DistroKid - CMU | the music business explained

GEMA sells distributor Zebralution to DistroKid investor

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Zebralution • 2 min read

GEMA sells distributor Zebralution to DistroKid investor

GEMA has announced it is selling digital distributor Zebralution to investment outfit Insight Holdings Group, which is already an investor in rival distributor DistroKid. The German collecting society says it is now “concentrating even more strongly” on its core rights management operations…

Chris Cooke • 21 Jan 2026

SoundCloud, Bandsintown and DistroKid all launch new tools for independent artists

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Digital services and platforms news • 3 min read

SoundCloud, Bandsintown and DistroKid all launch new tools for independent artists

It’s a busy day for announcements by platforms that provide digital tools for independent artists. SoundCloud has revamped its artist subscription product; Bandsintown has a new Artists Marketplace; and DIY distributor DistroKid is now offering artists print-on-demand direct-to-fan merch services…

Chris Cooke • 30 Oct 2025

DistroKid’s face-off with employee union over plans to fire support team and move jobs overseas

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DistroKid • 2 min read

DistroKid’s face-off with employee union over plans to fire support team and move jobs overseas

DistroKid “preached of doing right by their artists and their employees” in the past, but are now laying off 50% of their unionised employees in the US to move their jobs overseas. This is according to the DistroKid union, which says 37 employees have now been put on “administrative leave”…

Chris Cooke • 29 Oct 2024

Warner hires new acquisitions chief to gobble up distros

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Warner Music • 4 min read

Warner hires new acquisitions chief to gobble up distros

Warner Music has been looking for a man in finance - and has got one, in the shape of spectacularly haired Michael Ryan-Southern, who will lead corporate development - including, maybe, trying to buy a distributor that isn’t Believe…

Chris Cooke • 07 Jun 2024

CMU Digest: YouTube’s voice-cloning announcements, Stability AI audio chief resigns over the company’s fair use position + more

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CMU Digest • 5 min read

CMU Digest: YouTube’s voice-cloning announcements, Stability AI audio chief resigns over the company’s fair use position + more

In this week's digest: YouTube launches a new voice cloning tool; Stability AI’s audio chief resigns over its insistence that training AI is ‘fair use’; Spotify’s new anti-fraud fines are criticised + more…

Chris Cooke • 18 Nov 2023

Distrokid boss critical of Spotify plan to fine distributors over tracks with heavy stream manipulation

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Spotify • 2 min read

Distrokid boss critical of Spotify plan to fine distributors over tracks with heavy stream manipulation

Spotify will start issuing fines to labels and distributors that deliver tracks that are subject to heavy stream manipulation - a move that has been criticised by at least one DIY distributor…

Chris Cooke • 16 Nov 2023

DistroKid expands its licensing partnership with TikTok

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DistroKid • 1 min read

DistroKid expands its licensing partnership with TikTok

DIY distributor DistroKid has expanded its licensing partnership with TikTok so that it now also covers the new TikTok Music service…

Chris Cooke • 01 Nov 2023

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Direct-To-Fan • 1 min read

DistroKid buys Bandzoogle

DIY distributor DistroKid has bought direct-to-fan platform Bandzoogle, meaning artists will be able to create and manage websites and online stores within the DistroKid ecosystem…

Chris Cooke • 14 Sep 2023