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Journal

The WBBT Journal.

42 guides from the WBBT Records team on releasing music, royalties, rights, labels and AI tools, written for independent artists and labels. How we write them.

Start here

One guide per topic to read first. Each topic page lists the rest of that topic.

Choosing a distributor and what it costs

How to Choose a Music Distributor

How to compare music distributors and plans, what free and paid models cost over time, and what to check before you commit.

Beatport, Atmos and motion artwork

Electronic Music Release Checklist

Checklists for electronic music and for the specialist formats that need extra approval or extra files.

Latest guides

AI-generated illustration: headphones beside a phone showing abstract music tiles, as the cover for “Fix Music on the Wrong Spotify Artist Profile”Getting your release live

Fix Music on the Wrong Spotify Artist Profile

Release on the wrong Spotify or Apple Music artist profile? Why it happens, how an artist link prevents it, and a step-by-step checklist to get it fixed.

· 13 min read
AI-generated illustration: piano keyboard, notebook and headphones on a learning desk, as the cover for “How to Add Lyrics to Spotify and Apple Music”Getting your release live

How to Add Lyrics to Spotify and Apple Music

How lyrics get onto Spotify and Apple Music: Musixmatch verification, Apple Music for Artists, time-synced lyrics, formatting rules and realistic timing.

· 14 min read
AI-generated illustration: vinyl record, headphones and a mixer on a recording-studio desk, as the cover for “A Week-by-Week Release Timeline for One Single”Getting your release live

A Week-by-Week Release Timeline for One Single

Plan one single week by week: WBBT lead times, Spotify's 7-day pitch and 5-business-day rules worked into dates, release-day checks and the month after.

· 14 min read
AI-generated illustration: vinyl record and legal paperwork with a fountain pen, as the cover for “How to Copyright a Song in the UK”Rights, Content ID and PPL

How to Copyright a Song in the UK

How copyright protects a song in the UK: it is automatic, there is no register, how to keep dated evidence, song vs recording, PRS and PPL, if you are copied.

· 11 min read
AI-generated illustration: hardware sampler with coloured pads in a recording studio, as the cover for “Using Samples in a Song You Release”Rights, Content ID and PPL

Using Samples in a Song You Release

Using samples in a released song: master and publishing clearance, what royalty-free pack licences allow, interpolations, Content ID flags and proof to keep.

· 11 min read
AI-generated illustration: laptop with abstract audio waveforms between studio speakers, as the cover for “LANDR Studio Review: What You Get”Release-ready audio, metadata and artwork

LANDR Studio Review: What You Get

LANDR Studio reviewed for independent artists: what each tier includes, published prices, who it suits, buying tools separately, and distributing elsewhere.

· 10 min read
AI-generated illustration: analog audio processors and headphones in a mastering studio, as the cover for “AI Mastering vs a Mastering Engineer”Release-ready audio, metadata and artwork

AI Mastering vs a Mastering Engineer

Compare DIY, AI mastering and a mastering engineer: published prices, mix preparation, how to judge a master at equal loudness, and a checklist to decide.

· 11 min read
AI-generated illustration: master tape reels and a hard drive arranged in a music archive, as the cover for “Switch Distributors Without Losing Streams”Catalogue moves and re-releases

Switch Distributors Without Losing Streams

Switch distributors without losing streams: keep ISRC, UPC and release dates identical, check the new delivery first, then take down the old one.

· 10 min read
AI-generated illustration: vinyl record, fountain pen and royalty statement papers, as the cover for “PPL and Neighbouring Rights for UK Releases”Rights, Content ID and PPL

PPL and Neighbouring Rights for UK Releases

PPL and neighbouring rights explained: what they pay for, how they differ from streaming and publishing, and how WBBT’s PPL UK option works per release.

· 8 min read
AI-generated illustration: smartphone with an audio waveform beside headphones, as the cover for “Pre-Save Links and Release-Day Promotion”Release promotion and Spotify tools

Pre-Save Links and Release-Day Promotion

How pre-save links work and how to promote release day: a six-week timeline, profile checks, Spotify pitch timing, assets and what not to buy.

· 9 min read
AI-generated illustration: three vinyl records and plain sleeves arranged for comparison, as the cover for “Release Metadata and Artwork Requirements”Release-ready audio, metadata and artwork

Release Metadata and Artwork Requirements

Release metadata and artwork requirements for music distribution: cover size, titles, credits, language, rights answers and why QC sends releases back.

· 10 min read
AI-generated illustration: audio patch cables and server equipment for music software, as the cover for “Music Distribution API for Developers”Labels, white-label and API

Music Distribution API for Developers

A music distribution API lets your app create accounts, upload releases and track review. See how WBBT’s API works, how to build with it and how to get access.

· 11 min read