# Independent Music Distribution in 2026 — Decision Report for ParVagues

*France-based · electronic/livecoding (TidalCycles) · glitch/ambient/jungle/liquid ·
global + Japan · SoundCloud-rooted · refuses monthly subscriptions ·
reach + legitimacy + gigs > superfans > revenue*

> Research conducted 2026-06-04 by a background research agent (web sources cited).
> Summary decision lives in [`README.md`](README.md).

## Executive summary

RouteNote still distributes and pays, but in 2025–2026 it is **stagnant, slow,
support-thin**: Trustpilot ~3.3/5 (**23% one-star**), moderation **~17–22 working
days (3–4+ weeks)**, and a recurring pattern of accounts frozen over "artificial
streams" with earnings withheld and no real appeal. Not a scam, not abandoned —
but it builds neither **reach nor legitimacy**, your top priorities.

Best structure = a **two-layer stack, neither a monthly sub**:
1. **DSP distribution** via one-time-per-release distributor — **CD Baby** (keep
   91%, stays up forever), **TuneCore Japan** if Japan becomes a real target.
2. **Direct-to-fan** via **Bandcamp** (superfans, ownership, gig-funding) +
   **SoundCloud** (community hub; paid tier optional).

Avoid: DistroKid / TuneCore-classic / Amuse / Ditto / LANDR / Symphonic-Starter
(all recurring, or Ditto's payment red flags). AWAL/Believe selective, not yet accessible.

## 1. RouteNote reality check

Distributes & pays, **but slowly and with downside risk**.
- Trustpilot **3.3/5**, ~2,750 reviews, 59% 5★ but **23% 1★** (bimodal).
- Moderation slowed: **~17–22 working days**; user reports of 30–45 days common.
- **Anti-fraud freezes:** documented cases of releases pulled platform-wide citing
  "artificial/matched streams," earnings withheld ($82–$3,000+), no appeal.
- Support thin (free tier explicitly lower priority).
- Pricing (no monthly sub): **Free** = keep 85% (15% rev-share), permanent hosting.
  **Premium** ≈ $12.99/single, $59.99/album, **annual renewal** for 100%, $50 min payout.
- **Verdict:** "milking but not moving" is fair. Free 85% + permanent hosting is its
  only genuinely attractive trait, matched/beaten elsewhere with less risk.

## 2. Alternatives by payment model

### A. One-time per release (best fit)
| Distributor | Upfront | Cut | Payout | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **CD Baby** | $9.99 single / $14.99 album | **9%** (keep 91%, permanent) | $25 min | Broad DSP reach incl. Japan. **Top pick.** |
| **Soundrop** | ~$0.99/track | 15% | — | Covers/splits — useful for collab tracks needing payee splits. |

### B. Free rev-share
| Distributor | Cut | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RouteNote (free) | 15% | §1 — stagnant/slow/freeze risk. |
| Amuse (free) | — | **Dormant** since 2024; old free accounts can't release. Treat as gone. |
| YouAux / Vibeable | 0% | 2024–25 entrants, unproven; higher legitimacy risk than CD Baby. |

### C. Recurring (rejected — for completeness)
DistroKid ($24.99/yr, music pulled if you stop) · TuneCore classic ($9.99/yr single)
· Ditto (£19–29/yr, **reliability red flags — avoid**) · LANDR ($23.99+/yr, 15% if you
cancel) · Symphonic ($19.99/yr Starter, Beatport access, selective) · Amuse paid ($23.99+/yr).

### D. Selective / invite-only
AWAL (Sony) — application-only, ~<10% acceptance, wants ~50k+ monthly listeners; future
target. Believe (Euronext Paris; owns TuneCore) — B2B, reach via TuneCore.

