Why a contract is required
Distributing music through DistroVibe means we're delivering your recordings to stores under agreed terms — royalty handling, content responsibilities, and platform rules. This requires a signed agreement before your account gets full access to release music, similar to how any distribution or label deal works.
Which contract applies to you
There are two contract types, and which one you're asked to sign depends on your account type:
- Subscriber Contract — applies to standard Artist, Artist Pro, and Label subscribers. Covers the terms of using DistroVibe as a self-serve distribution platform.
- Artist Distribution Contract — applies to artists in the Artist Partner Program (100K+ monthly listeners, A&R-approved). Covers the specific terms of that partnership relationship, which are negotiated and reviewed individually.
When you're asked to sign
If your account requires a contract you haven't signed yet, you'll be automatically directed to the signing page when you try to access your dashboard — this happens once, and you won't be asked again once it's on file. Partner Program artists who haven't yet completed onboarding are directed to finish that first (see "The onboarding process explained") before the contract step.
What happens if you don't sign
Your dashboard access is gated behind having a signed contract on file — you can log in, but full functionality is blocked until this step is complete. This isn't a punitive measure; it's the same reason any distributor requires terms to be agreed to before releasing music through their infrastructure.
Reviewing your contract later
Once signed, you can find your contract details in your account settings. If you have questions about specific terms, open a support ticket rather than guessing — contract questions are worth getting a direct answer to.