Pre-Distribution Checklist
What must be at 100% on the Stats tab before you hand a release to a distributor. Use this as your ship/no-ship gate.
In short
- Six checks on Stats + Summary before a distributor submission.
- Missing language or genre is the top bounce reason.
- Partial agreement signatures block distribution — not valid for submission.
- 1
Open the Stats tab
On any project, click Stats. You see four counters: metadata completion percentage, file count, agreement count, and credit count. Anything below 100% on metadata is a missing field you need to fill.
- 2
Verify the metadata row
Stats reads 100% only when Release Name, Artist Name, Genre, Language, and ISRC are all set. BPM, Key, Instrumental, and Explicit flags contribute too. Missing language or genre is the most common reason a distributor bounces a submission.
At-a-glance readiness from Summary before you dig into Stats. - 3
Confirm files are final, not reference
Open the Files tab and confirm the master is the final delivery version — not a reference mix from three weeks ago. Audio files show duration, bitrate, and sample rate in the preview sidebar. Distributors usually require 16- or 24-bit WAV at 44.1kHz or higher.
File details in the sidebar are how you prove the master is the right version. - 4
Confirm every agreement is Signed
Open the Agreements tab and verify every row shows the Signed status with all participants complete. If the signature count is partial (e.g. "2/3 signed"), the agreement is not valid for distribution. Download the PDF as your off-platform record.
- Download signed PDFs off-platform for PRO registration and dispute records — don't rely on Vandall as the only source.
- 5
Confirm credits match the split sheet
Credits on Metadata should match names on the signed agreement. A producer credited here but missing from the split sheet is the most common cause of royalty disputes after release.
- 6
Confirm the release date is set
On Summary, the Release Date must be set for the project to appear on the calendar and on the distributor submission. Releases without a date slip quietly. Add internal notes for anything the distributor asked for that isn't a standard field.
Tips
- Run this checklist the day before you plan to submit, not the morning of. Missing IPI numbers or unsigned agreements can take 48 hours to chase down.
- Custom metadata fields (like UPC) don't count toward the completion percentage. Check them manually.
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