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 thinks about until it happens
Imagine you have built up thousands of streams on Spotify over months, the payout date arrives, and then you discover that the distribution company you work with has declared bankruptcy or suddenly stopped operating. What happens to your song? Does it disappear from the platforms? And who keeps the accumulated earnings? This article answers these questions with practical steps.
First: what happens to the song on Spotify specifically?
When the distributor goes bankrupt, the song does not disappear from Spotify or the other platforms immediately. The audio files are stored on the platform's servers, not the distributor's. But the contractual relationship between the distributor and the platform may end, which can lead to the content being removed within weeks if nobody steps in.
In practice, major platforms such as Spotify grant a transition period before deleting content tied to a distributor that has stopped operating, though this is not a contractual guarantee but a customary practice.
Second: where do the held earnings go?
When the distributor goes bankrupt, the accumulated unpaid earnings become part of the bankrupt company's assets and enter legal liquidation proceedings. You may wait months or years before they are recovered, if they are recovered at all. Artists in this situation are usually classed as "unsecured creditors", and they are the last to be paid in the legal order of priority.
Third: do you actually own your song?
That depends on your agreement with the distributor. Most digital distribution agreements state that the artist keeps ownership of the copyright and the recording, while the distributor holds only the distribution right for a set period. If this agreement ends or is cancelled because of the bankruptcy, the distribution right returns to you in theory, but proving it in practice requires documents.
Steps to take as soon as you learn your distributor has gone bankrupt
- Document everything immediately: Keep copies of the distribution agreement, the earnings statements, previous payment receipts, and any email correspondence.
- Contact Spotify for Artists directly: Through the Spotify for Artists portal, you can report an issue relating to your distributor and ask for clarification on the status of your content.
- Contact an alternative distributor immediately: Some distributors offer a catalogue transfer service. The faster you move, the smaller the gap of absence from the platforms.
- Register your works with collecting societies (PROs): Such as ASCAP or BMI or their equivalent in your country. These bodies collect public performance rights independently of the distributor, which protects part of your income.
- Consult a specialist lawyer: If the held earnings are substantial, filing a legal claim as a creditor in the bankruptcy proceedings may be necessary.
How do you protect yourself in future, before this happens?
- Choose a distributor with a clear and transparent financial record: Companies with published financial reports are more accountable.
- Do not let earnings pile up for long: Request a payout regularly whenever you reach the minimum allowed threshold.
- Read the termination clause carefully: Make sure it states your right to recover your catalogue and move it if the company stops operating.
- Distribute your works through more than one channel: Some artists turn to different distributors for different catalogues to reduce the risk of relying on a single party.
- Keep your original files: The masters and the full metadata (Metadata) on your own storage at all times.
Summary
Your distributor going bankrupt is not the end of your music career, but it is a real crisis that demands fast, organised action. Your song does not necessarily disappear, but your earnings are in real danger if you do not act. Real protection starts with choosing a trustworthy distributor, reading agreements carefully, and always keeping your own original copies and your rights documented in your name. In the world of digital distribution, prevention starts before you sign, not after the problem happens.