How to put your music
on Spotify.

Why you need a distributor

Spotify’s own help center says it plainly: work with a distributor to get your music on Spotify. The distributor licenses and delivers your release, and collects and pays your streaming royalties. If you are signed, your label usually already has one.

Spotify publishes a list of preferred providers that meet its standards for delivery. Most independent distributors charge either a fee, a commission or both — so compare before you commit, because switching later takes work (see how to switch distributor).

Local files are not a release. Spotify’s “Local Files” feature only plays audio stored on your own device. The track does not enter Spotify’s catalogue, does not get an artist profile and earns nothing. To be on Spotify for listeners, you need a distributor.

Step by step: from master to release

1. 01

   1. Finish a lossless master

   Spotify prefers FLAC; WAV is accepted. 44.1 kHz or higher, stereo, and the native bit depth — 24-bit if your master is 24-bit, 16-bit only if nothing better exists. Don’t downsample before delivery. Spotify normalises playback to −14 LUFS and recommends keeping true peaks below −1 dBTP (below −2 dBTP if your master is louder than −14 LUFS). Your distributor may ask for WAV specifically; follow their spec. Want a quick check first? Try Artyfile Mastering.

2. 02

   2. Prepare square artwork

   Spotify accepts JPG, PNG or TIFF, 1:1, between 640 and 10,000 px, sRGB, and asks you not to upscale. Most distributors ask for 3000 × 3000 px — design at that size and check your distributor’s rules on text, logos and URLs in the artwork.

3. 03

   3. Get the metadata right

   Artist name spelled identically on every release, every contributor in their own field and role (featured artists, producers, composers, lyricists), no artist names or extras in the track title, explicit tracks flagged as explicit. Spotify does not allow keyword-stuffed artist names. Fixes after release go through your distributor, so check twice.

4. 04

   4. Choose a distributor and upload

   Upload audio, artwork and metadata to your distributor and pick the platforms and countries. Some distributors review releases before delivery — curated services like Artyfile review every track by ear.

5. 05

   5. Set the release date at least 7 days out

   Spotify notes that delivery can take a few days and recommends a live date at least 7 days ahead. Pitching 7+ days before release is also what gets your song into your followers’ Release Radar. Many artists plan 3–4 weeks to leave room for promotion.

6. 06

   6. Claim Spotify for Artists

   If your distributor is a Spotify preferred provider, you can request access through them. Otherwise claim your profile on Spotify for Artists with links to your website or socials — Spotify reviews these requests manually, which can take a few days. Before your first release, Spotify can link you via your artist link and the UPC/EAN of the upcoming release, which your distributor provides.

7. 07

   7. Pitch one song to Spotify’s editors

   In Spotify for Artists under Music › Upcoming, pitch one unreleased song at a time. Once it is live, it can no longer be pitched. A pitch does not guarantee a playlist placement — but it guarantees Release Radar for your followers if you pitch 7+ days ahead.

How much does it cost to put a song on Spotify?

Spotify charges artists nothing. The cost is your distributor, and it comes in four models. Prices as published on the providers’ own pages, as of October 2026:

Which is cheapest depends on you. If you only want Spotify and pay nothing upfront, a free tier is cheapest at the start. If you release a lot and earn well, a 0% subscription usually wins. If you release a few songs and want them to stay up for years without a bill, a one-time fee wins. The free vs paid guide shows where the break-even lies, and the pricing page has the 5-year comparison.

Where Artyfile fits

Artyfile is one option on this list, built for artists who want their music to stay theirs and stay online. The facts:

• ✓€9.90 per track or €39 for up to 10 tracks, once. No subscription, no renewal. Applying is free; you pay only after A&R acceptance.
• ✓You keep 100% of your master rights. Only streaming distribution runs exclusively through Artyfile while a track is active.
• ✓15% commission only on revenue Artyfile generates; you receive 85%. Songwriting and publishing are never touched.
• ✓You choose the channels: 150+ platforms including Spotify and Apple Music, Artyfile Stream (Hi-Fi, €0.03–€0.20 per stream) and a sync marketplace for film, TV and advertising.
• ✓Curated: a person listens to every track. AI-generated music is not accepted (why).

Honest note: Artyfile is not the cheapest way to get a song onto Spotify. RouteNote Free costs nothing upfront, and DistroKid takes no commission. Artyfile is worth it if you also want sync placements, higher per-stream rates on Artyfile Stream, optional Fan Limited Editions and a catalogue that never goes offline for an unpaid bill.