Switching distributors requires careful attention to detail to ensure your music stays live and all your streaming data (like play counts and playlist placements) is preserved. Here’s how to do it:
1. Create a New Release(s)
Go to your Family in Music Distribution Portal by clicking:
Tools > Distribution > Go to Distribution
Then click Create Release to start the process.
Find detailed steps on how to create a release here.
2. Match All Metadata
To make sure your streams, playlists, and song links carry over, your new release must match the original one exactly. Please ensure:
Song titles, artist names, and artwork are identical
Audio files are identical in format, duration, and quality
Use the original ISRC and UPC codes
On the “Release History” step, select “Yes” for “Has it been previously released?” and enter the original release date
As a rule of thumb, maintaining the following fields as-is will give you the best chance of ensuring your new release instance merges with the existing one, preserving stream counts, playlist placements, and more:
FOR TRACKS | FOR RELEASES |
ISRC | Track Count |
Audio | Metadata Language |
Length | UPC |
Title | Release Date |
Title Version |
|
Artist |
|
Lyrics Language |
|
Parental Advisory |
|
3. Distribute release(s)
Once your release is ready, distribute it to digital platforms. Here's a step-by-step guide to distributing a release.
⚠️ Important: Distribution Timing Varies by Platform
To keep your music live and avoid any interruptions, follow the correct steps depending on the platform.
🅰️ REDELIVER First, Then Takedown DSPs(After 72 Hours):
For most platforms, the process is:
Distribute your release via Family in Music
Wait 72 hours (allow overlap)
Request takedown from your previous distributor
Platforms using this process:
Amazon, Anghami, Audiomack, AWA, Boomplay, Deezer, Facebook Audio Library, Facebook Rights Manager, iHeartRadio, iMusica, iTunes/Apple Music, Jiosaavn, JOOX, Mixcloud, NetEase, Nuuday, Pandora, Snap, SoundCloud, Spotify, Tidal, TikTok, Trebel, YouTube Music / Content ID.
🅱️ TAKEDOWN First, Then Redeliver (After 72 Hours)
These platforms require the original release to be removed before a new one is delivered.
Request a takedown from your previous distributor
Wait 72 hours
Then distribute the release via Family in Music
Platforms using this process:
Flo, Tencent (QQ Music, Kugou, Kuwo), Napster / Rhapsody
Overlapping Releases During the Transfer
When switching distributors, you may notice a duplicate release appearing on some platforms (especially Spotify) for a short period — this is expected and completely fine.
On Spotify, for example, your artist page might temporarily show a release with a label like “1 more release”. This means Spotify has detected two versions of the same track and is in the process of linking them. See example below:
How to Confirm If Tracks Are Linked
To check whether your new release is successfully linked to the original:
Use the Spotify mobile or desktop app (the web player may not show play counts).
Compare the play counts of the new and old releases. If the numbers match, it means your streams have carried over successfully.
What Happens to Your Music Data?
Each platform handles distributor switches a bit differently. Here's what to expect once your tracks have been successfully transferred and linked:
Spotify
Play counts are preserved
Tracks remain in all existing playlists
Saved songs in user libraries stay intact
Apple Music / iTunes
Chart history and popularity metrics are retained
Note: iTunes ratings and written reviews will not transfer
YouTube Music / Content ID
Tracks will be re-uploaded as new videos under the new distributor
View counts will reset on the new uploads
Existing official audio videos may be removed when the old version is taken down
If you have any questions or want help confirming that your transfer went smoothly, reach out to our Support team – we're happy to assist!