DSP = Digital Service Provider, or a digital music platform that provides music to end users – listeners.

🟢 The most well-known DSPs include:

Spotify
Apple Music
Deezer
YouTube Music
Amazon Music
Tidal
TikTok (uses music for videos)
Instagram Music (music in Stories and Reels)

…and over 200 others

🎯 How do I know if I have a quality track ready for release?
Anyone can release a track these days – the question is whether it’s really worth releasing. If you want your music to stand out among millions of new releases and pass The Orchard’s approval, you should meet a few points:

1️⃣Technical quality
The Orchard and streaming platforms require:

• Format: WAV 16bit/44.1 kHz or better (24bit/48 kHz)
• No clipping – volume optimized for streaming (Spotify loudness around -14 LUFS)
• Clean master – no noise, crackling or unnatural jumps
• Stereo – no mono export
• No watermarks (e.g. “producer tag” unless it’s part of the artistic intent)

💡Tip: Before releasing, do an A/B comparison with professional releases in a similar genre.

2️⃣Musical and Artistic Readiness

• Track has a clear structure – intro, drop/chorus, break, outro
• Vocals are clear and well-balanced
• Instrument mix is ​​balanced (no instrument overpowers the others)
• Track sounds consistent on different devices (headphones, speakers, car)
• Artist is 100% happy with the result – if you’re not sure, postpone the release and come back to it later

3️⃣Legal Cleanliness

• The Orchard will reject a track if:
• Contains an illegally used sample (without a license)
• Uses parts of other copyrighted music
• Contains vulgar, offensive or prohibited content without proper labeling (Explicit)

💡Tip: If you’re using a sample pack, always make sure you have a royalty-free license for commercial use.

4️⃣Correct metadata

For release approval, the following must be present:

• Artist’s name spelled correctly and consistent across platforms
• Track name exactly according to the cover and intent (no unnecessary characters, emojis, etc.)
• Featuring guests marked correctly as feat. Artist Name
• People who collaborated on the song spelled correctly -> mastering, instrumentalists, producer, songwriter…
• Genre and sub-genre relevant to the music

5️⃣Cover artwork

The Orchard has clear requirements:

• Resolution: at least 3000×3000 px, JPG/PNG format
• No streaming service logo (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.)
• No offensive content (or marked explicitly)
• No web addresses, social networks, or contacts
• No foreign names like AVICII, Pitbull, Postmalone…

⚠️Why be careful what you release

Every track you release stays on the internet forever – and becomes part of your artistic portfolio. If you release something that is not up to your level:

• Listeners may classify you as “unprofessional”
• Streaming platform algorithms will not recommend you, which is the biggest advantage of Sony’s system -> playlist curators listen to you
• It will hinder your brand building

So don’t release just to “release something” – release when the track is ready to represent you and your sound.

❓ Can I release a track with vocals that are not mine?

Yes, but only with permission. You need a written license or contract with the singer/master owner. The license must clearly state that it entitles you to distribution and monetization. 

Tip: get the publishing (author of the lyrics/melody) confirmed as well, so that everything is legally covered.

❌ What if I want to remove a track from the platforms?
If you want to download a released track from all digital stores (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.), just write us an email at:

📩info@madhall.com
Indicate the song title and ISRC code in the message, your musical name by which we can find and identify the track.

🕒How long does it take?
After receiving the request, we will send an official takedown request via The Orchard. The track will then disappear from stores usually within 7-30 days, sometimes longer – depending on the platform.

⚠️Important: Think it over in advance
Removing a track from platforms is not a common practice and usually only happens in exceptional cases (e.g. a mistake in the master, bad vocals, legal issues). Therefore, we recommend that you think carefully before releasing the track that it is final and ready for official release.

