In this guide, we will cover:
How to get your music on streaming platforms
Which distributor to choose
Setting up your artist page on Spotify for Artists
Choosing a Distributor
The time has come to get your music and artist published on streaming services. The way to do this is by using a distributor. Some of the big names are:
Distrokid
Landr
Tunecore
CD Baby
I use Distrokid, mainly because they are (currently) AI friendly. Many of the other options in this list are not AI friendly, so look out. Link to Distrokid: https://distrokid.com/
What I will go over will therefore be the Distrokid option, although should you decide to go with another service, the process will likely be similar. Note: Read the distributor Terms of Service or ask the community for help if you are unsure.
Once you have an account with Distrokid, go to the "upload" tab.
The upload process is straight forward. As you upload your first song, search Spotify and make sure the artist name you are using is not taken. Make sure you list yourself as the song writer if indeed you are.
If you have a Musicians Plus subscription, you can also release under your own record label rather than the default "Distrokid.” I use my own label, but with that being said, this is optional.
Next, set a release date for your song.
For your artist's first release, make sure you let the song/album and your artist fully release and appear across the popular streaming platforms before you launch more music. This prevents accidental duplicates of your artist on streaming apps.
Set up your Spotify for Artist
Once you have released a song, or several songs, it's time to set up a Spotify for Artists profile. This is where you will be able to:
1) Customize your artist's page on spotify
2) Access extremely valuable analytics
Go to Spotify for Artists: https://artists.spotify.com/
Click get access in the top right.
Click Artist or manager.
You'll get the option to log in with your Spotify account or create a new one.
I created a new account for my artist, simply to keep things orderly and clean. But you can choose what works best for you.
Next, claim your artist. This will let you verify that you are indeed the owner of the artist via your Distrokid. Following these steps, you should get access to your Artist Page.
Creating an Artist Page with Bio
In your Spotify for Artists, go to the "About" tab.
For your bio, write something clear and concise. Remember, there is no one right way to write a bio. Only you know the perfect bio for your artist.
My only tip would be: having fun helps! If you have fun creating your bio, someone reading it might likely have a good time as well.
The Images You'll Need:
Spotify for Artists -- current (June 2025) image specs
Profile (avatar)
Square 1:1, minimum 750 x 750 px.
JPEG, PNG or GIF under 20 MB.
Displays as a circle, so keep key content centered.
Header / banner
Wide rectangle, minimum 2660 x 1140 px (21:9).
JPEG, PNG or GIF ≤ 20 MB.
Shows across desktop & web, replaces the avatar there.
Image-gallery photos (About section)
Landscape, minimum 690 x 500 px.
Up to 125 images, same file-type & 20 MB limits as above.
The first step is to make the image: I personally use Midjourney to generate the images, but there are many good options.
To get these specific resolutions, I use my free canva plan. Simply go to https://www.canva.com/
Then select the "Custom Size" option.
Next, you can drop your generated images into canva, and export in the right dimensions. Then add them to your Spotify bio!
Once you have set up your profile, the time has come to set the stage for growing your future audiences.
Why an "Artist Playlist" Comes in Handy
Keep releasing songs until you have 5-10 of them live on streaming services. Once you do, it's time to create a playlist for your artist.
I'll use Spotify as an example, as it is the biggest platform.
Take your songs, and add them to a playlist with your Spotify account. Name the playlist something appropriate for your artist. Here's an example of mine:
Put your best work at the top of the playlist. The top song does not necessarily have to be the most recent song, but it should be the one you think has the best appeal to your audience.
This playlist will be crucial for organic promotion, as well as ads (both of which we will get to in the next guide.)
Why a playlist?
The reason we want to link people into our own playlist is twofold:
This method increases the chance that someone will save all the songs when they save your playlist.
When you send a regular song link to Spotify, after a while, the next song in the play queue will not necessarily be by your artist, meaning you are essentially funneling your future fans away. By linking your own playlist, they will listen to your songs till the playlist ends.
Once you have completed these steps, congratulations.
You are now properly set up to begin growing your audience. Furthermore, if you are interested in taking it further, this is a good starting point for monetizing your music.
We cover this our Comprehensive Guide: Monetize Your AI Music.