01 / Ownership
KEEP YOUR
MASTERS
Your music belongs to you. Artists retain ownership of their masters.
Lyrical Distribution / A Lyrical Opposition program
Curated beta
YOUR MUSIC.YOUR RIGHTS.YOUR ROYALTIES.
Artist-first music distribution.
Built around your independence.
Release your music with Lyrical Distribution, an artist-first digital distribution program from Lyrical Opposition. Keep your masters, understand your royalties, and move forward on your own terms.
A curated program, with a human review before you join. Release submission is for participating artists.
Draft preview · Application and release forms are awaiting connection.
KEEP YOUR
02 / Royalties
0% TAKEN
BY LYRICAL
Lyrical takes 0% of your eligible distribution royalties.
03 / Independence
NO
LOCK-IN
Non-exclusive distribution. No distribution lock-in or exit fee.
04 / Clarity
TRANSPARENT
ROYALTIES
Clear reporting and quarterly royalty administration.
The process / From you to your listeners
Make the music.
We’ll help it move.
A straightforward release process, with people behind it. Sign a short distribution agreement when you join, then submit a release form for each release.
- 01
Join.
Be accepted into the curated Lyrical Distribution program.
- 02
Submit.
Send final music, artwork, credits, and ownership and rights information through a simple digital release form.
- 03
Review.
Lyrical checks files, metadata, and rights information with you before delivery.
- 04
Distribute.
Approved releases go through our distribution infrastructure to supported digital music services.
- 05
Get paid.
Royalties are tracked, reported, and administered transparently on a quarterly basis.
Distribution reach
Meet your listeners
where they listen.
Approved releases can be delivered to major supported digital music platforms, including these services and other supported DSPs.
- Spotify
- Apple Music
- Amazon Music
- YouTube Music
- TikTok
Services are selected and available on a release-by-release basis. Availability and acceptance depend on the release and each platform’s requirements. Platform names identify possible destinations, not endorsements.
Why Lyrical / More than delivery
A release is part
of a bigger practice.
Lyrical Opposition’s work with artists and communities connects creative development, education, and shared cultural space. Distribution extends that support into the life of a release.
People you can talk to.
Human support with release preparation, reporting, and the questions that come with sharing your work.
Knowledge you can keep.
Artist education and rights awareness help you make informed decisions, here and wherever your career takes you next.
Room to grow.
Artist-development and marketing support may be available when capacity allows. The aim is long-term sustainability, with no promise of placements, streams, or revenue.
Artist ownership / Always at the center
Your music
stays yours.
Our purpose is to make you more independent, with the knowledge and freedom to choose what comes next.
- You retain ownership of your masters.
- Distribution is non-exclusive.
- You approve each release before distribution.
- You retain control over your artistic expression.
- You can leave without a distribution exit fee.
- Lyrical can assist with catalog migration and preserving identifiers where appropriate.
LYRICAL is our record-label imprint. An imprint credit does not transfer ownership of your music. Artists’ own artistic and political expression does not necessarily represent Lyrical Opposition.
The royalty model
0% taken
by Lyrical.
You make the work.
Your royalties should support you.
Lyrical does not take a percentage of participating artists’ eligible distribution royalties.
In the current subsidized beta, Lyrical covers ordinary distribution infrastructure costs so participating artists receive 100% of their eligible ordinary distribution royalties.
Royalties are accounted for quarterly, with clear reporting so you can understand what your music has earned.
A little clarity on “eligible”
Taxes and withholding, banking or currency-conversion costs, fraud or chargeback adjustments, DSP corrections, and optional third-party services may be treated separately where applicable. The 0% promise describes Lyrical’s share of eligible distribution royalties.
Who it’s for / Curated beta
Built within
and alongside
our community.
For artists connected through Lyrical programs, collaborations, and existing artist relationships.
The beta is curated so we can build the program thoughtfully and support participating artists well. Expressing interest starts a conversation; it does not create a distribution account or guarantee acceptance.
Apply for Lyrical DistributionDraft preview · Curated-interest form awaiting connection.
Good questions
Know where
you stand.
Who owns my masters?
You, or the applicable rightsholder. Lyrical Distribution does not take ownership merely by distributing your release. A LYRICAL imprint credit does not change that.
Does Lyrical take a percentage of my royalties?
Lyrical takes 0% of eligible distribution royalties under the current program. The beta subsidizes ordinary distribution infrastructure costs so artists receive 100% of eligible ordinary distribution royalties. The separate costs and adjustments described above may still apply.
Is Lyrical Distribution exclusive?
No. The program is non-exclusive. Coordinate any overlapping delivery of the same release so your catalog is handled correctly.
Can I leave?
Yes. There is no distribution lock-in or exit fee. Lyrical can assist with catalog migration and identifiers so you can plan your next step.
Can I move music from another distributor?
Yes, where appropriate. Existing ISRCs and other metadata should be preserved when applicable. We can help you plan delivery and takedowns with the information needed for a correct migration.
What about leased beats, samples, or cover songs?
Potentially. The appropriate rights and licenses must be verified before distribution. Include that information with your release so we can review what is needed.
Can I distribute AI-assisted music?
Potentially, if you have the necessary rights and disclose materially generative AI use. Release and platform requirements still apply. Distribution does not automatically authorize AI training or licensing rights.
Does Lyrical handle publishing?
Not automatically. Lyrical Distribution primarily administers master and distribution royalties. Publishing administration, sync licensing, Content ID or UGC monetization, derivative works, and sponsorship or endorsement rights require separate arrangements; they are not automatically included.
Will Lyrical market my release?
Marketing and artist-development support may be available depending on capacity. Marketing, playlist placements, editorial pitching outcomes, streaming performance, and income are not guaranteed.
How early should I submit a release?
Aim for approximately four weeks before your desired release date. Six weeks is preferred when marketing support is planned. Extra review may be needed for complex releases, and release dates are not guaranteed.
Where will my music be distributed?
To supported digital music services selected and available for your release. These may include Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, TikTok, and others. Not every service is available for every release, and platform acceptance is not guaranteed.
Lyrical Distribution / Independence in practice
Ready to release
on your terms?
Your next chapter belongs to you.
Apply for Lyrical Distribution
Already participating?
Submit a ReleaseDraft preview · Application and release forms are awaiting connection.