Rights to distribute
Record the legal right to distribute the AI output and every sample, lyric, voice, image, and contribution included in the submitted release.
The fast answer
Do not choose an AI music distributor from a single “accepts AI” promise. First make a release specification: confirm your rights, document what the generation tool says about its source model and use terms, decide the accurate AI-credit category, and map any store-level exclusions. Then compare distributors against that fixed record.
The release specification
Four fields to complete before distribution
Source-model evidence
Save the generator’s current terms, ownership statement, and any disclosure about training-data licensing. TuneCore specifically points creators to tool documentation and licensing disclosures.
Truthful AI credits
Separate AI-generated lyrics, composition, all-audio generation, and part-audio generation. They are different factual descriptions, not interchangeable labels.
Destination map
Write down the intended stores and the exclusions that apply to this exact release. A distributor may accept the release while individual destinations do not.
What the primary policy pages mean in practice
Use each policy page for the question it actually answers
| Policy question | Current primary-source signal | Record before uploading |
|---|---|---|
| Can the distributor take AI-made music? | DistroKid says it accepts music created with AI tools if the release follows the stated rules. | The current policy URL and access date, not an assumption based on an older upload. |
| Who is responsible for rights? | DistroKid says the uploader must own 100% of the rights, including the right to distribute material from AI tools, samples, and lyrics. | The output-rights record plus permissions for anything added to it. |
| Does the generator’s source model matter? | TuneCore says its GenAI eligibility requires underlying models that rely on fully licensed datasets. | The generator’s relevant public disclosure or terms; if there is no clear disclosure, treat that as an unresolved compatibility question. |
| Will every store get the release? | RouteNote says its Korean-store partners do not accept AI-generated releases. | The requested store list and the stores you know are excluded for the release type. |
The table separates a distributor’s upload rule, a generator/source-model rule, and a store-delivery rule. None is a substitute for the others.
Six-step workflow
Use the specification to make the upload form routine
- Freeze the audio and release contributors. Choose the exact file, artist identity, lyrics, voice, samples, artwork, and collaborators that will be submitted.
- Clear the rights chain. Confirm you have the rights to distribute each component. Do not use a real person’s identity, voice, or likeness without permission.
- Check the generator’s public record. Save the creation tool’s current terms and rights/training disclosure. This is especially material where the distributor assesses a tool’s licensed-data status.
- Choose the factual AI-credit description. If the distributor asks, select what actually applies: lyrics, music, all audio, or part of the audio. DistroKid says these credits can be updated after upload.
- Build the destination map. Select stores only after checking relevant exclusions. For example, RouteNote lists Melon, Bugs!, Flo, and Vibe as unavailable for AI-generated releases.
- Submit and preserve the release record. Save the policy pages checked, the selected destinations, the disclosure choices, and the submission confirmation together.
The key distinction
A distributor approval, a store delivery, and a rights assessment are different events
DistroKid’s acceptance rule asks whether you hold the rights and comply with content guidelines. TuneCore’s framework adds a source-model requirement for GenAI eligibility. RouteNote’s Korean-store rule shows that a release can be permitted at the distributor layer yet not be sent to every destination.
That layered reality is why an AI music distribution plan should start with a release specification. It makes the evidence visible before you spend time completing metadata and upload forms.
Original visual: a workflow illustration, not a representation of any company interface or policy.
Checked source pages
Primary pages used for this guide
- DistroKid: Can I Upload Music Made With AI Tools? — rights, impersonation, infringement, and mass-generation rules.
- DistroKid: What Are AI Credits? and How to Fill Out AI Credits — AI disclosure categories and post-upload changes.
- TuneCore: GenAI Music Content Framework — fully licensed-dataset requirement and creator due diligence.
- RouteNote: Why is my release blocked on Korean stores? — AI-release store exclusions.
Policy pages checked 2026-10-08 (UTC). This is operational guidance, not legal advice. Rules can change.