Digital music distribution without and agent (CD Baby and so on... )

[an-electric-heart]

Don't worry... I'm going to Google as well.

I've got a new album coming out, for my last two records I used CD Baby for distribution. But this time I don't want to go through them. I only want itunes, Spotify and Google music. I've never wanted to go through CD Baby, in the past I just couldn't find out how to bypass them/contact distributors directly as an artist.

Like I said, I'm going to Google, I just wanted to kick of some discussion.

Cheers.

[sprnva]

Seems everyone I follow on YouTube is talking about Distrokid. $20 a year for unlimited uploads to all the stores and streaming networks.

[an-electric-heart]

No, I don't want to go through anyone. I'm asking if anyone on here just does it all manually. I've had problems with them monetizing things that I don't want monetized. Specifically. I'm a director as well, I use my own music in a lot of videos, and get slapped with copyright claims for my own music, even though I chose to opt out of youtube distribution in the options. Recently one of my songs was nearly used in a movie trailer, but that's not possible, because CD Baby would copyright claim it.

I just feel that even though "you keep the rights to your music", you're actually agreeing to give them a cut of everything, even things they didn't distribute.

[an-electric-heart]

From what I can tell, you still need to go through someone, you can't just contact them directly.