Distributing with SoundCloud is simple.  Once you've uploaded your content to SoundCloud, view your track on SoundCloud, click Distribute below your waveform, and you’ll be brought to SoundCloud for Artists to fill in the rest of your details and submit your music. 

Keep in mind, when uploading your track, you can choose to publish your track publicly, set it to Private, or even schedule the date it becomes public if you're an Artist Pro subscriber. 

Step 1: Enter Track Details

On SoundCloud for Artists, click the "Edit" icon to add track details for distribution. For multi-track releases (EPs, Albums, Compilations), click "Select Tracks" to add more songs.

Each track needs:

• Track Title
• Main Artist
• Composer (legal name)
• Content Rating
• Audio Language
• Songwriter info (yourself or others)
• ISRC (we can assign one if needed)

Include details for other contributors like featured artists, producers, remixers, or collaborators.

Pro tip: If you’ve licensed a beat, used a sample, or are uploading a cover, include all required creators, such as producers or original songwriters.

You'll be asked to set the "Preview Start Time" for platforms like Instagram or TikTok. By default, it starts at the beginning unless you choose otherwise.

You can enable YouTube Content ID if you own all rights to the track. Tracks with samples or licensed content usually aren't eligible. For more information on eligibility requirements, click here.

If you didn't create 100% of the content, upload license documentation. This includes samples, covers, or royalty-free elements—upload proof of rights or licenses to avoid release rejection.

Here’s a quick look at how to upload license documentation:

Step 2: Enter Release Details

In step two of creating your release, enter key details like the release name, artwork, release date, and other required information.

If you're releasing a single, the track name will also be the release name. To change it, go back and edit the Track title in the previous step. For multiple tracks, specify the release name here.

Select your release's Primary Genre from the provided list. This list may differ from the genres on SoundCloud. You can also pick a Secondary Genre if available.

The Record Label field is required. You can use your Main Artist name or create a custom label name. Try to use the same label name for future releases.

Check that your Main Artist name(s) are correct. To make changes, edit the track details in the previous step. For multiple Main Artists, set their order here.

Your Release Date must be in the future. Allow several days for review, and consider setting the date 30–45 days ahead to pitch your release to platforms like Spotify and Pandora.

If this release was previously distributed, enter the Original Release Date. Missing this may cause your release to be rejected or removed from stores.

Your Album Artwork must meet all requirements put in place by our distribution partners, including:

• .jpg or .png file, 3000x3000 pixels, 300 dpi
• Appropriate for distribution:
  • No copyrighted images
  • No nudity
• Any text on the artwork must match the release/artist names or metadata
• If using AI-generated artwork, make sure it's original and doesn't resemble existing or trademarked content.

Step 3: Select Release Partners

You’ll choose which platforms you want your release to go to. By default, all platforms will be selected, but you can select or deselect any platforms you’d like. 

Things to Know:

• Only content in which you own 100% of the exclusive rights to--including any beats or samples--can be distributed to UGC Fingerprinting services (TikTok, Facebook/Instagram, and YouTube Content ID). For more information on eligibility requirements for these stores, please see our help center article here.
• Some stores like Pandora, Melon, iHeart, Pretzel, Peloton, PlayNetwork, and Audiomack are curated platforms. While we will always deliver approved releases on your behalf, with these partners, it is ultimately up to them what they will carry. We cannot guarantee any placements in these stores.
• For stores like Peloton, there are additional requirements to have your music available on those platforms.
   

Step 4: Profile Mapping

You can link your release to Spotify and Apple Music profiles for your Main, Featured, or Remixer artists. Make sure names match exactly, including capitalization, special characters, and spaces.

When adding profile mapping, we’ll show matching artist profiles, or you can paste your profile URL. If it’s your first release, you can also choose “Create New Profile” on each platform.

Pro Tip: Check SoundCloud to see if your artist name is already taken or similar to others. It’s much easier to choose a unique name now than to change it later.
 

Step 5: Split Pay

Split Pay is a tool that allows you to easily list collaborators on your tracks to give a percentage of the earnings. You can enter your splits here in this step by clicking on the three dots on the right-hand side and selecting “Enable”. 

Add your Split Pay collaborators by entering their SoundCloud URL and entering the percentage you’d like to go to each of them. Note that you can enter Split Pay information later, so if you need to reach out for their SoundCloud URL, you can always do this later. 

Split Pay recipients do not need to pay for a subscription to get paid - once you’ve added them, they’ll get an email asking them to log in and fill out their payout information, but that’s all they need to do. 

Step 6: Review

Before you submit to our approvals team, review all of the details to make sure everything is accurate and how you’d like it. When you’re ready, hit submit in the bottom right corner to send it to our team. 

What happens next?

After you submit your release, our team reviews it to ensure it meets our partners' guidelines. If there are issues, your release may be marked as “Rejected”—don’t worry!

A rejection means we need you to fix one or more issues before approval. Once you resolve them and your content is ready, we’ll approve it for your release date.

Want to make sure your release is approved the first time around? Review our Distribution Best Practices.