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 should this question matter to you?
The digital music distribution industry is going through a continuous wave of acquisitions; large companies are buying smaller platforms, and investors are entering and leaving the market. If you distribute your music through an independent distributor, you are not insulated from this reality. Understanding what happens to your music in these cases is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
The basic scenarios when your distributor is sold
When a distribution company is sold or acquired by another party, one of three outcomes usually awaits you:
- Full continuity: Everything carries on as it is, and your agreement transfers to the new owner on the same terms.
- Merging the platforms: The old distributor is merged into the new owner's platform, and the interface, the terms and the fees may change gradually.
- Gradual shutdown: The new owner decides to shut down the old distributor's service entirely, and here your music is at risk if you do not act quickly.
What happens to your music specifically?
The legal fact many people do not know: the distributor does not own the rights to your music, you do. But that does not mean you are automatically safe. Here is what can actually be affected:
- Access to the streaming platforms: If the distributor shuts down without sufficient notice, your songs may be removed from Spotify, Apple Music and others until they are moved to a new distributor.
- Pending earnings: Money the platforms have collected and not yet transferred may be frozen during the sale, and recovering it may take weeks or months.
- Streaming data and analytics: Listening records and historical stats may be partly or entirely lost when moving platforms.
- The song's identifier on the streaming platforms: Your song's identifier on Spotify, for example, is tied to your account with the distributor, and changing distributor means a new identifier and losing the playlists that included it.
What does your agreement say?
Find your original agreement with the distributor and check these clauses specifically:
- The termination clause: Do you have the right to terminate the agreement if ownership of the company changes hands? Some agreements grant this right explicitly.
- The assignment clause: Does the distributor have the right to transfer its obligations to a third party without your consent?
- The notice period: How long must the distributor give you notice before any substantive change?
- The earnings recovery mechanism: How do you get back the money you have accumulated if the platform shuts down?
Practical steps to protect your music now
Do not wait until you read the acquisition news to start acting. These are measures you can take today:
- Keep a copy of all your audio files: The final masters in WAV or FLAC, somewhere safe outside the distributor's platform.
- Document your distribution data: Take regular screenshots of your stats, your earnings and the playlists your songs appear on.
- Follow your distributor's news: Subscribe to their newsletters and follow their official announcements so you are the first to know about any change.
- Understand your payment schedule: Know when your earnings are transferred, and act quickly if a payment due is late.
- Diversify your options: Some artists use one main distributor and another distributor for some releases to reduce the risk.
Choose a distributor that protects your stability
When choosing your distributor or reconsidering your options, look for platforms that are transparent in their terms, that give you the freedom to move your music without penalties, and that spell out their policy in the event of an operational change. The clearer and easier the exit terms, the safer your legal position.
Summary
Your music is always yours, but reaching your audience is tied to a contractual relationship that can change. Understanding your agreement, keeping your files, and following your distributor's situation are three measures that put you in a stronger position if things change suddenly.