1. It’s easy
Just send us a short email to info@madhall.com with the subject line “Cancellation of membership” and your name. We will confirm within 7 days:

• Immediately stop payments for your plan
• Deactivation of your account in The Orchard

2. What happens after cancellation
✅All previously released tracks will remain online and will continue to stream
❌You will lose access to The Orchard platform (analytics, Content ID, catalog management)
❌We will no longer send you payments from existing releases and they will be forfeited to us unless you upload your tracks to a new distributor.
❌You will not be able to add new tracks or edit metadata

3. Why many artists still keep their membership

• Premium distribution to 100+ platforms including TikTok, IG Reels and YouTube ContentID.
• Detailed stream analytics in real time.
• Priority support – we handle claims and takedowns for you.

Tip: If you just need a break, write to us – we can “freeze” your membership instead of completely canceling it. That way you won’t lose your data or access and you can come back at any time without any setup fees.

DistroKid – self-service for DIY: a few clicks, minimal support, no pitching.
Amuse – “free-first” model, limited stores, support only by email.

The Orchard x MAD-HALL – label-grade service

• 200+ DSPs including TikTok, Shazam
• personal label manager and fast support
• the platform is used by world-class artists and labels (Pitbull, David Guetta, Skrillex, Nas, Netflix, NBA…)

• Still yours. MAD-HALL and The Orchard do not own your master.
• You are only granting us a non-exclusive license to distribute the track so that we can distribute it to platforms and pay you the revenue.
• You can request a takedown at any time and the rights remain yours.

Distributor vs. Label – what’s the difference?

Distributor

What they do:

A distributor is a service or company that gets your music onto digital platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube Music, TikTok, etc.). They don’t take care of your content creatively – they don’t provide recording, covers, marketing, booking, or tell you what kind of music to make. A distributor mainly handles the technical side – recording, metadata, codes (ISRC, UPC), reporting, and revenue payout.

Examples: The Orchard, DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby.

Label

What they do:

A label is a company or brand that actively invests in and participates in your music – often financing recordings, videos, promos, bookings, merch, and sometimes tours. They own the rights to your recordings for a certain period of time (sometimes forever) and take a share of the revenue. A label can be small (indie label) or large (major label like Sony Music, Universal Music, Warner Music).

What is MAD-HALL in relation to The Orchard?

MAD-HALL is a distribution portal connected to The Orchard. Artists who distribute through MAD-HALL do not enter into a direct contractual relationship with The Orchard – we are their local intermediary who represents your accounts on their platform. Without representation, it is almost impossible to get into The Orchard because it is a Sony Music system – so they play in a completely different league than, for example, Distrokid, where they open up only a fraction of the possibilities and no one represents you.

Yes, you can – but it’s important to know how to properly release them through The Orchard so that they display correctly on the platforms and don’t cause any issues.

✅Instrumental Versions

If you want to release an instrumental version of your song, do it as a separate track or release.
When uploading to The Orchard:Add “(Instrumental)” to the song title
Midnight Sky (Instrumental)

• You can add it to the original release as a bonus, or release it separately

📌Never upload it under the same name without attribution – platforms may consider it a duplicate.

✅Remixes

A remix is ​​a new version of a song, often by a different producer.

When releasing a remix through The Orchard:

• Include the name of the remixer and remixer in the song title
  Fever (DJ Skala Remix)
• Make sure you have permission to remix unless it’s your own song
• You can release the remix as a stand-alone single or as part of an EP with multiple versions

📌If the remix is ​​your own song, you don’t need permission – but you must always label it correctly.

✅ Live version

You can also release a live version (from a concert, studio or session) – but be careful about the correct labeling:

• Add “(Live)” to the song title
  Fire in the Night (Live)
• If you’re releasing a full live album, you can also include it in the release title
  Live in Prague 2025

📌 The live version must actually be recorded live – if it’s just a different mix, label it differently (e.g. “Acoustic Version”).

⚠️ Things to watch out for when releasing via The Orchard:

• Each version of a song (original, remix, instrumental, live) must be uploaded as a new product or track in the system
• You may not use the same ISRC codes for different versions – each version has its own
• The version type designation (Instrumental / Remix / Live) must be directly in the song title, otherwise your releases risk being rejected or marked as duplicate

Summary:

• Yes, you can release instrumentals, remixes and live versions
• Tag them correctly in the title and upload them as separate tracks
• Everything is resolved when uploading via Product Builder in The Orchard

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