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 problem many artists do not expect
The other distributor runs on an automatically renewing annual subscription, which means that the continued distribution of your music is tied directly to your credit card. When the card expires or the charge fails for any reason, a chain of events begins that can end with your music being deleted from Spotify and the rest of the platforms.
What actually happens, step by step?
- Payment failure: When the annual renewal date comes around, the other distributor tries to charge the subscription fee to your card. If the attempt fails, it sends a notice to your registered email.
- Grace period: The site gives you a limited window to update your payment details before taking any action. Check the other distributor's published policy for its current length.
- Account freeze or cancellation: If the payment is not renewed during the grace period, the account moves to an inactive state and the process of pulling the music from the platforms begins.
- Notifying the platforms of the removal: The other distributor sends a takedown request to Spotify, Apple Music and the rest of the platforms the content is distributed to.
- The actual deletion: Removing the songs from the platforms usually takes several days to weeks, depending on each platform's policy.
What does this mean for your numbers and your revenue?
Once your song is deleted from Spotify, it disappears from search results, the playlists that included it stop playing it, and new listeners lose any way to reach it. Re-uploading the song later does not automatically restore the listening statistics or your position in the algorithm, since the platform treats it as new content.
As for the accumulated earnings that have not been withdrawn, check the other distributor's policy directly for the details of what happens to balances when an account is cancelled.
Practical steps to protect your music
- Turn on alerts on your email: Make sure the email registered with the other distributor is one you check regularly.
- Update your card details in advance: At least a month before your card expires, go into your account settings and update the payment information.
- Check the balance on your prepaid card: If you use a prepaid card, make sure there is enough balance on it at the renewal date.
- Keep a copy of your audio files and metadata: Save the original WAV or MP3 files and the details of every release (ISRC, UPC, album name, release year) somewhere safe.
- Record your own ISRC codes: These codes are tied to the sound recording, not to the distributor; keep them, as they may be useful when you redistribute.
Can the songs be restored after deletion?
You can redistribute your songs after renewing the subscription or moving to another distributor, but you will start from zero in the algorithm. Some platforms such as Spotify may keep the song's URI if it is re-uploaded with the same ISRC, which can help restore some of the old links, but this is not guaranteed in every case.
Is there an alternative that spares you this worry?
Some music distribution services work on models other than the annual subscription. For example, Mazufa provides music distribution on the fees and deductions set out in the offer and the contract, which means you do not face the risk of the service being cut off because of a problem with your payment details.
Summary
The problem of a credit card expiring with another distributor can cost you an audience you built up over time. The simplest fix is to keep track of your payment details and update them before they expire, and always keep copies of your files and your ISRC codes. Most important is to understand properly the terms of service you rely on before you entrust your content to them.