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.
The scenario nobody expects
Imagine you signed with a music distributor on a fixed annual fee, released your album, and quietly started collecting your monthly earnings. Then an email arrives telling you the fee has gone up by 30% or 50% starting next month. What exactly happens to your money? This article answers that directly.
How the increase actually affects your numbers
In most cases the distributor does not take a commission on every stream; it charges a fixed fee up front in exchange for continuing to distribute. When that fee rises suddenly, the impact shows up on three levels:
- Erosion of your net profit margin: If you collect 200 riyals a month and your annual fee was 150 riyals, raising it to 300 riyals means you have moved into an actual loss without your revenue changing at all.
- Disruption of your pricing plan: Many artists price an album or plan promotional campaigns based on a specific distribution cost. A sudden increase throws those calculations off.
- Pressure that affects decisions: Some artists rush to pull their music or change distributor in a disorganised way, which takes the music off the platforms for weeks or months, and that hurts the algorithms and the followers.
What does the contract usually say?
This is the most important point. Most distribution contracts include a clause giving the distributor the right to change prices with advance notice, which may be 30 days or less. If you accepted the terms of service without reading them, then legally you agreed to that right. So the first step is always to go back to the original contract and read the "price changes" or "changes to terms" clause.
In some cases the contract gives you the right to cancel without penalty if you reject the new terms, but that right is limited to a short window. If you miss the deadline to respond, you are treated as having agreed automatically.
Practical steps when you receive a price increase notice
- Read the notice in full as soon as it arrives: Note the effective date and how long you have to respond.
- Calculate the real impact on your earnings: Add up your current monthly revenue and multiply it by 12, then subtract the new fee. If the difference makes distribution economically unviable, the decision becomes clear.
- Look for alternatives before you rush: Compare distributors on fees, terms and duration before making any decision.
- Plan the move calmly: Move your music to the new distributor first and make sure it is live before you cancel the old subscription, because a gap hurts your standing in the platforms' algorithms.
- Hold on to your UPC and ISRC codes: These codes are the digital identity of your music. Some distributors own them instead of you, which complicates a move. Confirm you own them before you leave.
Why a revenue share model set out in the offer protects you more
When a distributor works on transparent fixed fees with no commission on streams, the potential impact of any increase is limited and predictable. But when a distributor takes a commission on every stream on top of fees that can change, the artist is hit twice at once. At Mazufa we work according to the fees and deductions set out in the offer and the contract, which means your revenue from the platforms reaches you in full without a percentage taken from every stream or sale.
Prevention is better than cure
Before signing with any distributor, ask these questions directly:
- Do you have the right to change prices during the subscription period? And how much advance notice do you give?
- Who owns the UPC and ISRC codes for my music?
- Can I cancel without penalty if I reject the new terms?
- Is the fee per track or per account?
Clear answers to these questions reveal how much the distributor respects your rights. If they dodge the question or the terms are vague, that in itself is enough information to make the right decision.
Summary
A mid-contract price increase from a distributor is not just an annoyance; it can turn a profitable activity into a real financial burden. The answer is not panic, but a clear understanding of your contractual rights, a calculation of the actual impact on your earnings, and then a calm move to an alternative that gives you longer-term stability and more transparent terms.