Answers to our most commonly asked questions
Joining Sharpline Distro
How do I sign up to join Sharpline Distro?
You can join Sharpline Distro by signing up to our website on our home page here or the pricing page here. We offer a 30 Day Free Trial where you will have access to our fast & efficient music distribution service as well as our Free Music Marketing services plus other amazing artist development features.
Do you accept artists or labels?
We accept artists, record labels, managers, and all types of creators.
Do I have to pay for your services?
You only pay after your 30 Day Free Trial has expired. Our current plans & packages can be found on the pricing page here. After the Free Trial period has expired you can still access your dashboard & view your music’s analytics and sales data however you will not be able to release more tracks.
If I release music through Sharpline Distro, am I locked into a long term, exclusive deal?
If a release is submitted to music stores through Sharpline, that release cannot be re-distributed via another distributor unless you wish to leave Sharpline Distro. Therefore, the exclusivity only applies to specific distributed content and not to the artist or label themselves.
Can I switch from another music distribution company to Sharpline Distro?
It’s a simple and straightforward process to switch to Sharpline from another distributor. Once you’ve uploaded your content to us we will check it over for you and get it delivered to all the digital services. You should then ask your former digital distributor to take your releases down. You don’t need to change UPCs or ISRCs and if you have a sizeable catalog we can help you with tools to bulk upload your catalog into our system. Your streaming and listener numbers on streaming platforms will remain intact.
What happens If I want to terminate my agreement with Sharpline Distro?
The agreement continues unless its terminated by either you or us. If you terminate your agreement then we will remove your catalog from our service within 30 days and take it down from our digital partners’ stores and services. Alternatively, you can simply remove certain territories or releases from our service, without terminating your whole agreement.
Would I lose streams or listeners when I move from another distributor to Sharpline Distro?
In order to best ensure that streams counts are retained during a content transfer, always use your songs original UPC, catalog number, ISRC codes, metadata (song titles, artist names), audio, and release date. We recommend that you upload the content to us first, wait for it to be processed and approved, and then issue a takedown with your previous distributor.
Music Promotion & Marketing
Does Sharpline Distro offer music promotion services?
Yes. Sharpline Distro offers artists & labels music promotion services at no additional cost for every plan & package
How do you promote your artists?
We promote every track released to us by running music press & publicity campaigns. This includes getting our artists featured on major music magazines & blogs. We also pitch your music to Spotify & Apple Music Playlists. Getting featured on Spotify & Apple Music Playlists will get your music to a larger global audience thus helping you grow your fanbase internationally.
Releasing Music Through Sharpline Distro
How do I create a release through Sharpline Distro?
Once you've logged in or created a new Sharpline account, just click the ‘Create Release’ button at the top of your screen.
Selecting a release type will take you automatically to our Release Builder. Just follow the step-by-step instructions to choose a release date, upload audio & artwork, select music platforms and more.
How long does it take for my music to be live on stores?
Your music will be released on Spotify within 5 working days using our services however we do generally advise to allow up to 2 weeks for all stores to become live.
Which stores will my music appear on?
Sharpline distributes to all the major stores and streaming platforms: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer, Claro Música, Amazon Music, Audiomack, Boomplay*, KKBox, Pandora, iHeart Radio, Tencent, Resso, NetEase Cloud Music, 7Digital, Google Music and YouTube Music.
If you choose the Artists or Label Plan, we also distribute to Soundcloud, Anghami, Nuuday, YouTube Content ID**, Soundtrack by Twitch, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
How can I make money from YouTube?
Sharpline is a YouTube Certified company and we can help you get the most from your video strategy. Sharpline will protect your rights on YouTube and collect any royalties you are due for the use of your music in user generated content (UGC) on YouTube. We will also deliver your music into the YouTube Music subscription service ensuring that you are paid for streams of your video and music content on the service. Get in touch with us if you would like to find out how we can help you manage your own YouTube channel. We can help you monetize your videos, limit piracy, and drive views to your music video content.
Can I release a cover song?
Cover songs are accepted as long as the proper license is obtained. We recommend using EasySongLicensing.com to license cover songs, but clients are welcome to use any service they’d like.
Can I release a remix?
Yes, you can upload a remix. But you need 100% distribution rights (aka you need permission from the original owners of the track or parts of a track). If it’s a remix of your own song, you can release it.
Can I use samples in my music?
If you want to use a sample of someone else's music you need the permission of the song's copyright holder (the writer(s) and/or the publisher), and permission from the owner of the recording, usually the label.
Sales & Accounting
Will Sharpline Distro take any of my royalties?
You’ll keep 100% of everything you earn in royalties if you pick the artists & labels plan after your 30 Day Free Trial has expired. If you choose the Starter plan, you will keep 90% of your royalties while we keep 10% only. More information on our plans can be found
When will I get paid?
Sharpline accounts to you around the 30th day of each month. We issue statements and corresponding payments 35 days after the end of the calendar month in which we receive revenue from digital services for your music.
How do I get paid for my music?
We pay you out via PayPal or Bank Account. This is all done through your Sharpline Distro account once you log in. Head to your 'Credit Balance' section in the dashboard and click the 'Payout’ button under your available balance. Choose either PayPal or Bank Account then fill out the required information. Payment will be completed within 5 business days.
How do I view my sales data & earnings?
To view your sales data and royalty earnings, simply log into your Sharpline account and select either ‘Credit Balance’ or ‘Analytics’ from your personal dashboard menu..
Technical Issues
Which audio formats do you accept?
You should prepare the audio as WAV files. We accept up to 24bit / 96kHz.. We only accept uncompressed audio files, so no MP3s.
Will Sharpline Provide UPC Codes for my music?
UPC stands for Universal Product Code, it’s essentially a barcode that identifies your release. We assign these automatically (at no charge) if you don’t have your own..
Will Sharpline Provide ISRC Codes for my music?
ISRC stands for International Standard Recording Code. It’s a unique identifier for a recording (different versions such as a Radio Edit and a Live version would have different codes). Again, we assign these automatically (at no charge) once your release has been submitted if the field is left empty.