DistroKid Step by Step: How to Upload & Optimize Your Music (2026)

Get 7% off Distrokid - https://bit.ly/7PercentOFF Welcome to your complete DistroKid step-by-step guide! In this tutorial, we are taking a clear, structured approach to uploading your music to Spotify, Apple Music, and all major streaming platforms. Learning how to use DistroKid correctly ensures your music reaches your fans exactly how you intended. We’ll walk through the entire process—from choosing your release date to finalizing your metadata and understanding ISRC codes—so you can feel confident and professional with every release. What we cover in this walkthrough: Navigating the Upload Form: A guided tour of every field you need to fill out. Optimizing Metadata: Ensuring your song titles, features, and genres are perfectly formatted for streaming stores. Release Strategy: How to select a release date that allows for maximum Spotify Editorial pitching time. Technical Specs: A simple look at artwork requirements and audio file types. DistroKid Features: Understanding the various options available to help your music grow. This guide is designed for independent artists and producers who want a smooth, successful music distribution experience. 0:00 Introduction to DistroKid 1:05 Selecting Your Plan & Artist Name 2:15 Choosing a Release Date for Spotify Pitching 3:40 Uploading Your Album Cover (Size & Format) 5:10 Selecting Language and Primary/Secondary Genres 6:45 Entering Song Titles & Feature Formatting 8:10 Audio File Selection: WAV vs. MP3 9:25 How to Handle ISRC Codes (Existing vs. New) 11:00 Adding Songwriters & Real Names 12:30 Setting Up Explicit Content & Radio Edits 14:15 Reviewing Store Extras (Shazam, Store Maximizer, etc.) 16:00 The "Review & Submit" Final Checklist 17:30 What Happens After You Click Upload? Refined Tags distrokid tutorial how to upload music to spotify distrokid step by step 2026 music distribution guide uploading music to apple music how to use distrokid independent artist distribution isrc codes explained music metadata tutorial spotify marketing for artists distrokid walkthrough 2026 music release strategy