TL;DR
DistroKid distributes your recordings to streaming platforms and collects master recording revenue — the per-stream payment DSPs make for playing your recordings. It does not register you with ASCAP or BMI, does not collect mechanical royalties, does not register you with The MLC, and does not collect digital performance royalties from SoundExchange. For an artist with 500,000 monthly streams, master recording revenue represents approximately $1,750/month. The other three royalty streams — performance royalties, mechanicals, and digital performance — require separate action and add up to roughly $900–$1,500/month more. DistroKid doesn't capture any of it.
DistroKid has over 2 million artists using its platform, making it the most widely used music distribution service for independent artists. It does one thing exceptionally well: getting music onto streaming platforms and paying out master recording revenue quickly, at a flat annual fee without taking a cut.
Understanding what DistroKid does and doesn't do is the starting point for understanding your full royalty income.
What DistroKid Does
Distributes your recordings. DistroKid delivers your music to Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, TikTok, YouTube Music, and hundreds of other platforms globally.
Assigns ISRCs. DistroKid automatically assigns an ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) to each track at upload. These ISRCs are what streaming platforms use to identify your recordings in their reporting systems.
Collects and pays master recording revenue. When Spotify or Apple Music pays for plays of your recording, that payment flows through DistroKid to you. DistroKid passes through 100% of these payments minus its annual subscription fee.
Generates UPC codes. DistroKid assigns UPC barcodes for each release, required for most streaming platforms.
That's the scope. Everything else requires separate action.
What DistroKid Does NOT Do
Songwriter performance royalties (ASCAP/BMI). When your song streams on Spotify, Spotify pays a performance royalty for the underlying composition separate from the master recording payment. This royalty is collected by ASCAP or BMI — but only if you're registered with one of them. DistroKid does not register you with any PRO and does not collect performance royalties.
Mechanical royalties (The MLC). On-demand streaming also generates a mechanical royalty for the composition. In the US, this is collected by The MLC. According to The MLC's 2023 Annual Royalty Recap, over $400M in US mechanical royalties sits unmatched — largely because artists don't know to register with The MLC separately from their distributor.
Digital performance royalties (SoundExchange). Non-interactive streaming services — Pandora, SiriusXM, internet radio — pay a separate royalty to SoundExchange for sound recordings. DistroKid does not register you with SoundExchange.
International performance royalties. UK plays generate PRS royalties. German plays generate GEMA royalties. These flow through your PRO (ASCAP/BMI) — but only if your works are properly registered and have ISWCs. DistroKid has no role in this.
Neighboring rights. When your recordings are broadcast in the UK, Germany, Canada, or most of the world, neighboring rights royalties are owed to the artist and masters owner. DistroKid does not register for or collect neighboring rights.
The ISRC Issue with DistroKid
DistroKid assigns ISRCs at upload, which is standard and necessary. The problem arises in how these ISRCs interact with other registration systems.
ISRC mismatch. When you register your songs with ASCAP, BMI, or The MLC, you must use the same ISRCs that DistroKid assigned — not self-generated codes, not ISRCs from a previous version of the song. Streaming platforms report plays using the DistroKid-assigned ISRC. If your PRO registration has a different ISRC, the match fails and the royalty goes unmatched.
Pre-distribution registration. If you registered a song with your PRO before uploading to DistroKid, your PRO registration may have a self-generated or placeholder ISRC. After uploading to DistroKid, you need to update your PRO registration to use the DistroKid-assigned ISRC.
Multiple versions. If you've released multiple versions of a song (radio edit, acoustic version, remix) through DistroKid, each version gets its own ISRC. Each version needs its own registration at your PRO and The MLC.
DistroKid Publishing: What It Actually Covers
DistroKid offers an optional service called DistroKid Publishing for an additional annual fee. Here's the honest scope:
What it does: Registers your songs with The MLC and collects US mechanical royalties on your behalf, taking a percentage.
