Yes, You Control Where Your Music Is Available
When you create a release, you can choose the territories (countries) where it is distributed. By default your music goes out worldwide, but you can narrow that if you need to.
The Three Territory Options
- Worldwide (default): your release is delivered to every available country. This is the right choice for almost everyone, since it maximises your reach and earnings.
- Include only: your release is available only in the specific countries you select. Everywhere else, it will not appear.
- Exclude: your release is available everywhere except the specific countries you select.
How to Set It
- On the release upload form, find the Territory setting.
- Choose Worldwide, Include only, or Exclude.
- If you choose Include or Exclude, select at least one country. You must pick at least one, or the release cannot be saved.
- Save and continue submitting your release as normal.
When Would You Limit Territories?
- You have signed a deal that gives another party the rights in a specific country.
- A sample or interpolation is only cleared for certain territories.
- A previous distributor still has the release live in some countries and you want to avoid duplicates until it is taken down.
- A regional exclusive or staggered rollout.
Important Notes
- Worldwide is best for most artists. Restricting territories reduces where your music can be discovered and earn, so only do it when you have a real reason.
- Store availability still varies. Even on Worldwide, an individual store only shows your music in the countries where that store operates.
- Changing territories after release may be possible depending on the release state. See How to Update a Release After Distribution, or open a support ticket.