How to Distribute Your Music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Boomplay in 2025

It’s 2025, and the music industry’s traditional gatekeepers no longer hold all the keys. Independent artists can now reach listeners across continents, from Nairobi to New Delhi to Lagos, thanks to streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Africa-focused services like Boomplay.

But global reach doesn’t happen by accident. The artists who stand out are the ones who treat distribution as a strategy, not just a button click.

This guide walks you through eight practical steps to get your music from your studio to playlists worldwide, while exploring both the global and African streaming spaces.

Spotify vs. Apple Music: A Comparison Infographic

Both Spotify and Apple Music have carved out significant niches within the music streaming industry.

TechloyFishon Amos

8 Steps to Distribute Your Music Like a Pro

1. Understand what distribution really means

Before you hit “upload,” it helps to understand what distribution actually does. I’ve learned that it’s more than putting a song online; it’s making sure your music is tagged correctly, legally protected, and monetized across every platform. If you skip this step, you risk your tracks being missed, miscredited, or underpaid.

2. Choose the right digital distributor

You can’t usually upload directly to Spotify or Apple Music, so you need a distributor. But before you get one, I’d suggest thinking about your goals first: do you want global reach, or are you focusing on the African market?

One good option if you release music frequently and globally is DistroKid. They offer unlimited uploads for $22.99/year while letting you keep 100% of your royalties. There's also TuneCore, which charges per release but provides strong analytics and industry credibility.

Amuse, too, has a free tier for beginners, with a $59.99/year Pro plan that speeds up releases and enables royalty splits. Meanwhile, CD Baby works on a one-time fee per release and also offers publishing admin services to help collect global royalties.

For artists focused on the African market, Freeme Digital and M.A.D Solutions stand out with strong regional partnerships, particularly with platforms like Boomplay and Audiomack. Essentially, DistroKid or TuneCore are best for global reach, while Freeme and M.A.D offer added visibility across Africa.

3. Prepare your track for upload

When preparing your music for release, most distributors require you to meet specific technical standards. Your audio should be in WAV format (16-bit or 24-bit, 44.1 kHz); MP3 files aren’t accepted unless specifically allowed.

For artwork, the cover needs to be at least 3000×3000 pixels, in JPG or PNG format, with no watermarks or unlicensed logos. Finally, make sure your metadata is clean and accurate: correct artist names, credits, and genre tags are important to avoid delays or takedowns on streaming platforms.

4. Schedule — don’t rush

To give your music the best chance of making an impact, it’s smart to upload 2–4 weeks before your release date. This window allows you to handle key pre-release activities: playlist pitching through Spotify for Artists, media outreach to blogs, radio, and influencers, and setting up fan pre-saves using platforms like Feature.fm.

This buffer not only ensures your music goes live on time across all platforms but also gives you room to build hype and secure placements that can amplify your release.

5. Claim your artist profiles

Once your music is live, artist platforms become your best friend for growth and insights. Spotify for Artists gives you tools to pitch for playlists, track analytics, and update your bio so fans connect with your story.

Apple Music for Artists provides unique features like access to Shazam data (great for tracking organic discovery) along with detailed engagement insights.

For those targeting Africa, Boomplay for Artists is a powerful platform with fan engagement options and regional promotion tools designed to help artists break through in local markets. Together, these dashboards are strategy hubs for building your audience and maximizing visibility.

6. Promote beyond uploading

Promoting your release doesn’t stop once the song is out, as you need to create moments that keep people listening. Short-form social media clips on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts help your music travel fast and reach new listeners.

Partnering with micro-influencers can also spark organic buzz without breaking the bank, while live shows, even small pop-ups or open mics, give fans a reason to stream after experiencing the music in person. For artists focused on Africa, offering exclusive content on Boomplay can also unlock in-app promotion and boost your visibility regionally.

7. Know how you’ll get paid

When it comes to payouts, every platform is different, and it adds up over time. As of 2025, artists can expect approximate earnings of $0.0032 per stream on Spotify, around $0.01 per stream on Apple Music, and roughly $0.0025 per stream on Boomplay.

While these numbers may look small, consistent streaming across multiple platforms, combined with smart promotion and fan engagement, can turn into a sustainable revenue stream, especially when paired with merch, shows, and publishing royalties.

Rema’s ‘Rave & Roses’ becomes first African album to hit 3 billion Spotify streams

Rema’s feat now sits at the top of Spotify’s all-time African albums chart.

TechloyEmmanuel Umahi

Conclusion

Even breakout artists like Tems and achieve didn’t hit overnight fame. Momentum comes from consistent releases, strategic positioning, and building a fanbase that travels with you from one track to the next.

You now have the tools to make your next hit in a bedroom studio and end up on playlists across three continents, only if you treat distribution as a strategy.