Label, White-Label or API: Which Do You Need?
· 12 min read
Journal
Journal, page 3.
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.
Guides, page 3 of 4
Choosing a distributor and what it costsFree vs Paid Music Distribution Costs
Free vs paid music distribution: work out when a plan costs less than a 30% commission with WBBT’s published prices, a worked example and a tier-by-tier table.
· 9 min read→
Choosing a distributor and what it costsHow to Choose a Music Distributor
Choose a music distributor with a six-row worksheet, a dated look at four providers’ pricing pages and a three-year cost example using WBBT’s published plans.
· 14 min read→
Artist storiesMeet OB/SED, the Dark Electronic Duo
Meet OB/SED, the UK-centred electronic duo of Burak Can Öğüt and Öykü Ertek. Explore the story, sound and debut single Obsessed, then listen on Spotify.
· 6 min read→
Release promotion and Spotify toolsSpotify Discovery Mode: Is It Worth It?
What Spotify Discovery Mode is, how its commission works, the break-even sum with example numbers and a four to six week test to run before you decide.
· 10 min read→
Release-ready audio, metadata and artworkRelease-Ready Audio: Checks Before You Upload
Check your audio before upload: WAV format, clipping, true peak, silence, endings, mono and phone playback, and what Spotify and Apple say about loudness.
· 15 min read→
Royalties, splits and payoutsHow Much Does Spotify Pay Per Stream?
Spotify says it pays no fixed rate per stream. See how pool and streamshare work, why averages differ and how to check your statements, with a worked example.
· 11 min read→
Labels, white-label and APIHow to Start a Record Label: UK Basics
Start a record label in the UK: choose a structure, check the name, write artist agreements, set identifiers, register rights and plan your first release.
· 12 min read→
Rights, Content ID and PPLHow to Release a Cover Song Legally
How to release a cover song legally: what permission the song needs, the UK and US licensing routes, video and Content ID, and how to fill in the WBBT wizard.
· 11 min read→
Rights, Content ID and PPLReleasing a Song Made on a Leased Beat
Release a song made on a leased beat: the licence terms to check, how to declare it in the wizard, why Content ID is usually off the table and how to upgrade.
· 10 min read→
Labels, white-label and APIRecord Deal Terms to Check Before Signing
Check term, rights, advance, recoupment, royalty basis, audit and reversion before you sign a record deal, with a worked example and UK sources.
· 10 min read→
Release promotion and Spotify toolsHow to Pitch Your Song to Playlists
How to pitch a song to Spotify’s editors and independent curators: what to write, a sample pitch, how to vet playlists, a tracking sheet and WBBT's pitch tools.
· 10 min read→