How to choose the right music distribution service for you: RouteNote and Amuse services and offers compared.
RouteNote and Amuse are two of the most popular music streaming services in the world. Both offer worldwide distribution of many of the world’s best streaming services, so which is better?
First, we’ll look at the big difference between the two services. Use the table of contents below to jump to the section that interests you most.
Free music distribution for independent artists
RouteNote offers free music distribution for all artists. Free distribution with RouteNote does not limit artists’ access to any of their services, allowing artists to distribute to all territories worldwide and through all of their partner services for free.
Amuse does not offer free distribution. Amuse discontinued its Smart tier in March 2024, which originally offered artists a free distribution option. After dropping Amuse Start, the main difference between Amuse and RouteNote is the lack of free options for Amuse users.
RouteNote’s free offering gives artists of all sizes a fantastic solution to get their music out on top services with no barrier to entry. Artists and labels who distribute their releases on RouteNote for free keep 85% of the revenue they make.
Paid music distribution: Amuse and RouteNote prices compared
RouteNote and Amuse work a little differently in how their paid offerings work. RouteNote works on a release basis, allowing users to choose with each release whether they want to distribute for free or pay for Premium. On the other hand, Amuse supports two different annual subscriptions that work on a per-account basis rather than on a per-release basis.
RouteNote Premium offers distribution to artists to all their partner stores worldwide while keeping 100% of the revenue they make. Its price depends on the size of the release: singles cost $10, EPs cost $20, albums cost $30, and extended albums cost $45. Then it’s just $9.99 after 12 months to keep the same Premium version regardless of size.
Because RouteNote users can choose from edition to edition and can switch between Free and Premium at any time, artists have the flexibility to always choose the best option for them at the time and depending on their edition.
Amuse offers two subscriptions: Boost and Pro. Both offer unlimited editions, but Pro comes with some extra features, such as the ability to distribute multiple artist profiles. Boost costs a minimum of $19.99 per year (although this price may vary by territory), and Pro costs $59.99 per year.
As stated, Amuse do not offer free music distribution. The features, available for $59.99 through Amuse on Pro, come standard with RouteNote whether you’re a free or premium user. RouteNote users can upload as many artists as they want with one account, making it a great solution for labels and collectives as well as independent artists.
How long does it take for Amuse and RouteNote to distribute your songs?
RouteNote aims to moderate your releases within 72 hours. If approved, your release will begin appearing in the stores of your choice within a few days.
Amuse advertises a 5-14 day release schedule for artists who pay for Boost. Artists at their Pro level can expect a slightly faster release time of 2-10 days.
Which stores do Amuse and RouteNote distribute to?
Both RouteNote and Amuse distribute to major music services and platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL, TikTok, SoundCloud and many more. There are a number of major services that RouteNote partners with that Amuse does not currently work with.
The stores that RouteNote works with this Amuse do not:
Stores that Amuse works with this RouteNote do not:
- Soundtrack your brand
- Audiomac
RouteNote is constantly partnering with new stores and services. When we add a new partner, it always becomes immediately available to all artists, regardless of whether they pay for Premium or distribute for free.
How to switch to RouteNote from Amuse?
If you want to transfer your music library to RouteNote from Amuse, here’s how you can do it easily, while keeping your music streaming data and ensuring your music stays live.
- Re-upload your music to RouteNote using the same audio data and UPC and ISRC codes
- Wait for your music to be approved and go live on the stores by checking if the track linking works
- Once verified, request your releases to be taken down by Amuse with the confidence that your music remains available and monetized with the same stats as before
Using the same UPC and ISRC codes ensures that your data is consistent and that your songs remain in all playlists.
Amuse or RouteNote: Which is better?
Which service suits you best depends on the size and scope of your music career. With a free offer that can be changed at any time, we feel the flexibility of RouteNote and our lack of barrier to entry offers artists of all sizes better potential.
With the ability to add any number of artists to your account, whether you’re distributing free or premium, we’re also the better option for labels and music collectives. Labels can also contact [email protected] to learn about our All Access tier, offering tailor-made deals for independent record labels.
What are you waiting for, click here to sign up for RouteNote, upload your tracks and start sharing your music with new fans around the world.
