9 Music Distribution Myths Artists Still Believe — Fact-Checked by Experts

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With the rise of independent music scenes across Southeast Asia, more artists are taking charge of how their music gets released, distributed, and monetized. Yet, despite the accessibility of digital distribution, many myths persist that can cost artists time, money, rights, and growth opportunities.

Below, we debunk the biggest music distribution myths.

Myth #1 – The "Free" Music Distribution Illusion

Many artists see the word "Free" and assume they can build a global career without any financial impact. To help you navigate this, we have broken down the true cost of the free music distribution approach so you can see what it means for your wallet and your career.

Does music distribution cost money? Yes.

The "cost" is simply hidden in different structures. Understanding the difference between upfront fees and revenue share is the only way to protect your long-term profits.

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Keep your tracks live with $0 subscription fees with AIR Music. We only win when you do. Start releasing with AIR Music.

Myth #2 – The "Lifetime Earnings" Trap

Reality: Distribution isn’t a set-and-forget process. Yes, uploading your track puts it on platforms, but:

• Fees, subscription renewals, or service lapses (if applicable) can remove your music from stores if you aren’t up to date.
• Many distribution services charge ongoing costs if you want your music to stay live indefinitely.
• Platforms may delist tracks if metadata mismatches are unresolved.

This matters especially in such countries as the Philippines, where many artists plan seasonal releases, and losing presence on platforms can disrupt playlisting, algorithmic reach, and fan growth.

Why it’s misleading:

Some services “forget” to advertise their monthly & yearly fees and ongoing requirements. That’s why artists get surprised when their tracks disappear simply because a subscription lapsed or fees were due.

Here is a breakdown of the monthly and yearly fees for the top platforms used in the Philippines (estimated for 2026):

Myth #3 – The "Automated is Enough" Myth

Reality: Cheap or purely automated distribution might save upfront money, but:

• Lack of human oversight can lead to metadata errors.
• Duplicate artist pages can split your streams and royalty payments.
• Platform issues often require back-and-forth with support teams, and automated queues can take weeks.

And again, for emerging scenes like the Philippines, where every release matters and timing is key, a real manager or support contact helps avoid costly delays and revenue loss.

3X Music Distribution Results: How Managers Beat Bots

Rian DTM, an independent artist from Indonesia, joined AIR Music after facing issues many SEA artists know too well: fragmented artist pages, unclear rights, and growth that felt stuck despite consistent releases.

AIR’s team worked closely with Rian to:

• Explain how copyright documentation and accurate metadata help protect ownership, prevent disputes, and ensure royalties flow correctly. 
• His manager supported him through the process of organizing rights information and aligning his catalog with platform requirements.

Another major issue was duplicate Spotify artist pages, caused by previous distribution arrangements. These duplicates split streams, followers, and visibility. AIR worked directly with platform support to merge all profiles into one unified artist page, consolidating his releases and strengthening his artist identity.

After these fixes, Rian’s Spotify presence became clearer and easier for fans. His monthly listeners grew from 69,000 to 213,000.

“From the very beginning, the communication was clear, friendly, and professional. I always felt supported, and expectations were communicated in a way that made the whole process smooth and stress-free,” said Rian.

For artists in the SEA, this story is familiar. Many are held back by technical distribution problems, poor support, or rights confusion. Fixing the foundation often unlocks growth that was already waiting.

Myth #4 – “I’ll Keep 100% of All Royalties.”

Reality: What most distributors mean by “keep 100% of your royalties” is that they don’t take a cut of what they collect, but that doesn’t mean you get 100% of what platforms generate.

Here’s how it really works:

• Platforms like Spotify and Apple Music take their portion before any payment ever reaches a distributor.
• Publishing, mechanical, and performance royalties must be collected through separate registrations with rights organizations (e.g., local collecting societies or global PROs).
• Some platforms apply additional fees (e.g., YouTube monetization or sync) unless you opt into extra services.

What artists in the Philippines especially need to know:

Filipino independent creators must register with local or international collecting societies separately if they want full publishing and performance royalties. Distribution alone doesn’t handle this.

Get Your Music on 100+ Platforms 

We distribute your tracks globally with 0% upfront costs and no yearly subscription fees. AIR Music operates on a transparent revenue-share model; we only earn when you do. Contact AIR Music, get a personal manager, and get heard globally.

Myth #5 – “Streaming Pays a Fixed Rate/Stream.”

Reality: There is no universal “¢ per stream” amount. This misconception is extremely common in indie music distribution, especially among new artists.

