Melokid, created by artists, is driven by a fundamental belief in never exploiting artists. Our platform addresses their primary concerns during the distribution process, including ineffective human responses from support teams, fast distribution, fast and prompt issue resolution, 100% music ownership, and effective promotional tools.
While we fully support independent musicians, we also leverage our industry connections with major labels to potentially present your music to them. If you’re seeking it, there’s a chance to secure a record deal with major labels through our platform.
Choose Melokid as your trusted partner in distributing your music, and experience the difference we make in supporting and promoting your artistic journey.
With Melokid Digital Distribution, you have the flexibility to choose from three pricing options: the Unlimited Plans or per-release basis. Both options renew automatically on a yearly basis to provide continuous support for your music career.
Melokid’s distribution plans:
- SINGLE PLAN starting at 9.99€ /year.
- UNLIMITED PLAN starting at 19.99€ /year.
- RECORD DEAL PLAN starting at 49.99€ /year.
It’s important to note that with Melokid Music Distribution, you retain 100% of your rights when your music is streamed or sold in stores. Furthermore, for most stores, you keep 100% of your revenue, enabling you to maximize your earnings.
The subscription fee you pay covers essential maintenance for your music in various stores. As stores update their requirements, Melokid ensures your music meets all necessary specifications. You’ll also receive comprehensive sales reports, allowing you to track and understand the source of every penny earned.
Choose Melokid as your music distribution partner and unlock the benefits of transparent pricing, complete rights ownership, and valuable sales insights to fuel your music career.
Melokid wholeheartedly supports independent artists in their musical journeys. However, we also understand that some artists aspire to secure record deals and collaborate with major labels. Fortunately, we maintain connections with major labels such as Universal Music Group, Def Jam Recordings, Warner Music, Sony Music Entertainment, and others. Through our platform, we can facilitate your outreach to these major labels.
It’s important to note that pursuing a record deal requires meeting certain criteria. Each major label has its unique criteria based on various factors to determine which artists they consider for a record deal. Melokid can introduce you as an artist who holds potential interest for these labels. To become a viable candidate for presentation to major labels, we also maintain our own set of criteria.
Melokid offers three distinct pathways for eligibility to be presented to major labels. The first option is through our distribution RECORD DEAL PLAN, while the other two options are available via our promotional plans, MelExplode+ and MelExplode Conquer. Each of these options has its specific criteria that artists need to meet in order to be eligible for presentation.
To qualify for the RECORD DEAL PLAN, an artist must have a track with a professional music video that has garnered a minimum of 35,000 organic streams/views on both Spotify and YouTube over three consecutive months.
To be eligible for the MelExplode+ plan, your track/video should accumulate a minimum of 30,000 streams/views on both Spotify and YouTube over three consecutive months.
For the MelExplode Conquer plan, the requirement for your track/video is a minimum of 20,000 streams/views on both Spotify and YouTube over three consecutive months.
Meeting our criteria and having your music presented to major labels is a significant step. However, it’s important to note that Melokid cannot guarantee the acquisition of a record deal from any of these labels. Each major label maintains its unique set of criteria and retains the discretion to decide whether or not to enter into a collaboration with you. Melokid’s commitment extends to ensuring your presentation to one of these labels, but the ultimate decision lies with the labels themselves.
MelExplode is a promotional program designed to help artists achieve their promotional goals. By participating in MelExplode’s plans, you gain exclusive access to promotional tools developed by Melokid. MelExplode is a powerful tool that can take your career to the next level.
It’s important to note that while opting into MelExplode’s plans, we cannot guarantee that all of your releases will be eligible for the individual opportunities within the plans, particularly for presentation to major labels and potential record deals. To have the opportunity to present yourself to major labels (and potentially secure a record deal if they decide to sign you), you must meet specific streaming criteria.
With MelExplode promotional plans, you can choose from three one-time payment options:
MelExplode’s promotional plans:
- MelExplode starting at 199€.
- MelExplode+ starting at 599€.
- MelExplode Conquer starting at 999€.
Only you!
Melokid does not claim any ownership or intellectual property rights from artists. You keep 100% ownership of your recordings.
