Choosing a music distributor in India: eight questions to ask
Every distributor will put your song on Spotify. Where they differ is everything else: what you pay, what you keep, and what happens when something goes wrong.
Do I keep my rights?
You should keep full ownership of your songs, with the distributor allowed only to deliver them and collect what they earn. On Nenco, you keep everything, and that permission ends when you take a release down.
What does it cost, and when?
Some distributors charge for each release, some charge every year, and some keep a share of what the music earns. Ask what happens to your songs if you stop paying a yearly plan. Nenco charges nothing up front and keeps a share once your music earns; the terms give the number.
How do I get paid?
In rupees, to your own Indian bank account? Ask what's needed first (usually your PAN) and what the smallest payout is. Nenco pays in rupees to your bank, after a person checks each payout.
When will I see my earnings?
Stores report plays about three months after they happen, then every month. No distributor can pay faster than the stores report, so treat anything quicker with care. The whole timeline.
Can I split a song with my collaborators?
If a song belongs to the singer, the composer and the lyricist together, can each of them see their own share? On Nenco, you set the shares once, and each collaborator gets their own statement.
Which stores, and which Indian ones?
Spotify is a given. Check for JioSaavn, Gaana, YouTube Music with Content ID, Instagram, and caller tunes: in India, that's where most of your listeners are.
What does it cost to take a song down?
You may want to leave one day, or move a song to a label. Ask what a takedown costs and how long it takes before you need one. Nenco's price and steps are in its refund and service policy.
Can I reach a person?
When a release is sent back two days before its date, a help page won't do. Ask who you talk to, in which language, and how fast they answer.
Ask all eight, and pick the distributor whose answers you can read in its terms.
Ours are in the terms. Talk to us if anything is unclear.