• Streaming income varies across platforms, regions, plans (free vs. premium), and marketplace share.
• Some artists believe a track should pay “x cents per stream”, but this is not standardized; royalties are based on platform revenue pools and share of total streams.

Streaming payouts are not a flat fee. They are a "Stream Share" of a fluctuating revenue pool. Below is a breakdown of the variables that determine your actual earnings per platform.

Myth #6 – “Distribution Сollects All Types of Royalties.”

Reality: Distribution gets your music on platforms and handles sound recording income (i.e., what the track earns for being streamed/downloaded), but it doesn’t automatically:

• Collect performance royalties (from radio, venues, broadcasts). Those need registration with a performance rights organization.
• Collect mechanical royalties in many regions, as a separate registration with a mechanical rights body is often required.
• Act as your publisher. Music distributors are not music publishers unless you sign a separate publishing deal.

Without the right registrations, you could be losing significant earnings, even if your track performs well online.

Myth #7 – “Distribution Speed is the Same Everywhere.”

Reality: Not all distributors handle upload pipelines or customer support the same way. Artist communities often report wide variations in:

• Time to get music live on major platforms.
• Responsiveness when metadata needs correction.
• Help resolve duplicate artist pages or incorrect rights attribution.

In comparison, artists in the Philippines (and SEA) often struggle with time zone delays when relying on platforms with purely automated ticket queues, slowing down urgent fixes such as rights disputes or platform rejections.

The difference real support makes:

While human-led delivery and manual moderation take a bit longer than "instant" automated uploads, the quality and accuracy are unmatched. These timely uploads and fast human support ensure your music appears correctly on stores, which is crucial for coordinated marketing, playlist pitching, and peak release moments. AIR’s managers always respond within 24 hours. Reach out to us for more info on music distribution.

Myth #8 – “Music Distribution is Enough”

Reality: Distribution gets music live, but visibility requires a strategy.

• Official playlists on platforms like Spotify or Apple Music can significantly amplify reach. This is the strategic "pull" into curated spaces. It involves the formal submission of your unreleased music to editorial teams at Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, as well as outreach to independent tastemakers. The goal is to secure placements in high-traffic playlists, which provide the algorithmic "social proof" needed for long-term discovery.
• Targeted promo (on social media, region-specific audiences, TikTok, YouTube, Meta) drives discovery. This is the active "push" of your brand and track to listeners. It involves coordinated marketing across social media, targeted ad campaigns to reach region-specific audiences, and content strategies that drive fans from social apps to streaming platforms.

Many independent artists in the Philippines focus on uploading but miss tailored pitch strategies that connect with local and global curators, slowing their growth trajectory.

Myth #9 – “Rights Stay With Me No Matter What”

Reality: While many distributors don’t require artists to sign away ownership, other pitfalls include:

• Contract clauses that affect where your music remains live if you stop using a service.
• Add-on features that require artists to hand over certain rights (e.g., publishing admin) if opted into.
• Misleading marketing language around “rights claims” that aren’t clearly explained.

Contracts that let artists leave without penalties while keeping their music live and 100% ownership intact are a strong signal of rights-first distribution. AIR Music Distribution lets you keep 100% of your rights. Because we believe that’s how it should be.

How AIR Music Helps Artists

Most distributors focus on getting music live. AIR Music focuses on what happens around the release: rights, timing, visibility, and support when something goes wrong. Here are some of our music distribution facts:

#1. Rights stay with the artist.

AIR never takes ownership of masters or publishing. Artists keep 100% of their rights, with clear contracts and the freedom to leave early without penalties. Your catalog stays live even if you stop working with AIR.

#2. Real managers, not ticket queues.

Every artist works with a personal manager who plans releases, uploads music, checks metadata, and responds within 24 hours. This helps avoid common issues like duplicate artist pages, rejected releases, or long delays.

#3. Global distribution with quality control.

AIR delivers music to 100+ platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Each release goes through moderation and metadata checks so tracks appear correctly and stay live.

#4. Rights & revenue protection.

AIR helps block unauthorized reuploads, especially on YouTube, and handles rights attribution so earnings aren’t lost to unpaid reuse.

#5. Clear reporting and monthly payouts.

Artists see exactly what each track earns on every platform, with transparent monthly payouts after the standard DSP reporting delay.

#6. Promo support when it fits.

When a track is a strong match, AIR supports editorial pitching and curated playlist outreach.

AIR Music supports a verified catalog of 5,500 artists across 20+ countries, with over 1.5 billion streams and 90,000 playlist placements to date.

Want to take your music career to the next level? Let’s connect.