None!
Melokid does not take any percentage from your earnings. When we receive your earnings reports, we transfer 100% of the allocated earnings directly to your Melokid account.
However, please note that you may be subject to applicable taxes and/or fees. Additionally, depending on your country of residence, there might be tax withholding rates. For any tax-related questions or concerns, Melokid cannot provide assistance. We understand that tax matters can be complex, so we recommend contacting a tax professional who can offer guidance and clarification to address your specific needs.
Melokid is fast. The process includes the review, approval, and delivery of your album to streaming services, which typically takes several days.
If you have a specific release date in mind, it’s recommended to upload your release at least 2 weeks in advance to increase your chances of getting featured on prominent Spotify ‘new music’ playlists.
Otherwise, your release should go live by default once it’s ingested by streaming services, following the approximate schedule below:
- Spotify: 2-5 days
- iTunes/Apple Music: 1-7 days. (A very small percentage of albums undergo manual review at Apple, which can add an additional 1-2 weeks.)
- Amazon: 1-2 days
- YouTube Music: 1-2 days
- Deezer: 1-2 days
- Facebook/Instagram: 1-2 weeks
- TikTok: 1-2 days
- TIDAL: 2 days
If you’re uploading a cover track, securing cover song licenses can take up to 14 business days.
Please note that while delays are rare, they can occur, often beyond Melokid’s direct control.
As a bonus, for many streaming services (Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and more), we will detect when your release goes live and send you an email with the link.
The majority of uploads are available worldwide. However, if you wish to limit the availability of your release to specific countries or regions, you can configure these settings during the upload process.
Earnings reports and payments become available to you upon receipt by Melokid. Typically, streaming services provide these reports on a monthly basis, and they encompass sales from approximately three months prior. Therefore, if someone streamed your song yesterday, royalties for it won’t be visible in your Melokid account until around three months from now.
It’s important to note that not all streaming services issue reports at the same time or with the same frequency. Each store and streaming service has its unique reporting and payment schedule. For instance, you are unlikely to receive updated numbers from Apple and Spotify on the same day.
The same variability applies to different distributors. Streaming services do not pay all distributors simultaneously. While Melokid may be the first to receive payments in some cases, it’s not always the case. If your music is also distributed through another platform, that distributor may reflect your Spotify numbers before or after Melokid does.
When you initiate a withdrawal from your Melokid account, your funds will be processed and sent to you within 14 days of your request.
Welcome aboard! You won’t be disappointed. Switching to Melokid is a simple process:
Upload your releases to Melokid. Than, visit your previous distributor and remove those releases. Melokid works quickly, so there’s a chance your albums may briefly appear on streaming services twice, before your previous distributor removes them.
Ensure that you use the exact same metadata (song titles, album title, ISRCs, etc.) and audio files that you used with your previous distributor. This way, streaming services, especially Spotify, will attempt to retain your play counts and playlists. Although we can’t guarantee this, it’s generally how the process works.
Ideally, it’s best to choose an artist or band name that isn’t already in use on streaming services to prevent confusion. Having multiple artists with the same name can lead to various complications. Just imagine if there were two ‘Coldplay’ or two ‘Travis Scotts’.
However, in some cases, having the same name as another artist may be unavoidable. Here are the common questions that arise when there’s another artist sharing your name:
Will I receive my earnings, or will the other artist with the same name receive payment for my downloads?
You will receive payment for your downloads. Artist names are entirely independent from earnings tracking, so there’s no need to worry about this.
My albums are listed alongside those of the other artist with the same name. It appears as if we’re the same person. Can this be resolved?
Streaming services occasionally group together artists who share the same or similar names or create a new artist page instead of using your existing one. If this happens, we can assist in resolving it! Ideally, if someone else already has the same name, it’s a good idea to consider using a different name to avoid such situations.
You can request a refund within 30 days of the initial purchase. To qualify for a refund, the title in question must remain incomplete and undelivered to our digital partners.
Please note that we are unable to process refunds for titles delivered to our digital partners (regardless of whether they have gone live or not).