**Best "no sub + keep royalties":** CD Baby (91%, one-time) — cleanest match.

## 3. SoundCloud 2026

Distributes to DSPs (60+) via SoundCloud for Artists. **Dropped its 20% cut end-Nov
2025** — Next Plus/Artist Pro keep 100%. But it's a **subscription** (Artist Pro
~$99/yr). **FPR** (Fan-Powered Royalties) pays 2–4× Spotify per-stream **but only on
SoundCloud-native plays**, not distributed DSP streams. **Keep as community + FPR
hub; don't route DSP delivery through it (recurring cost).**

## 4. Bandcamp 2026

Healthier than the 2023 panic suggested. Epic→Songtradr (2023, ~50% layoffs) was the
trauma; 2026 is operational/stabilizing: Stripe migration (no payout fees, 135+
currencies, daily payouts), **"Keeping Bandcamp Human" AI policy (Jan 2026)** bans
AI-generated music (pro-artist signal), **8 Bandcamp Fridays in 2026** (Feb 6, Mar 6,
May 1, Aug 7, Sep 4, Oct 2, Nov 6, Dec 4; 0% fee those days). Economics: 15% digital
(10% after $5k/yr), 10% physical, ~80–85% net. **Risk:** Songtradr leans on catalog as
sync-licensing pool; keep masters + store-data backups. **Your superfan/gig-funding layer.**

## 5. France / EU rights & funding

- **SACEM** — authorship/composition (quarterly).
- **Neighbouring rights:** performer = **ADAMI** &/or **SPEDIDAM** (join both for
  one-person electronic); producer (self-produced = you) = **SCPP** or **SPPF**.
- **CNM** (Centre national de la musique) — *musiques actuelles* **international
  mobility + development aid**, export certifications. **Most relevant France lever for
  gigs + reach.**
- French distributors (Believe/Paris, Wiseband) exist but recurring/B2B — not better
  than CD Baby for this model.

## 6. Japan reach

JP DSPs: Spotify/Apple/Amazon/YT JP + **AWA** (largest native), **LINE Music**,
**KKBOX**. CD Baby/TuneCore/DistroKid/IDOL all deliver there; CD Baby cited for fast
broad JP coverage (so the recommended path already reaches JP). **TuneCore Japan**
(Believe subsidiary, French) = dominant *inside* Japan, deep DSP/editorial integration
— per-release annual, so JP-campaign-only. Localization is the lever: **bilingual
(Japanese) metadata**, upload 7+ days early for editorial. Your glitch/ambient/jungle/IDM
palette has a real JP audience (Warp/IDM/breakcore lineage). Bandcamp resonates (JP
import/physical/superfan culture).

## 7. Bottom line + migration

**Stack:** CD Baby (DSPs) + Bandcamp (superfans/gigs) + SoundCloud (community/FPR) +
rights registration (SACEM + ADAMI/SPEDIDAM + SCPP/SPPF) + CNM aid on radar.
Optional JP escalation: TuneCore Japan + bilingual metadata.

**Ranked alternatives:** 2nd DistroKid (only if you'd tolerate one cheap annual fee —
violates no-sub rule); 3rd stay RouteNote-free (acceptable free fallback, accept risk).

**Migration (no gap):** export RouteNote data → register rights → open Bandcamp & upload
→ set up CD Baby, re-deliver reusing ISRCs newest-first → take each down from RouteNote
once live on CD Baby → keep SoundCloud → reassess in 12 mo (AWAL / TuneCore Japan).

## Sources

RouteNote: Trustpilot, musicdistribute.com, payusnomind.info, RouteNote Support Hub,
loop.fans, PissedConsumer. Distributors: Ari's Take (Digital Distribution Comparison
2026), Ones to Watch 2026, cdbaby.com / alera.fm, orphiq (Amuse), soundrop.com,
Indie Music Academy (AWAL), alera.fm (ownership map). SoundCloud: Music Week (Nov 2025),
SoundCloud Help, Chartlex, DJ Mag. Bandcamp: Bandcamp Help, MBW, Chartlex, TechCrunch &
Rolling Stone (2023). France: muzisecur.fr, electronicmusicfactory.com, cnm.fr,
wiseband.com. Japan: japanmusicmarketing.com, identitymusic.com, LabelGrid, musicdistribute.com.

*Caveats:* RouteNote moderation window varies by source (treat as 3–4+ weeks). Amuse free
tier reported dead but their pages are ambiguous — verify. AWAL's ~50k threshold is
community-reported. Bandcamp's long-term direction under Songtradr is a genuine
uncertainty — keep masters + backups regardless.
