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Platforms

CD Baby for music producers

CD Baby distributes releases for a one-time fee and keeps a share of what it collects. Here is how it works for producers who also license music, as of October 2026.

By , a composer with 300+ tracks on audio stock and 12 years in production. Checked on CD Baby's own pages on 26 October 2026.

Type
Distributor
How to join
Open to everyoneOne-time fee per release, no yearly fee
AI-made music
Not acceptedNot accepted, even partly AI or with a license

In short. CD Baby charges once per release and keeps a commission on what it collects. Its agreement is non-exclusive. It does not distribute music generated in whole or in part by AI. Content ID, Meta and TikTok come in one optional program, Social Video Monetization, which keeps 30%. Its rules leave out "non-exclusive content", and a claim you release on a video can never be placed again.

How to join

Anyone can sign up. CD Baby says there are "no recurring or subscription fees". You pay once per release. When checked on 26 October 2026:

  • Single: $9.99. Album: $14.99. The price table lists worldwide distribution and Social Video Monetization as included.
  • CDB Boost: $39.99. It adds sync licensing, SoundExchange and The MLC.
  • FastForward: $29.99, for faster inspection and delivery.

Exclusive or not

"Your agreement with CD Baby is non-exclusive." You may use other distributors. But a store accepts a release from one distributor only. If the same album arrives twice, stores "often remove the album entirely".

Boost's sync licensing is non-exclusive too. It grants rights to use your music in TV, ads, games and film "without your direct approval". CD Baby's own words: "If you have an exclusive deal with another company, yes, it will interfere." Keep tracks under an exclusive library deal out of it. You can opt out in the CDB Boost section of each release.

AI-generated music

Not accepted. "You will not be able to distribute A.I.-generated content." This holds even if the AI tool allows commercial use. The production-sounds page, updated on 26 October 2026, says CD Baby does not accept "music generated in whole or in part by AI, even when you have a license". Repeated attempts can end with CD Baby "no longer doing business with your content".

Codes, Content ID and royalties

ISRC. CD Baby assigns ISRCs during inspection, "unless you already have your own codes".

UPC. CD Baby assigns a UPC after approval, or you enter your own. It must have 12 or 13 digits and not be used on another release.

Social Video Monetization (SVM). It covers YouTube Content ID, Facebook and Instagram, and TikTok. You opt in or out per platform. The release must also go to YouTube Music for Content ID to work.

To be eligible, the recording must be "exclusively controlled by you". The same recording "cannot be simultaneously delivered to Content ID" by another distributor or administrator. The list of what can't be monetized includes "Non-exclusive content" and "Songs already monetized by another distributor". CD Baby audits delivered tracks. A track removed for eligibility is never delivered again.

Claims on buyers' videos. The video owner disputes the claim in YouTube Studio. CD Baby "may require documentation" of the license first. A released claim is permanent: YouTube marks the video "Not Claimable".

Opting out. Turn SVM off per release. Removal can take up to 30 days, and old claims are not removed at once. Opting back in needs a 30-day wait and can take up to six months.

Motion Array accepts Content ID tracks from CD Baby. It is one of six companies on that site's list. See YouTube Content ID.

How you are paid

CD Baby's commission, as stated on its pricing page:

  • 9% of download and streaming money, and of SoundExchange royalties.
  • 15% of what The MLC collects.
  • 30% of Social Video Monetization.
  • 40% of sync placements. For TV, ads and film placements, you earn 60% of the fees.

What to keep in your catalog

  • The UPC of each release and the ISRC of each track, with a note if the codes were your own.
  • SVM per platform, on or off, with dates. An opt-out takes 30 days, and coming back can take months.
  • Each claim you or a buyer released, with the video link and the license. It cannot be undone.
  • Whether a track is opted into CDB Boost sync. That is a non-exclusive license, so it can clash with an exclusive deal.

Sources