What it doesn't do:
- Register you with ASCAP or BMI (you still need to do this directly)
- Handle international CMO registration or CWR filings
- Collect or register for SoundExchange digital performance royalties
- Correct ISRC mismatches between DistroKid records and PRO databases
- Audit your catalog for registration gaps
- Collect neighboring rights from international organizations
DistroKid Publishing handles one of four royalty streams — US mechanicals only — and takes a percentage for doing so. Direct MLC registration is free and gives you 100% of your mechanicals. For the other three royalty streams, additional action is required regardless of DistroKid Publishing enrollment.
The Full Royalty Picture
For an independent artist with 500,000 monthly streams:
| Royalty stream | Monthly estimate | Where it comes from | DistroKid handles? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master recording revenue | ~$1,750 | Spotify, Apple Music, etc. → DistroKid | Yes |
| Songwriter performance royalties | ~$400–600 | ASCAP or BMI | No |
| Mechanical royalties (US) | ~$440 | The MLC | No |
| Digital performance (SoundExchange) | ~$100–300 | SoundExchange | No |
| International neighboring rights | ~$50–500+ | PPL, GVL, etc. | No |
Total with DistroKid only: ~$1,750/month Total with complete registration: ~$2,740–$3,590/month
The gap — 50–100% more income — doesn't require any new plays or growth. It's already earned. It just requires registration in the right places.
What CreateBase Does for DistroKid Users
CreateBase was built for independent artists in exactly this situation — distribution handled, royalty stack incomplete:
- We export your full catalog from DistroKid and audit the ISRCs against your PRO and MLC registrations
- We identify every ISRC mismatch and correct it at ASCAP, BMI, and The MLC
- We register your catalog with The MLC directly (free, no percentage taken)
- We register you with SoundExchange as featured artist and sound recording copyright owner
- We handle international CMO registration via CWR for UK, German, and other key markets
- We search SoundExchange and The MLC's unclaimed databases for royalties already waiting
See what DistroKid isn't collecting for you → CreateBase delivers a free personalized royalty gap report within 48 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does DistroKid register me with ASCAP or BMI?
A: No. DistroKid handles music distribution and master recording revenue collection. ASCAP and BMI registration is separate, conducted directly on each PRO's website. Registration is free.
Q: Which ISRCs should I use when registering with my PRO — the ones DistroKid assigned?
A: Yes. Use the ISRCs DistroKid assigned at upload. These are the codes that Spotify and other platforms report in usage statements, so your PRO registration needs these exact ISRCs to match plays to your account. Find them in your DistroKid account under each release.
Q: I've been on DistroKid for three years and never registered with ASCAP. What am I missing?
A: Three years of performance royalties that were never routed to you. If you were registered with ASCAP before those plays occurred, the royalties would have flowed to you. Since you weren't registered, those royalties went unmatched. Register now — you can collect going forward, and some retroactive claims may be possible through ASCAP depending on when your music was performed.
Q: Does DistroKid Publishing replace registering with ASCAP or BMI?
A: No. DistroKid Publishing only handles US mechanical royalties through The MLC. It does not register you with ASCAP or BMI for performance royalties. If you enroll in DistroKid Publishing, you still need to register with ASCAP or BMI separately.
Q: Is DistroKid Publishing worth it?
A: It depends on your situation. If you want simplicity and are willing to pay a percentage for convenience, DistroKid Publishing handles MLC registration for you. If you want to maximize your royalties, registering directly with The MLC is free and you keep 100% of mechanicals. For everything outside US mechanicals, you need additional registrations that DistroKid Publishing doesn't cover.
Sources
- The MLC — Unmatched Royalties — Over $1B in unmatched US mechanical royalties
- Copyright Royalty Board — Streaming mechanical and digital performance rates
- SoundExchange — Digital performance royalty registration
- ASCAP and BMI — Songwriter and publisher registration