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.
Why are accounts suspended over ownership disputes?
When your distributor or another distributor receives an ownership dispute (Ownership Dispute) on one of your songs, platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music automatically suspend payment of that song's earnings, and sometimes freeze the account entirely. The reason is that the platform does not actually know who owns the rights, so it stops paying until the dispute is settled. The problem is that this decision can take weeks or months, and during that time the earnings pile up in a frozen state.
Where exactly do the frozen earnings go?
The earnings usually do not disappear, but they follow different paths depending on the platform and the distributor:
- A temporary freeze at the distributor: The distributor holds the earnings in its internal account until the dispute is resolved.
- A freeze at the platform itself: Some platforms, such as YouTube through the Content ID system, hold the revenue in an intermediary account until the claim is resolved.
- Transfer to the claiming party: If the dispute drags on and ends in the other party's favour, some of the earnings may be transferred to them.
Immediate practical steps when your account is suspended
Follow these steps in order, without delay:
- Step 1 – Get the official notice: Ask your distributor for a full copy of the dispute notice (Dispute Notice), including the name of the claiming party, the filing date and the claim number.
- Step 2 – Gather your ownership documents: Bring the recording contract, the original project file with its dates, the registration certificate from a rights body if you have one, and any emails that prove the date of creation.
- Step 3 – Write to the distributor formally: Send a recorded email asking it to file a formal counter-claim (Counter-claim) on your behalf, and set a deadline of no more than 7 days.
- Step 4 – Contact the platform directly: Many platforms have dedicated channels for ownership disputes; use them and send your documents directly rather than relying on the distributor alone.
- Step 5 – Record the expected earnings in your own books: Review your latest statement and identify the frozen amounts precisely; you will need them if the matter escalates into a legal dispute.
What is the difference between a distributor that protects your rights and one that does not?
Not every distributor handles disputes the same way. Some distributors include an explicit clause in their contracts obliging them to file a counter-claim on your behalf within a set period, while others simply notify you and leave you to act alone. Before signing with any distributor, ask directly: “What is your procedure when you receive an ownership dispute on my music?” The answer will tell you a lot.
When are the earnings actually lost?
There are cases where frozen earnings are hard to recover:
- If the period allowed for objecting ended without you taking action.
- If the dispute was settled in the other party's favour by a final ruling.
- If the distributor itself was a party to the dispute against you, and your contract with it gave it broad powers over your rights.
- If the account was closed permanently before the pending earnings were settled.
How do you protect yourself before a dispute happens?
- Register your works with your local authors' rights society or any internationally recognised body.
- Keep the original project files along with their cloud save dates as proof of precedence.
- Read the distribution agreement carefully, and check the clauses on disputes and indemnity.
- Choose a distributor that is transparent about its dispute policies and does not impose undisclosed fees on statements.
Summary
Your earnings do not automatically disappear when your account is suspended, but they are at real risk if you do nothing. Moving fast, gathering documents and contacting both the distributor and the platform is what separates the artist who recovers what they are owed from the one who loses it in silence. Choosing a distributor that stands with you at moments like these is an essential part of any sound professional relationship.