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 you care about this subject now?
Many artists sign the distribution agreement and then forget about it completely. But digital distribution companies are commercial entities, and any commercial entity may amend its terms, merge with another company, change its business model, or face legal pressure that pushes it to rewrite its intellectual property policy. The problem is that these changes are sometimes applied before the artist knows about them, and their consequences can be immediate and hard to undo.
What actually changes on the platforms?
When a distributor amends its intellectual property policy, that is reflected in your songs in several ways:
- Changing ownership metadata (Ownership Metadata): The rights holder's name may be re-registered differently in the databases of platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music, which affects the flow of earnings.
- Amending the licensing terms: Some distributors include clauses giving them the right to license your songs to third parties such as advertising and music libraries if the terms change and you do not object.
- Freezing or deleting songs: In cases of legal disputes or a restructuring of the company, your songs may be pulled from the platforms temporarily or permanently without prior notice.
- Transferring money owed to you: If the earnings distribution policy changes, you may find that your share has dropped or that new fees have been deducted without notice.
- Changing the distributor's powers over your recordings (Master Rights): In the most serious cases, the new terms may include clauses granting the distributor broader powers over your sound recordings.
How does this happen legally?
Most digital distribution contracts contain a clause allowing the company to amend the terms by sending a notice by email or publishing the update on its official website. If you carry on using the service after the amendment is published, that counts in most jurisdictions as implicit acceptance. In other words: your silence equals your consent.
The problem is that many artists do not read the distributor's messages regularly, or these messages arrive in the spam folder. As a result the artist discovers the change weeks or months later, and the time available to object may have passed.
Practical steps to protect your songs
- Read your contract now: Look for clauses along the lines of “we reserve the right to amend these terms” and understand the procedure you are required to follow to object.
- Turn on email notifications: Add the distributor's email address to your safe contacts list so its messages do not get lost.
- Keep a copy of your own ISRC and UPC codes: These identifiers are proof of your ownership of the recording, and keeping them makes it easier to move your songs' distribution if you decide to change distributor.
- Register your works with an independent rights collection body: Registering with an authors' and composers' society such as ASCAP or BMI or their local equivalents gives you an extra layer of protection independent of the distributor.
- Review the distributor's dashboard monthly: Check the ownership data displayed and make sure your name is registered correctly on the platforms.
- Ask before you sign: Check explicitly that the distributor retains no right in your recordings and cannot license them to third parties without your explicit permission.
What do you do if you discover a change that harms you?
If you find that the distributor has amended terms that affect your rights negatively, act quickly in the following order: first, document the change with dated screenshots. Second, send a formal written objection to the distributor by email and keep a copy. Third, consult a lawyer specialising in intellectual property if the potential loss is large. Fourth, if you decide to leave, make sure you meet the contract's termination conditions before moving your distribution to another party.
Why do a distributor's terms matter more than you imagine?
A good distributor is a transparent intermediary that gives you full control over your songs, while the wrong distributor can turn into a legal burden. At Mazufa, we believe the artist should keep full ownership of their intellectual property, and that the terms should be clear, stable and not subject to sudden change. Before you choose any distributor, ask the most important question: who actually owns your songs when this contract is signed?