If you are a pro or amateur musician, then you have probably used many distribution sites for your work, but have found that Distrokid is the best.

The platform is the most popular in the industry because it is pretty low-cost, easy to use, and has pretty speedy upload times. 

If you haven’t yet registered with this distributor, then we cannot recommend doing so enough because they make your music available on Spotify, iTunes, and other platforms.

No matter what distribution platform you use, you must make sure that you secure your music and copyright/license it correctly so it doe snot get solemn in the future. 

Here is everything that you need to know about how to copyright your music with Distrokid. 

Is Copyright Protection Included When Purchasing DistroKid?

Because Distrokid is so wonderful, many people would believe that the company will also secure your work from being stolen by others.

You may think that because they have a ton of wonderful features, and a lot of very talented people use them, they offer to copyright your music as standard. 

But no, Distrokid will not copyright your music, this is something that you must do on your own. 

Some people may have the impression that, because Distrokid is so great, you won’t ever have to worry about copyrighting your music.

I mean, anything on the internet can be traced back to the day it was created, so if I simply post the dates, then you shouldn’t have to worry about violating any copyright laws, right?

Again, the answer is no. If you do not copyright your work, there is a chance that it could be stolen. 

You may be able to demonstrate that you are the owner of the copyright for your music if you can compile the dates of its composition and put together a makeshift evidence file, but if your music has been stolen and you have not copyrighted it, this may not be enough to get it back or get justice for it being stolen in the first place. 

Should I Get Copyright Protection For My Music Before I Upload It?

This is not legal advice, and we are not your attorneys. You are free to publish your music any way you want to. 

On the other hand, the current copyright legislation, which started being enforced on January 1, 1978, states that any new work is automatically accorded copyright protection the moment it is produced. 

When a piece of work is “fixed,” also known as embodied, for the first time in a copy or phonorecord, the work is said to have been created.

Copyright protection under the law does not need either registration with the Copyright Office or publication of the work in question.

The formation of a public record of the copyright claim is one of the benefits that may be gained by registration. In most cases, registration of copyright is required before a claim of intellectual property infringement may be filed in court.

A timely registration can also enable a wider variety of potential solutions in the event of a legal action for infringement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Has Rights To My Music When I Use Distrokid?

You do! Distrokid does not appropriate any ownership or rights to the artists’ intellectual property in any way. You retain full ownership of the music.

Can I Give My Music Away For Free?

It is not possible to give away free music that is being sold in any of the online stores or streaming services, including iTunes.

If music is listed on iTunes with the option to download it for free, it is because the editorial staff at iTunes chose to make that song available.

Bandcamp is a platform that you should consider using if you want to give out copies of your music to a wider audience.

Sending your MP3s to the people or organizations you know, such as radio stations, DJs, or friends, by email is a quick and easy approach to giving away your music. 

You also have the option of uploading your MP3s to a file hosting site and sharing the link with anybody you choose.

If you are using Dropbox, for instance, all you have to do is right-click on the file and select “Share…”

Can I Upload Cover Songs? 

Yes, you can, however, there are a few exceptions. 

The following are some examples of songs that might potentially be licensed:

• A song that was at one point made available on iTunes and/or Amazon MP3 through digital download.
• A track that was released on a limited pressing on vinyl and is now available for purchase at record stores all around the United States.
• A track that may be downloaded for free as part of an artist’s promotional efforts and can be found on that artist’s website.

Here are some instances of songs for which a license might not be granted:

• A track that was included in the score of a movie, but the song itself was never published outside of the film’s soundtrack.

• A piece of music that was used in a video game but was never made available outside of the context of the game’s soundtrack.
• A track that was included on a compilation CD, but it was only available in countries other than the United States to purchase and listen to.
• A folk tune that is no longer privately owned and is now in the public domain.
• Mixes such as medleys, mashups, etc.

If you want to post a cover song to DistroKid, make sure that in the “Cover song” portion of the upload form, you pick the option that says “Another artist composed it.”

DistroKid will take care of managing each cover song for you for a price of $12 per year, which must be renewed annually.

A song is considered to be a “cover song” if it was performed and recorded by the artist, but the song’s original composer was not credited. 

Distrokid will take care of acquiring the necessary legally mandated license on your behalf. They will automatically subtract the legally mandated charge from your revenue and will send that amount to the original songwriter. The remainder will be yours.