We strive to provide excellent customer service, so if you have any questions or concerns regarding your purchase, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team. We are here to assist you and address any issues you may encounter during your experience with Melokid.
Melokid has implemented clear guidelines regarding the distribution of “hate content” to ensure the responsible use of our services. We strictly prohibit the dissemination of hate speech or any illegal content through our platform.
While the following list is not exhaustive, it provides examples of the material covered by this policy:
- Content intended to harass or demean individuals or groups.
- Content promoting racism, bigotry, hatred, or any form of physical harm towards any individual or group.
- Abusive, defamatory, pornographic, threatening, or obscene content.
- Content intended to incite or promote illegal activities.
Melokid reserves the right, at our discretion and without prior notice to you or any third party, to refuse distribution or take down any customer content if we discover the distribution of such prohibited material. This policy serves as a clarification of our general Terms and Conditions and is intended to supplement, not replace, existing policies.
At Melokid, we are committed to maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment for all artists and listeners. By adhering to our Hate Content Policy, we ensure that our platform remains a safe space for creativity and expression.
Music Distribution and Music Publishing are two distinct businesses that revolve around different copyrights, resulting in separate royalty streams:
- Music Distribution focuses on collecting royalties for Sound Recordings, which are the actual recordings of songs.
- Music Publishing focuses on collecting royalties for Compositions, which are the underlying songs and their associated rights.
Who gets paid from licensed use of sound recordings?
Performers/Artists typically receive payment for licensed use of sound recordings, and the money is usually collected by a record label or distributor.
Who gets paid from licensed use of musical compositions?
Songwriters and composers receive payment for licensed use of musical compositions, and the money is typically collected by a publishing administrator.
Melokid provides both Music Distribution and Publishing Administration services under one roof, ensuring maximum parity between the copyrights.
When you distribute a record through Melokid, you are making your sound recording available on over 160 different stores worldwide, and Melokid pays off the royalties for that recording to the account owner. However, there are additional royalties derived from the use of the underlying composition that you may not be collecting unless you are signed up for Melokid Publishing Administration. These royalties represent additional revenue beyond what is collected by Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) such as BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC, which only collect performance royalties for the composition.
It’s crucial not to leave your publishing on the table! Unless you have a publishing administrator, there is a 100% chance that you are not collecting money from the distribution of the songs you wrote. Ensure comprehensive coverage of your music rights by choosing Melokid as your partner in both Music Distribution and Publishing Administration.
If your TikTok account is configured as a business account, you won’t have the option to incorporate music or sound clips into your videos. To resolve this, you can switch to a personal account by accessing the ‘Manage Account’ settings within the TikTok app.
While Melokid can distribute spoken word albums, EPs, and singles to various digital stores, including Spotify, it does not currently support the distribution of audiobook content to iTunes or other stores.
Audiobooks, which involve recorded readings of published texts, are exclusively distributed by a separate private company known as audible.com. If your album, EP, or single falls under the category of an audiobook, we recommend reaching out to audible.com for further assistance and distribution options specific to audiobook content.
Melokid remains committed to supporting artists in distributing their spoken word projects while ensuring the appropriate channels for various forms of audio content.
Spotify Discovery Mode is an audience development tool that helps artists reach new listeners and expand their fanbase. Discovery Mode offers labels the opportunity to influence the personalization algorithm in select personalized listening contexts. When activated for a specific track, Discovery Mode increases the likelihood, though not guaranteed, that the song will reach listeners in these contexts.
As Melokid is owned by BCS Entertainment, all Melokid artists using Discovery Mode through MelExplode will benefit from BCS’s customized track selection technology. This technology automatically selects songs with the best potential for success in the program. This means artists don’t need to manually opt tracks in and out because MelExplode will take care of this process.
Melokid has granted YouTube the authority, acting as Melokid’s agent, to license Melokid tracks for use in creators’ videos or live streams. These synchronization licenses will be sold, billed, and managed by YouTube on behalf of Melokid.
These licenses are non-exclusive and operate on a per-video basis. They are valid worldwide and can be selected for various durations by the video creators. Pricing will vary depending on the territory and duration chosen. The amounts owed to you will be included in the monthly statements provided by Melokid in accordance with your Digital Distribution Agreement.
