release music on YouTube Music and earn money on YouTube.
for many listeners, YouTube is the first port of call for music – but a video on your channel is not yet a release on YouTube Music. through OGRECORDS™, you officially deliver your song to YouTube Music. optionally, Content ID also protects and monetizes your music in other people's videos.
- 10% revenue share, no subscription
- ISRC & UPC included
- you keep your masters
- delivery time after approval
- 2–5 business daysYouTube Music
- estimated per stream value
- ≈ $0.0015≈ $1.50 per 1,000 streams, gross
- our commission
- 10%revenue share · no subscription, no setup fees
- master rights
- 100%remain yours – always
YouTube Music is not your YouTube channel
when you release a song through a distributor, YouTube creates an "art track" from it: the audio track with your cover, labeled "provided to YouTube by...". these tracks appear in YouTube Music and on an automatically created topic channel. you continue to upload music videos to your own channel – both together make up your complete YouTube presence.
request official artist channel
With an Official Artist Channel, YouTube merges your own channel and your Topic Channel: subscribers, videos, and releases in one place, with a music note next to your name. Requirements include at least three official releases delivered to YouTube through a distributor. After the release, we'll show you in the catalog how to apply.
content id: earn money when others use your song
content id recognizes your music in other users' videos and shorts and pays you the ad revenue from them – for reactions, covers, dance videos, or background music. important: you may only activate content id if you have exclusive rights to the entire recording. a beat with a non-exclusive license or a royalty-free sample will otherwise lead to false claims against third parties.
How much does YouTube Music pay?
YouTube Music pays for streams from ad and premium revenue. Per stream, this is less than pure subscription services, but the reach is enormous. Content ID revenue from other people's videos is also added. You can find the conditions for UGC revenue on Pricing.
5 steps to get your song on YouTube Music
- 01
register for free
create an account, digitally sign the distribution agreement, confirm your identity.
- 02
upload track and cover
WAV, FLAC, or AIFF plus artwork of at least 3000 × 3000 pixels. The artwork becomes the image for your Art Track.
- 03
enter metadata
Title, artist, credits, and genre. Clean names ensure that YouTube assigns the song to the correct Topic Channel.
- 04
Select YouTube Music and Content ID
YouTube Music is pre-selected. only activate Content ID if you exclusively own the recording.
- 05
submit and connect channel
after the release, link the art track to your channel and – once the requirements are met – apply for an official artist channel.
how much do streams on YouTube Music pay?
YouTube Music pays less per stream than subscription services because a large portion of its usage is ad-supported. The values below refer only to streams on YouTube Music – Content ID earnings from other people's videos are additional.
Industry averages, not a guarantee. More on rates and deductions at How much does Spotify pay per stream? and Pricing.
How to get more out of YouTube
shorts with your sound
Short clips with your song's hook are the fastest way to new listeners on YouTube. With Content ID, you also earn from others' Shorts.
separate music video and art track
upload your music video yourself and refrain from additionally posting the pure audio track as a video – this only duplicates views, which take reach from each other.
content id only with clean rights
licensed beats, samples, or loops without exclusive rights are the most common reason for disputes over claims. if in doubt, omit content id.
Smartlink with a YouTube button
Guide fans to YouTube Music, Spotify, and Apple Music simultaneously with a Smartlink – everyone lands in their preferred app.
ready for YouTube Music?
account in minutes, release wizard guides you through every step.
frequently asked questions about YouTube Music
How do I get my music on YouTube Music?
Through a music distributor. An upload to your YouTube channel alone does not appear as a release in YouTube Music.
what is a topic channel?
An automatically generated YouTube channel where songs you've distributed appear as Art Tracks. With an Official Artist Channel, it merges with your own channel.
what is content id and do i need it?
content id recognizes your music in other people's videos and monetizes it for you. it's useful if you exclusively own the recording – you should avoid it with licensed beats or samples.
will my own video be blocked by content id?
if a claim is made on a video on your own channel, contact support – we will resolve the claim with YouTube.
How long does it take for my song to get on YouTube Music?
after our review and delivery, usually a few business days. plan at least one week in advance.
What does it cost to release on YouTube Music?
no fixed costs. we retain 10% of streaming revenue; the conditions for content id earnings are transparently listed on the pricing page.
your release doesn't just appear on YouTube Music
With the same upload, you deliver to all platforms in the network – here are the instructions for the most important ones.
your song on YouTube Music.
official art track, topic channel, and optional content id – from one upload, no subscription.
YouTube Music is a trademark of its respective owner. OGRECORDS™ is an independent music distributor and is not affiliated with YouTube Music.