AI music distributors · policy snapshot

Pick the distributor by its hard AI limits, not its marketing line.

For an AI-generated release, DistroKid gives the clearest granular disclosure path and lists unlimited song uploads; LANDR gives the clearest numeric monthly caps and destination exclusions; RouteNote is the $0-upfront option only when its named destination exclusions fit your release plan.

Rules checked on 2026-10-03 (UTC). Policies can change; every row below links to the page used for this snapshot.

Fast decision: Need an explicit per-month AI ceiling and an exclusion list? Start with LANDR. Need an unlimited-upload policy statement plus a four-choice AI-credit flow? Start with DistroKid. Need no annual fee and can accept 85% earnings? Start with RouteNote.

Verified comparison: money, cap, excluded destinations, and disclosure

This is the first decision screen. “Not stated” means the specific checked policy does not state a number or a fixed list; it is not a claim that no other restriction exists.

DistributorMoneyAI quantity limitNamed AI destination exclusionsDisclosure pathPolicy page / checked
DistroKidUS$24.99/year for Musician. DistroKid says it passes 100% of service earnings, less banking fees and applicable taxes.Unlimited song uploads are listed on every plan. The checked AI rule states no separate AI-only numeric cap.No fixed AI-only store-exclusion list is named in the checked AI rule. It requires compliance with each streaming service’s content rules.During upload choose Lyrics, Music, All audio, or Part of audio. “All audio” then asks Human artist or AI persona. Credits can be updated after upload.AI rule · AI credits · pricing
Checked 2026-10-03
LANDRLANDR’s site shows plans starting at US$8.25/month. US$8.25 × 12 = US$99/year; this is an annualized calculation from that stated monthly starting price. LANDR says creators keep 100% of royalties.20 AI tracks/month: ALC, Distribution Basic, Distribution Mobile, Studio Mobile, Studio Essentials. 60/month: Distribution Pro, Distribution + Mastering, Studio Standard, Studio Pro.YouTube Content ID; Meta (Facebook/Instagram); TikTok; Deezer; Lissen; Pandora; Tencent.Disclose AI-generated elements during upload. No documents are required at upload; proof may be requested if flagged. AI cover songs are not accepted.AI rule and cap · starting price
Checked 2026-10-03
RouteNoteUS$0 upfront, no annual fee, 85% of earnings on its Free option.No numeric AI-track cap is stated in the checked AI-release and formatting documents.Content Recognition DSP options; Amazon; Melon, Genie, Bugs, Flo, and Vibe (Korean partner stores).Do not credit or reference the AI company. Use the primary artist’s legal name in C and P lines; RouteNote suggests the primary artist as Producer. Moderation can request links to the source services.AI release rule · formatting rule · Free plan
Checked 2026-10-03
Download the printable CSV comparisonJump to the release run

A repeatable AI-music release run

Run this sequence once per release. It turns the comparison above into a traceable submission instead of a blind upload.

  1. Make a rights packet before choosing a service. Save the generator plan, the date of generation, your prompt/project record, and every human contribution. If the work came from Suno, confirm commercial-use eligibility from the plan active when the output was created; a later paid plan does not retroactively grant commercial use to free-plan outputs.
  2. Choose the destination set first. Write the stores you need. Remove LANDR’s seven named AI exclusions if using LANDR; remove RouteNote’s Content Recognition option, Amazon, and named Korean partners if using RouteNote. If you need one of those named destinations, this is a hard stop—not a metadata preference.
  3. Set the upload count against the provider’s actual cap. LANDR: put the planned tracks against 20 or 60 per month according to the exact plan. DistroKid: retain the plan page showing unlimited uploads and record that the AI rule states no separate AI cap. RouteNote: record that no numeric cap is stated in its checked AI documents.
  4. Fill the AI field exactly once and save the choice. At DistroKid select Lyrics, Music, All audio, or Part of audio; if All audio, choose Human artist or AI persona. At LANDR disclose the AI-generated elements. At RouteNote remove AI-company credits and fill the C/P line with the primary artist’s legal name.
  5. Submit one reversible test release before a catalogue batch. Save the submission timestamp, chosen destinations, disclosure values, and support case number if one opens. A single release gives you a record when an account-level or release-level decision later conflicts with another outcome.
  6. Check the live delivery against the original destination list. Compare actual delivery with the selected stores, not just “approved” status. Keep the receipt, distributor release ID, and a dated screenshot in the same rights packet.

Three outcome conflicts to design around

These are conflicting observed outcomes, not provider promises. Their value is the decision they force before you commit a whole catalogue.

1. Same distributor, clean catalogue vs. account rejection

Case A: a catalogue was released without issue. Case B: an AI submission at the same distributor was held and then rejected at account level. The conflict is not “which plan is cheaper”; it is whether your exact account and release pass.

Action: run the one-release test in step 5 before a batch.

2. Earlier delivery vs. later AI rejection

Case A: earlier songs reached streaming services. Case B: later tracks were rejected as AI by the same distribution path. The conflict is whether a past live release predicts the next review.

Action: preserve the new submission’s AI disclosure and destination list; do not treat old availability as a waiver.

3. Distribution approval vs. copyright scope

Case A: a release was distributed. Case B: copyright protection depends on human-authored expressive material, not on distribution alone. The conflict is approval for delivery versus the scope of authorship protection.

Action: keep human-writing, arrangement, recording, and editing evidence separate from the distribution receipt.

For the authorship point, see the U.S. Copyright Office’s AI guidance. This page is operational information, not legal advice.

Dated comparison data

Every row says what was checked, when, and what number or limitation it yielded.

Date checked (UTC)PublisherWhat the page statesNumber / limitation captured
2026-10-03DistroKidPlan pageUS$24.99/year Musician; unlimited uploads.
2026-10-03DistroKidAI-credit instructionsFour disclosure choices; “All audio” adds human artist vs. AI persona.
2026-10-03LANDRAI track policy20 or 60 AI tracks/month by listed plan; seven named destination exclusions.
2026-10-03LANDRHomepageStarting US$8.25/month; annualized arithmetic: 8.25 × 12 = US$99.
2026-10-03RouteNoteFree-distribution and AI-release pagesUS$0 upfront/no annual fee, 85% earnings; no numeric AI cap stated in the checked AI documents.

Source pages for this snapshot