What are the restrictions associated with these licenses?
The new YouTube Creator product feature has been designed to provide YouTube video creators with enhanced content options, especially those currently using low-quality tracks or no music at all in their videos. It is not intended to replace the existing YouTube Content ID system or traditional sync licensing business. Therefore, the following restrictions apply:
1) Excluded creators
The new creator product feature is not intended for the following individuals/entities, who are explicitly excluded from access:
- Individuals/entities primarily engaged in producing audiovisual content for commercial use.
- Commercial brands whose channels primarily promote their own brands, goods, or services.
2) Excluded videos
Furthermore, the following types of videos are not allowed to include tracks from the library:
Videos where the creator has been paid by a brand or service to create content that is primarily intended for endorsing or promoting that brand or service.
Videos that make any of the following uses of your track:
- Substantially alter the track (remixing is not permitted).
- Utilize the name and/or likeness of the performing artist for purposes other than identifying the track and/or artist.
- Create art tracks, static image videos, or lyric videos similar in nature.
Videos that could reasonably be interpreted as derogatory towards the concerned artist and/or detrimental to their moral rights (where applicable) or reputation.
Melokid’s CoverSong Licensing service enables you to obtain licenses to legally sell cover versions of songs by other artists in a quick and hassle-free manner. With our cover song licensing service, we handle the research and negotiation process to secure the necessary licensing agreement for your new or existing cover releases.
If you have any further inquiries or require assistance regarding CoverSong Licensing, please feel free to reach out to our dedicated team at Royalty Solutions. You can contact us via email at melokid@distrosupport.freshdesk.com. Please note that it may take 1-3 business days for us to respond to your licensing questions.
The royalty amount for a synchronization license will be calculated based on the higher value between the price set by Melokid and the actual price charged by YouTube for the license. Melokid’s price will be determined considering various factors, including the territory and duration of the license, as well as the fees requested by publishers for similar license conditions pertaining to the underlying musical composition.
Since these licenses are synchronization licenses, Melokid will apply the synchronization royalty rate as specified in your Digital Distribution Agreement.
The introduction of the new creator product feature is designed to provide a solution for creators who have been hesitant to use commercial music in their videos due to the challenges and costs associated with licensing. With the ability to quickly and easily purchase sync licenses, the aim is to offer creators more options for enhancing their content.
It’s important to note that these licenses are non-exclusive and apply on a per-video basis. As a result, we anticipate that this new framework will generate additional and incremental revenue without disrupting your existing UGC/Content ID or sync income.
We will closely monitor the performance of the new licenses and compare them against your existing revenue streams to ensure that this is indeed the case.
Yes, you have the right to remove or exclude specific releases from the library at any time. To do so, you can contact your regular channel manager at Melokid and inform them of your request.
Please note that creators who have already purchased a license from the library before your music was removed will still be able to use it in accordance with their license agreement.
Melokid’s suite of pitch forms includes the Store Awareness form, Artist Submission Portal, and Brand Ambassador form. Melokid utilizes the submissions received through these forms to identify artists for the Melokid New Music Friday playlists, pitch new releases to DSP partners for their discovery playlists, and provide other exclusive promotional opportunities.
It’s important to note that while we carefully review all submissions to these programs, the high volume of entries makes it impossible for us to guarantee selection for feature, nor can we provide individualized feedback on the reasons for non-selection.
Melokid offers a seamless way to access your Spotify for Artists page, providing you with control over your Spotify artist profile and enabling you to engage with your fans on one of the most popular streaming platforms worldwide. By utilizing this feature, you will also become a verified artist on Spotify.
Claiming your Spotify for Artists profile is a straightforward process, and once claimed, you can enjoy the following benefits:
- Manage and verify your Spotify profile.
- Utilize the “Artist Pick” feature to highlight songs, playlists, or upcoming tours.
- Edit your artist bio.
- Upload preferred photos.
- Pitch your singles for playlist consideration.
- Access Spotify listener statistics.
- Promote your shows.
