How to Upload Music to Spotify

If you are an up-and-coming talented musical artist who wants to make their songs heard by the masses, then the first step you need to take is to release your songs on Spotify. This is where your fans and listeners will come rushing to find your songs. But you might be confused as to how to do it. If that is the case, then don’t worry. In this guide, we’ll explain everything and talk about how to upload music to Spotify for free.

Can You Upload Songs Directly to Spotify?

Spotify does not work like YouTube or any other social media app. It does not let you directly upload songs onto the app from your account. However, if your song is original, and you have all the rights to said song, then you can use a third-party distributor to upload it. The revenue your song earns is shared with these distributors, who will then give it to you based on your agreement.

Now, you don’t have to look up a distributor in the Yellow Pages, there are several online distributors that you can use to release your songs on Spotify. Some Distributors are free but have restrictions for quality and content, they also take a cut of your revenue like RouteNote. Others like Distrokid let you keep all your earnings but charge an upfront cost.

How to Upload Your Music to Spotify

For this article, we will show you how to upload your songs to Spotify for free using RouteNote. The service takes 15% of your revenue in the free version.

1. Head to the RouteNote (website) and create an account, then log in.
2. Click on Create a Release on the welcome page.
3. On the next page, enter your UPC/EAN code and the Release Title for your album, and then click on Create Release. You need UPC (Universal Product Code) or EAN (European Article Number) to sell your products in America and Europe. If you don’t have one, then RouteNote will provide it for you.
4. Next, upload your Album artwork. It should meet the mentioned requirements.
5. Then, enter album details on the next page.
6. Next, upload your song track using the Choose File option and then enter the Track Name. Make sure to upload the highest-quality version of your track. Now, click on Save and Continue.

7. Enter further details inside the Audio Metadata page. Again, click on Save and Continue to move forward.
8. If you are done, then click on I’m Finished.
9. Then go to Manage Stores and check the Spotify box. You can choose other platforms if you want to upload your music on them.
10. Now add the regions you want your music to be available inside “Territories”. For a worldwide release, leave this space blank. When you’re ready, click on Save and Continue.
11. Finally, check the box to agree to RouteNote’s terms and conditions and then click on Distribute Free.

If everything goes right, then your song will be sent over for review. This can take some time, but soon after, everyone will be able to listen to it. In case there are any issues, then you can always go back and fix them before you release it.

Other Free Music Distributors for Spotify

Besides RouteNote, there are other digital distributors that you can choose to release your music on Spotify. Their upload process and revenue split will be different, so read their terms and conditions beforehand. Below, we have listed some of the best options that we have found. These are also trusted by Spotify as mentioned on their Spotify for Artists page.

1. Distrokid: This is one of the most popular and most recommended options when it comes to digital distributors. It makes it easy for you to upload songs and release them on Spotify and other platforms. You can subscribe to its yearly subscription and keep 100% royalties.
2. TuneCore: TuneCore is another popular option that lets you keep complete revenue for a yearly subscription which is a bit cheaper in contrast to DistroKid. TuneCore also offers good 24/7 customer support to artists to resolve any issues they have.
3. CDBaby: CDBaby costs you a time fee of $9.99 per release of an album and takes 9% of your total revenue, giving you the rest of the 91%. They don’t charge any yearly fees and preferred option for Millions of artists worldwide.
4. LANDR: LANDR is another good option if you want to increase the reach of your music as it can help add your songs to Spotify playlists, which will help get it to more ears faster. They also have a yearly subscription model like DistroKid and TuneCore.
5. Amuse: Amuse offers a lot of benefits as it lets you release your songs on streaming platforms and social media services. Plus you can monitor insights and other metrics. Amuse also allows you to operate multiple artist accounts and gives you priority custom support if you opt for their Pro membership.

This is how you can upload your music on Spotify. Remember that releasing your song is one part of the equation, as you will have to market it to build your audience. The best way to do it is through social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. I hope you found this guide helpful, and if you have any doubts, then reach out to us in the comments section.