The short version
Finish the release package before you upload anything.
Have one final master, final square artwork, confirmed artist and track names, songwriter credits, release date, genre, explicit-content status and promotion plan ready first. Uploading while you are still making decisions is how metadata mistakes and last-minute artwork changes happen.
1. Final mastered audio
Do not upload a work-in-progress bounce. Listen through the exact final master from start to finish and check the beginning, ending, fades, clicks, vocal artifacts, distortion and accidental silence.
DistroKid currently accepts WAV, MP3, M4A, FLAC, AIFF and WMA. Its help center says 16-bit, 44.1 kHz WAV is typical, while WAV or FLAC are recommended in its release-preparation guidance. For a final distribution master, a lossless file is the safer default.
Official reference: DistroKid audio file formats.
2. Final cover artwork
Prepare one square cover image that matches the final release. DistroKid currently requires JPG artwork with a minimum size of 1000×1000 pixels and recommends 3000×3000 pixels. The image should be RGB.
Its current artwork rules also warn against URLs, QR codes, prices, streaming-service logos, social-media logos, poor-quality images and unlicensed artwork. Avoid putting promotional information on the cover that belongs in a post or landing page instead.
Official reference: DistroKid album artwork requirements.
3. Lock the artist name and song title
Write the artist name exactly as it should appear everywhere. Do the same with the track title. Consistency matters because a spelling change, extra punctuation or different capitalization can create cleanup work after delivery.
DistroKid's current title-formatting guidance says streaming services may reject titles containing unnecessary extra information, strange punctuation, dates or years, URLs, contact information, social handles or streaming-service names.
Official reference: DistroKid title-formatting rules.
4. Separate title, version and featured-artist information
Do not manually stuff every detail into the title field. Distributor forms usually provide separate fields for version information and featured artists. DistroKid's upload guidance specifically asks for the song title without version information or additional artist names, then collects those details separately.
This is why a clean title such as My Song is better than trying to type My Song - Radio Edit feat. Someone into one field when the distributor has dedicated controls for those credits.
Official reference: DistroKid track information.
5. Prepare songwriter and contributor credits
Have the legal songwriter names ready before upload. Also note any featured artists, producers, remixers or other contributors that need to be credited through the distributor's available roles.
Credits are metadata, not decoration. They should reflect who actually wrote, performed or contributed to the release.
6. Decide whether the track is explicit
Confirm the explicit-content status before submission. Do not mark a track clean just because the cover art is clean. The flag should reflect the actual lyrics and audio content.
7. Choose the release date before uploading
Give yourself enough time for store delivery, artist-profile preparation, playlist pitching and promotional content. A same-week upload leaves very little room for corrections or pre-release marketing.
DistroKid's current help material says a custom release date requires Musician Plus or Ultimate. If release scheduling matters to your campaign, confirm your distributor plan before starting the upload.
Official reference: DistroKid release preparation basics.
8. Decide what to do with the ISRC
For a brand-new song, your distributor can usually assign an ISRC. If you are re-releasing the exact same recording, moving distributors or later placing a previously released single on an album, check whether reusing the original ISRC is appropriate.
Keep a permanent record of the ISRC after release. It is one of the identifiers you may need later when moving or matching catalog entries.
9. Confirm rights before submitting
Make sure you have the right to distribute the master, artwork, samples, beats, lyrics and any AI-generated elements included in the release. A distributor accepting an upload does not replace your responsibility to have the necessary rights.
10. Prepare the promotion package at the same time
Before upload day, prepare the release link strategy, YouTube video, vertical clips, artwork variations, announcement copy and a simple release calendar. Distribution and promotion work better when they are one workflow rather than two separate projects.
Pre-upload checklist
✓ Final lossless master exported and listened through completely.
✓ Square JPG artwork finished and checked at full size.
✓ Artist name and track title confirmed exactly.
✓ Featured artists, version information and credits prepared.
✓ Songwriter legal names ready.
✓ Explicit-content status confirmed.
✓ Genre and language selected.
✓ Release date chosen with enough lead time.
✓ Existing ISRC noted if the recording has already been released.
✓ Rights to audio, lyrics, artwork, samples and AI material confirmed.
✓ Promotion assets and release calendar prepared.
Music Distribution Checklist 2026 FAQ
What causes the most avoidable upload problems? Last-minute title changes, wrong artist names, incomplete credits, incorrect artwork, missing rights information and rushed release dates create many preventable issues.
Should the master be final before upload? Yes. Treat the distributed audio as the final approved release master rather than expecting the distributor to fix mix or mastering problems.
When should the release date be chosen? Before upload, so the distributor plan and delivery timeline can support the campaign you intend to run.
What should be documented? Keep rights, contributor credits, ISRCs, artwork files, final masters and the exact metadata used for the release.
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