Beginner Guide
First Time Distributing
Your Music in India?
Start Here.
This guide is for artists releasing their first song online in India. We cover everything — what you need, how to prepare, what to expect, and how to go live on 150+ platforms in 72 hours, free.
Submit Your First Song Free →What You Need Before You Submit
Make sure you have all of these ready — it saves time and gets your music live faster.
✓
Audio file (WAV preferred or 320kbps MP3)
Fully mixed and mastered
✓
Square cover artwork
Minimum 3000×3000px, JPG or PNG
✓
Artist name
Exactly as you want it on streaming platforms
✓
Track name
Correct spelling — hard to change after release
✓
Genre & language
For accurate platform categorisation
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Release date
Minimum 7 days from submission date
✓
Singer, Lyric Writer, Music Director
Required by platforms for metadata
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Google Drive or WeTransfer link
To share your audio + artwork with us
✓
Active email address
For approval updates and royalty reports
6 Steps to Your First Release
01
Record & Master
Record your track and have it mixed and mastered. The audio should be clean and at streaming loudness levels. If you need mastering help, Western Beats offers production services.
02
Create Cover Art
Design a square cover image — minimum 3000×3000 pixels. Save as JPG or PNG. Canva works well for beginners. Avoid text at the edges and blurry images.
03
Prepare Your Info
Decide your artist name, track name, genre, language, and release date exactly as you want them on platforms. Once released, artist name and track name are hard to change.
04
Upload to Drive
Upload your audio file and artwork to Google Drive. Set sharing to "Anyone with the link" → "Viewer". Copy the share link.
05
Submit to Western Beats
Go to westernbeats.com/submit and fill the form. Takes about 2 minutes. We assign your free ISRC code and UPC barcode automatically.
06
Go Live in 72hrs
After our 24-hour review, your music is delivered to JioSaavn, Gaana, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and 145+ more platforms. You get notified when it is live.
Common Questions for First-Time Artists
Do I need a label to release music in India?
No. You can distribute independently through Western Beats — no label needed. You retain 100% IP ownership.
How much does it cost to release my first song?
₹0. Western Beats is completely free — no upfront fee, no subscription, no per-release charge.
What happens if I make a mistake in my metadata?
Contact us at contact@westernbeats.com before your release goes live. We can correct metadata during the review period. After a release is live, some changes (especially artist name) can be complex.
Can I release a song in my regional language?
Yes. Western Beats distributes music in Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Haryanvi, Gujarati, Marathi, and all Indian languages.
When will I start earning royalties?
Royalties start accruing from your first stream. Platforms report after a delay (typically 2 months for YouTube, quarterly for others). Western Beats pays you directly once royalties are received and processed.
Can I release the same song on YouTube too?
Yes. You can upload your official music video to your YouTube channel. Western Beats also handles YouTube Content ID, which lets you earn from other videos that use your song.
Ready for Your First Release?
Free forever · 150+ platforms · 72 hours · 100% ownership · Warner Music Partner
Submit Your Music Free →