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| Formerly | Fandalism |
|---|---|
Type of site | |
| Owner |
|
| Founder | Philip J. Kaplan |
| Industry | Music |
| URL | distrokid |
| Launched | January 2012; 14 years ago (2012-01) |
| Current status | Active |
DistroKid, formerly titledFandalism,[3] is an American independentdigitalmusic distribution service, founded in early 2012 by entrepreneurPhilip Kaplan. DistroKid principally offers musicians and other rights-holders the opportunity to distribute and sell or stream their music through online retailers such asSpotify,iTunes, andYouTube Music, among others. Originally known as Fandalism, it was originally a social media website for musicians before going into its current name while also becoming a music distributor over a year later in mid-2013.
Originally a side-feature of Kaplan'ssocial media music platform, DistroKid was first developed and launched in early 2012 as Fandalism, before going into its current name a year later in mid-2013, while the original Fandalism service was split out into its own company in 2015.[3][4][5][6]
In July 2015, a DistroKid release by musical actJack & Jack went to number one worldwide on the iTunes charts.[7][8] This was particularly notable because DistroKid does not take a commission or royalties, making this the first time a number-one charting artist was able to keep 100% of their earnings.[3]
In May 2016, DistroKid launched a feature called "Teams" that makes it possible for royalties to be automatically sent to collaborators and shareholders.[9][10] In 2018, DistroKid reached an agreement withSpotify to support cross-platform uploads for Spotify artists who upload directly or have direct licensing deals with the company.[11][12][13]In 2021, the company launched an initiative allowing record labels to mine its data in search of new artists. It receives a finder's fee from record labels each time a label signs a new artist by way of the platform. The first label to take part in the initiative wasRepublic Records.[14]
In the summer of 2022, DistroKid launched DistroVid to let both members and non-members upload music videos with a subscription.[15]
On June 7, 2023, DistroKid was sued by the indie label Doeman Music Group Media for allegedly mishandling a copyright takedown. In January 2021, DistroKid notified Damien Wilson that his 2020 EP was removed from all streaming platforms because of a takedown notice from Raquella George, who contributed to the song "Scary Movie". The lawsuit alleges that DistroKid did not allow Wilson to dispute the takedown.[16][17]
In September 2023, it was announced DistroKid has acquired the music distribution and website hosting platform,Bandzoogle.[18]
In October 2024, DistroKid laid off 37 American employees who were represented byNational Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians. The move was influenced by the company’sprivate equity investors and came during a time whenoutsourcing tothe Philippines was being embraced.[19][20][21][22]
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