRS does.
- Master royalties (for the recording): Collected by your distributor and passed to you (as master rights owner).
- Performance royalties (broadcast/public performance): Collected by PPL India for recordings; by IPRS for compositions.
This means: you must be registered with BOTH your distributor (for master royalties) AND IPRS/PPL India (for publishing/performance royalties) to capture all the money you're entitled to.
Choosing the Right Distributor: a Decision Guide
Question | If YES → Consider | If NO → Consider ─────────|────────────────────|────────────────── Do you release more than 5 songs per year? | DistroKid (unlimited) | TuneCore (per release) Is your primary audience in India? | OKListen, Believe | DistroKid, TuneCore Do you want 100% of royalties? | DistroKid, TuneCore | Amuse (free tier) Do you want label services + distribution? | Believe Digital | DistroKid / TuneCore Do you release in Hindi or regional Indian languages? | OKListen | Any major distributor
Step-by-step: How to Distribute your First Release
1. Create your distributor account and complete KYC / payment setup. 2. Prepare your audio files: WAV or FLAC, 16-bit or 24-bit, 44.1kHz minimum. 3. Prepare your cover artwork: JPEG or PNG, 3000×3000px minimum, no URLs or social handles. 4. Gather metadata: Song title, artist name, album name (if applicable), genre, language, release date, ISRC, composer, lyricist, producer credits. 5. Upload to distributor dashboard. 6. Set release date (minimum 1–2 weeks ahead; for editorial pitching, 4 weeks ahead). 7. Select distribution territories (Worldwide recommended unless rights are restricted). 8. Submit for distribution. Wait for platform confirmations. 9. Pitch to Spotify editorial (via Spotify for Artists, minimum 7 days before release). 10. Set up Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists, and YouTube Studio access.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Inconsistent artist name across releases — Spotify, Apple Music, and JioSaavn use the artist name to identify your profile. A single-letter difference creates a new profile. 2. Missing co-writer credits — if you co-wrote a song, all writers must be listed. Missing a writer creates royalty disputes. 3. Wrong release date — if you submit with too little lead time, editorial pitching is impossible. 4. No IPRS/PPL registration — streaming royalties from Indian platforms include both master and publishing components. If you're not IPRS/PPL registered, you lose the publishing share. 5. Not claiming your Spotify for Artists and JioSaavn Artist profiles after release — you need these for analytics and editorial pitching.
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Free to use · Part of the Indie Music India toolkit · Updated September 2026