Prepare the master
Export the final mix as an uncompressed WAV file — the standard is 24-bit / 48kHz. Listen to the file all the way through, from beginning to end, on headphones and on a phone speaker. Check the start and the end for clicks, and don't leave extra silence at either end.
Cover art that passes review
Your cover art travels with the release to every store. The spec is 3000×3000 pixels, RGB. Keep text minimal and readable at thumbnail size, and avoid platform logos, account handles, prices and links — stores reject cover art that carries them.
Metadata and codes
Metadata is how the world finds you: an artist name spelled the same way on every release, the real title with no decoration, and the correct language and genre tags. The codes — ISRC for the recording and UPC for the release — are assigned during preparation; you don't need to buy them anywhere.
Choose the release date
Give yourself room. A date several weeks out leaves space for review, delivery and pitching before day one. Line the date up with anything you control — a video, a show, a run of posts — so the release lands with support behind it rather than alone.
Request your invite
Mazufa works by invitation only. Completed applications enter a human review queue as capacity allows. Submitting does not create an account; those accepted may receive a dedicated preparation invite.
After acceptance
After preparation, your release is packaged to spec and delivered to every platform, and its data is pitched to the appropriate editorial and algorithmic surfaces. From there, watch your dashboard: streams, saves and playlist adds, per platform and per country.
The fingerprint code every recording carries — it tracks streams and earnings worldwide.
Your release barcode — one per single, EP or album.
Digital service provider — Spotify, Apple Music, Anghami and every store on earth.
What is the annual-fee model and how does it work?
Distributors working on the annual-fee model let you upload your music to Spotify, Apple Music and others for a yearly subscription instead of a commission on earnings. That looks attractive at first glance, but the details are worth examining before you subscribe.
How much do you actually pay each year under the annual-fee model?
These platforms usually offer several plans, the main ones being:
- The basic plan (Artist): About 19 dollars a year for one artist and an unlimited number of songs.
- Pro plan: About 29 dollars a year, including extras such as a music label name.
- Label plan: Starts at 49 dollars and lets you manage several artists.
The amounts look small, but the problem isn't the numbers themselves — it's what you get for them and what the terms say.
What isn't clearly stated about these fees?
- Automatic renewal: The subscription renews automatically every year, and the fee may be charged without clear advance warning if you don't cancel in time.
- Music deletion on cancellation: If you stop paying, your music is pulled from every platform.
- Ownership of ISRC and UPC codes: On some plans these codes are tied to the distributor's account rather than to you personally, which can complicate a move to another platform.
- Additional fees: Some services, such as blog promotion or sync services, come with separate costs that aren't listed on the main pricing page.
- Customer support: A number of independent artists report slow replies and difficulty resolving problems with earnings or rejected songs.
What do you lose as an independent artist under the annual-fee model?
The core problem isn't the size of the fee; it's that this model makes the continuity of your digital presence conditional on paying continuously. If you go through a financial crisis or decide to take a break, you may lose your presence on the platforms.
On top of that, many artists in their early stages don't earn enough to cover the annual fee in the first and second years.
How do the available pricing models compare?
- Another model: An all-inclusive annual subscription at a similar level of fees; the same problem applies — music deleted when the subscription stops — even if delivery speed varies from one platform to another.
- Another model: Fees charged per album or per song separately, which may suit anyone who releases a limited number of works.
- Mazufa: Distribution on the fees and deductions set out in the offer and the contract, and your music stays on the platforms under the terms set out in them.
Practical steps before subscribing to any distribution platform
- Read the cancellation terms in full, not just the pricing page.
- Check the ownership policy for ISRC and UPC codes, and ask the support team directly if you can't find an answer.
- Estimate your expected first-year earnings and compare them with the cost of the subscription.
- Look for reviews from independent artists on Reddit and Facebook forums, not just the ratings on the official site.
- Consider platforms that don't tie the continuity of your music to a continuous annual payment.
Summary
Annual-fee platforms do their job, but their model makes your digital presence conditional on continuous payment. Before you subscribe, make sure you understand what you get and what you lose if you stop. In today's music distribution market there are options that give you the same access to the major platforms without making your music hostage to an annual bill.
Start as an artist or as a label
Choose the artist or label track and submit your details for review. Uploading a release or delivering a catalogue does not begin before the offer is accepted and the contract is signed by both parties and in force.