Distrokids cannot process Backing tracks? Any suggestions

[rob aylestone]

I've been quite happy with Distrokids for my original material, but this week decided I'd try some well known tracks for musicians to play to, or singers to do a bit of karaoke style stuff. Distrokids has the check box that asks if it's your composition, but you can stick up cover versions quite happily and split the income - you have the fudge of having to enter the songwriter's details etc, but doable. I spent the day compiling and uploading some stuff - and got the usual emails - then I got one telling me I needed to abort the issue as Distrokids do not at this time submit backing tracks. iTunes and Spotify of course have them available, so presumably it's a licensing issue Distrokids can't do, rather than Spotify and others saying no.

Does anyone have an alternative organisation who can get backing tracks onto Spotify and iTunes - I'm not too bothered about Amazon or Google play or the other streaming sites - most people would want to buy the complete album or individual tracks.

Any clues folks?

 

[VomitHatSteve]

Maybe check harry fox to see if you can license the song directly.
I don't recall if DK has a checkbox for "this is a cover, but I have licensed it correctly through other channels", but if you contact their customer support, you should be able to sort it out.

 

[rob aylestone]

They do have that - putting the onus directly on you, but that means you pay for potentially sales you didn't get. I can do it direct internationally from the UK, but it's messy with downloads as reports come in 2-3 months after the sales and streams happen, so you will always be behind. With own material, it's so easy. I've found a potential solution, but again, I need to try it on one title and see what happens. Distrokids also infer that Youtube is a problem because their content ID refers to the original recording not the cover, so it could mis-report? I like the system for own works, and it looks like it could work for anything that isn't remotely karaoke. I'm wondering if it will allow instrumentals as 'covers'? Not clear, so maybe I will try one and see what happens. Not certain if it was the word "backing track" after the song title that did it, or NOT ticking the instrumental box. I'll give one track a go.