10 Top Music & Audio Companies

How to choose a music or audio service

This category covers listeners, players and creators. A listener cares about catalog and price; a musician selling tracks cares about fees, payouts and rights. Start with the terms that apply to you.

• For listeners. Check whether downloads are licensed. Sites offering free MP3s of commercial releases often have no license to share them and may carry intrusive ads.
• For musicians. Distribution and selling platforms may charge an annual fee, a per-release fee or a share of revenue. Read who owns your masters, how payouts work and what happens to your releases if you stop paying.
• Audio tools. Online mastering and production tools are often subscriptions. Check download rights for files you made during a trial.
• Sheet music and tabs. Digital sheet music may be licensed for a set number of prints or for personal use only.

Common problems and how to avoid them

Creators often report delayed payouts, releases taken down after a copyright claim, and confusion over which service collects which royalties. Keep records of your releases, splits and licenses for any samples you used. Be careful with services that promise guaranteed streams or followers; artificial streams can lead to removed releases and withheld payments on some platforms.

For physical orders of instruments, scores or equipment, check delivery times and return conditions before you buy.

CandorRated company pages show who runs each website, how long the domain has existed and what contact details were found, along with user reviews.

Frequently asked questions

Do I keep the rights to music I distribute?

Most distributors do not take ownership, but read the agreement for the license you grant them.

Can I use a song in my video if I bought it?

Buying a track for listening does not usually include rights to use it in videos you publish.