For a comprehensive list of features and functionality, and to make the most out of your Spotify for Artists page, you can refer to Spotify’s Artist Guide.
To claim and verify your profile, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Melokid dashboard.
- Click the “Spotify For Artists” box (or click here if you’re already logged in).
- Under “Choose Your Artist,” select the artist name you want to claim on Spotify.
- Click “Get Access on Spotify For Artists.”
- Follow the instructions on Spotify’s site to complete the process.
Please note: To successfully claim your artist page through Melokid, ensure that you are fully logged out of your personal Spotify account. Being signed in to a Spotify account may hinder the claiming process.
You can claim your Spotify artist page through Melokid once your release date has passed. If your release is not actively live on Spotify, you won’t be able to claim the artist page through Melokid.
In the dropdown menu in your Melokid account, you will only see Primary Artists, Featured Artists, and Remixer roles that have live content on Spotify. All other roles and contributors will not be listed.
While we recommend signing up for Spotify for Artists through your Melokid account, it is not mandatory.
Currently, our service allows you to link multiple Facebook and Twitter accounts to one profile on Melokid Social. This means that you can manage and post to multiple Facebook Fan Pages and Twitter accounts from a single Melokid Social profile.
We understand that artists may have multiple projects or bands, and we aim to provide flexibility in managing their social media presence. With Melokid Social, you can easily navigate between different Facebook and Twitter accounts linked to your profile, allowing you to engage with fans across various projects.
If you have multiple Facebook Fan Pages or Twitter accounts, you can connect them to your Melokid Social profile and streamline your social media management.
Melokid provides artists with valuable analytic data through Apple Music for Artists, enabling them to assess the impact of their music. It offers enhanced control over Apple Music and iTunes Artist Pages.
As a Melokid artist, you’ll gain access to detailed data sets and analytics that provide insights into:
- The audience streaming your music
- Geographical locations where your music is being listened to
- Milestones achieved by your tracks
- Streaming, radio, and download data
Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to upload a personalized artist photo and download the Apple Music for Artists app (available on iOS) to conveniently monitor your music’s performance on the go.
How to Claim & Verify your Profile:
- Log in to your Melokid dashboard.
- Click the “Apple Music For Artists” box (or click here if you’re logged in).
- Under “Choose Your Artist,” select the artist name you wish to claim on Apple Music.
- Click “Get Access on Apple Music For Artists.”
- Follow the instructions provided on Apple’s site to complete the process.
Only primary artists with live content in iTunes or Apple Music will be displayed in the dropdown menu within your Melokid account. Featured artists or other roles and contributors will not be listed.
I’m encountering difficulties signing up for Apple Music for Artists through Melokid. While we recommend signing up through your Melokid account, it is not mandatory.
Melokid Social: Seamlessly share, engage, and connect with your music fans on social media, with greater speed and convenience than ever before.
Melokid Social is a comprehensive social media management tool designed specifically for musicians. Simplify your online presence with a user-friendly central hub, allowing you to dedicate more time to writing music, booking shows, and engaging with fans in person. Connect your Facebook fan page, Twitter, Instagram, SoundCloud, YouTube, and Mixcloud accounts to effortlessly monitor your statistics.
Even while on tour or in the studio, you can post across multiple platforms and schedule future posts. Share, engage, and connect to expand your fan base more efficiently and effortlessly than ever before.
Melokid Social is available at no cost for all Melokid artists with an active distribution account. Whether you’re an independent artist or a label, Melokid Social provides the tools you need to stay in the conversation and keep your fans in the loop.
Each time one of your tracks is used in a DJ’s mix, the mix will use at least 30 seconds of your song. This means that any plays of the mixed version of a track that occur within the Melokid DJ Mix playlist will generate the same royalties as a play of the unmixed version would.
You won’t be able to select which DJs mix your tracks, the other tracks that are contained in the DJ Mix, or how your music is altered and combined with the other tracks in the DJ Mix.
When one of your tracks is included in a DJ Mix, the track will link back to your artist profile. Although the mixed track won’t appear in your artist discography, the DJ Mix playlist will appear in the “Discovered On” section of your artist profile.