HOW TO MASTER & DISTRIBUTE
YOUR MUSIC WORLDWIDE
A complete studio roadmap by audio engineer Andrew Miley. Learn how to meet strict streaming loudness standards (-14 LUFS), prepare flawless metadata, and choose the right digital distributor for your release schedule.
Streaming Royalty Calculator
Estimate streaming payouts based on weighted average industry rates (~$0.0040 / stream). Retain 100% with recommended direct partners.
Pre-Upload Audio Checklist
Dozens of songs sound dull or get distorted because producers fail to calibrate for normalization. Here is Andrew Miley's Studio A checklist:
Top Recommended Music Distributors (2026)
Honest, independent comparison by Studio A. Choose the platform that best fits your release frequency and budget.
The industry gold standard for prolific bedroom producers and indie artists dropping singles every month.
- Unlimited uploads
- Keep 100% royalties
- Fast 24-48 hr store delivery
- Spotify instant verification
- Automated payout splits
Industry-leading social media monetization (TikTok, IG, Facebook) with direct publishing administration pitching.
- Free social platform tier
- Keep 100% royalties on streaming
- YouTube Content ID included
- In-depth daily trend analytics
- Publishing sync pitching
Pay once per release and never worry about your songs being taken down if you cancel an annual plan.
- Pay-per-release (Never renew)
- Physical CD & Vinyl distribution
- Global publishing royalties
- 9% royalty fee model
- Lifetime digital delivery
The 4-Step Studio Release Protocol
Lossless Mixdown
Export 24-bit 48kHz WAV audio with -1.0 dBTP headroom and clear low-end translation.
Metadata & Artwork
Craft 3000x3000px cover art, exact songwriter credits, and verify unique ISRC tracking tags.
Upload & Pitch
Submit to DistroKid or TuneCore at least 3-4 weeks ahead to pitch for official Spotify editorial playlists.
Collect 100%
Monitor daily stream analytics, track sync royalties, and receive monthly automated direct deposit.
