How to put your music on Spotify in 2026: a complete guide for artists

To put music on Spotify you need a distributor, because Spotify does not accept uploads from artists directly. You prepare the audio, the artwork and the metadata, schedule the date with 3 to 4 weeks to spare, and submit.

Between the studio and Spotify there is always a distributor.

Why you need a distributor

Spotify only takes music from labels and distributors, and your artist profile is created automatically with the first delivery. The distributor delivers the music to each store, assigns the ISRC and UPC codes and collects the royalties it then pays you.

Distroline is the distributor made in Portugal, with support in Portuguese, and it delivers to the stores and streaming services, from Spotify to TikTok. If you are comparing, see the DistroKid alternatives.

Prepare the audio and the artwork

• Audio as FLAC or WAV, 44.1 kHz or higher, stereo, at the resolution of the original master (Spotify's formats, September 2026).
• Spotify normalises to -14 dB LUFS: a louder master is simply turned down. Keep the true peak below -1 dB.
• Square artwork at 3000x3000 pixels, made from the original and never upscaled.
• Samples and instrumentals need a commercial licence: the audio is checked before delivery.

Deliver the file as it came out of mastering, and the artwork at the right size.

Metadata, ISRC and credits

• Write your artist name the same way every time, with each artist in their own field and no artist names in the title.
• Distroline assigns the ISRC (the recording) and the UPC (the release) if you do not have them. Keep them: they preserve your counts if you switch distributor.
• If you have collaborators, set the splits in the dashboard.

Schedule with 3 to 4 weeks to spare

1. 3 to 4 weeks before: submit. A release usually reaches the stores in 7 to 10 days, but that is the minimum.
2. About 48 hours after delivery: it shows under Upcoming in Spotify for Artists.
3. Right after: pitch to the editors and set up a pre-save page.
4. At least 7 days before: the pitch deadline for your followers' Release Radar.
5. Release day: share the Spotify link.

Submit with 3 to 4 weeks to spare so the pitch lands before the 7-day deadline.

Pitch and pre-save

In the pitch, made in Spotify for Artists, you describe the genre, the mood and the story of the track. Under Spotify's rules, as of September 2026, you pitch one unreleased track at a time, with no playlist guaranteed.

Spotify's Countdown Pages only serve albums and EPs from artists with at least 3,000 monthly active listeners. For singles, Distroline makes a free pre-save page on dline.fm: fans confirm their email and get a notice on release day. Each page takes up to 250 fans on Free, 3,000 on Coliseu and 7,500 on Stage.

Releasing with Distroline, step by step

1. Create your account at distroline.com/comeca and pick a plan: Free (0 EUR, you keep 90% of royalties), Coliseu (14,99 EUR a year) or Stage (49,99 EUR a year), both with 100%. VAT included.
2. Upload the audio and the artwork.
3. Fill in the details: title, artists, genre, language, credits and explicit content.
4. Choose the stores and the date.
5. Review and submit. The release is reviewed before delivery.

After the release

• Profile: claim it in Spotify for Artists; the manual review can take a few days.
• Royalties: most stores report about 45 days after the month ends; the verified amount goes into your wallet and you withdraw by SEPA or PayPal.
• 1,000 streams: since April 2024, a track only earns royalties on Spotify with at least 1,000 streams in 12 months, counted by ISRC. Focus your promotion on a single version of the song.
• Afrohouse, Kizomba, Kuduro: see the dedicated guide.

After release, each track needs 1,000 streams in 12 months to earn royalties on Spotify.

Checklist

In short: submit with 3 to 4 weeks to spare, pitch at least 7 days before and focus your promotion to pass 1,000 streams.

• Audio as FLAC or WAV and artwork at 3000x3000 pixels.
• Pitch done and pre-save page shared.
• Profile claimed in Spotify for Artists.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put music on Spotify without a distributor?

No. Spotify only takes music through labels and distributors.

How long does it take for music to appear on Spotify?

With Distroline, usually 7 to 10 days. Schedule with 3 to 4 weeks to spare for the pitch and the pre-saves.

Do I get paid by Spotify from the first stream?

No. Since April 2024, a track only earns royalties on Spotify with 1,000 streams in 12 months and a minimum number of unique listeners that Spotify does not disclose.