How to Upload Music to Spotify

You can't upload songs straight to Spotify as an artist. "Music gets uploaded to Spotify via a distributor," Spotify for Artists says, and the distributor delivers it and pays your royalties. After release, you claim a free Spotify for Artists profile. If you only want to play your own files in the app, that's a different feature called Local Files.

We read Spotify for Artists and Spotify's support pages on October 24, 2026. Spotify's help pages on releases, pitching and royalties were updated in 2024 and in September 2026.

About 22,200 people search "how to upload music to spotify" each month, and 12,100 more search "how to upload songs to spotify."

How do you upload your music to Spotify as an artist?

Spotify's own release steps come in four parts.

1. Choose a distributor. "For a fee or commission, distributors will handle the licensing and distribution to Spotify and other streaming services, and pay you royalties when listeners stream," Spotify says. Signed artists can skip this, since their "record label likely already works with a distributor."
2. Prepare your files. Spotify asks you to "Export the highest quality lossless files of your music" and to follow your distributor's guidelines. You'll also need metadata, like "album title, credits, release date," and cover art.
3. Upload through the distributor. You'll submit the audio, details and artwork there, and pick a release date.
4. Claim your artist profile. Once your music is live, you can claim Spotify for Artists. A claimed profile gets "a Registered Artist label in the About section," Spotify says.

Spotify for Artists "is free to join," and "all you need is a Spotify account." You don't need a label either. "Spotify for Artists is for all artists," Spotify says.

Which distributor should you use?

Spotify won't pick one for you, but it keeps a directory. Its listed providers "offer instant access to Spotify For Artists for all their users," and they "meet our highest standards for quality metadata and anti-infringement measures." On October 24, 2026, we counted 76 "preferred" tags in that directory, including DistroKid, CD Baby, TuneCore, RouteNote, Amuse and LANDR.

Their own blurbs on Spotify's page show how differently they charge:

• DistroKid: "Upload as much as you want, keep 100% of your royalties."
• CD Baby: "Get paid weekly. No annual fees."
• RouteNote: "offers both Free and 100% Royalty subscription plans."
• LANDR: "get your music live on Spotify within 2-3 days."

Spotify's advice is short: "Most distributors charge a fee or commission. Each service is unique, so do a little research before picking one." Compare the yearly fee, the commission and the payout rules before you sign up, since moving a catalog later takes work.

Can you upload to Spotify without a distributor?

No. Spotify tested direct uploads for about a year, then closed the test. "At the end of this month, we'll stop accepting any new uploads through Spotify for Artists," it wrote on July 1, 2019. Artists in that test had to "move their already released content to another provider."

Spotify said it would rather "lean into the great work our distribution partners are already doing."

What should you do before release day?

Pitch the song. Spotify for Artists lets you "pitch upcoming, unreleased songs" to its playlist editors. Log in, go to Music, then Upcoming, and fill in the pitch form. "More detail gives your song a better chance," Spotify says.

Timing matters here. "If you pitch an unreleased song at least 7 days before release, we'll add it to your followers' Release Radar playlists." So send your release to the distributor early enough to pitch a week ahead.

Spotify also suggests you optimize your artist profile and "Upload a Canvas to your tracks."

What does a new release earn?

Often nothing at first. Spotify set a threshold in April 2024.

Spotify's rule or figure	What it says
Streams to earn royalties	At least 1,000 in the previous 12 months, per track
Unique listeners	A minimum too, which Spotify doesn't publish
Earnings under the line	$0.03 a month on average
Share of all streams under the line	0.5%
Distributor withdrawal fees	Usually $1 to $20 per withdrawal
Distributor withdrawal minimums	Usually $2 to $50

Spotify Support, "Track monetization eligibility," read October 24, 2026.

Spotify keeps the listener number private "to prevent further manipulation by bad actors." For the money side in full, see our guide on how much Spotify pays per stream.

What does Spotify say about paid streams?

Its rule is strict. "3rd-party promotional services that advertise streams in return for payment violate our terms & conditions, and using them could result in your music being removed from Spotify," its support page says. Spotify also says it runs "daily cleaning" to remove artificial streams from public numbers, and that those streams "do not earn royalties."

Hclout sells Spotify plays, so weigh this the way you'd weigh any seller's advice, and read Spotify's rule before you buy anything for a release. If you'd rather start with short video, Hclout's free tier gives 100 free TikTok views on a public TikTok, with no password, on the free page. A short Cloudflare check runs before each claim. Our guide to social media marketing for musicians covers the wider plan.

How do you add your own songs to Spotify as a listener?

Use Local Files. Spotify lets you "play any of the audio files legally stored on your device." Turn the feature on once, and your files show up in Your Library.

On desktop:

1. Click your profile picture and select Settings.
2. Scroll to Library and switch Show Local Files on.
3. Under "Show songs from," turn on your music folders, or click "Add a source" to pick another one.
4. Open Your Library. Your files are in Local Files.

On iPhone or Android:

1. Tap your profile picture, then Settings and privacy.
2. Tap Apps and devices.
3. Switch Local audio files on.
4. Open Your Library to find Local Files.

On an iPhone, the files go in the Spotify folder under "On My iPhone" in the Files app. Spotify's page walks through copying them there from a Mac or Windows PC.

Frequently asked questions

Can you upload music to Spotify without a distributor?

No. Spotify closed its direct-upload test in July 2019, and music now arrives through a distributor or label.

How much does it cost to put music on Spotify?

Spotify for Artists is free. Distribution usually isn't: "Most distributors charge a fee or commission," Spotify says, though RouteNote's listing mentions a free plan.

How long does it take for music to appear on Spotify?

It depends on the distributor. LANDR's listing says 2 to 3 days. Plan for at least a week if you want to pitch, since pitches need to land 7 days before release.

Do you get paid for your first streams?

Not until a track reaches 1,000 streams in 12 months and enough unique listeners. Under that line, Spotify says tracks averaged $0.03 a month.

How do I add my own songs to Spotify?

Turn on Local Files. On desktop, go to Settings, then Library, and switch Show Local Files on. On mobile, turn on Local audio files under Apps and devices.

Sources

• Spotify for Artists, "Get started" and the Provider Directory, read October 24, 2026
• Spotify Support for Artists, "Getting music on Spotify" and "Pitching music and videos to Spotify playlist editors" (both updated September 17, 2026), "Track monetization eligibility" (May 2, 2024) and "Artificial streaming and paid 3rd-party services that guarantee streams" (September 17, 2026), read October 24, 2026
• Spotify for Artists blog, "We're Closing the Upload Beta Program," July 1, 2019, read October 24, 2026
• Spotify Support, "Local files" (updated June 30, 2025), read October 24, 2026
• Google results for "how to upload music to spotify," US, October 24, 2026 (our read)
• Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide, read October 24, 2026