How to Distribute Music to Instagram

Getting your original song into Instagram's music library for Stories and Reels is one of the most powerful moves you can make as an independent artist today. That simple music sticker opens the door for millions of users to feature your track in their content, creating huge potential for organic discovery. This guide cuts straight to the chase and shows you exactly how it’s done, from an inside look at the process to actionable strategies for promoting your sound once it's live.

Why You Can't Upload Your Song Directly to Instagram

First, let's clear up a common point of frustration. You can't just upload an MP3 of your new single directly to Instagram's music library. It doesn't work like posting a video to Reels or a photo to your feed. Instagram, like Spotify, Apple Music, and other major platforms, operates on licensing agreements. They get their vast collection of music from record labels and official music distributors who have the legal frameworks in place to handle rights, royalties, and reporting on a massive scale.

To put it simply: Instagram needs a verified, official source for the music to protect themselves and to make sure artists get paid correctly when their music is used. For independent artists, this "official source" is a digital music distributor.

Enter the Digital Music Distributor: Your All-Access Pass

Think of a digital music distributor as your personal agent for the digital world. Their job is to take your finished, mastered songs and deliver them to all the major online stores and streaming services. More importantly for our topic, they are the only way to get your tracks into Meta's library, which powers the music sticker on both Instagram and Facebook.

Distributors handle the technical delivery, ensure your metadata is correct, collect the royalties you earn from streams and uses, and then pay them out to you. Without one, your music is effectively stuck on your hard drive.

How to Choose the Right Distributor for You

There are many distributors to choose from, and most offer delivery to Instagram as a standard feature. They generally fall into two main pricing models:

• Annual Fee Model (e.g., DistroKid, TuneCore): You pay a flat fee each year to upload unlimited or a set number of songs. In return, you typically keep 100% of your royalties. This is often the best model for artists who release music frequently.
• One-Time Fee or Commission Model (e.g., CD Baby): You pay a one-time fee per release (a single or an album), and the distributor may also take a small commission (around 9-15%) of the royalties you earn. This can be more cost-effective if you only release music very occasionally.

Other popular distributors include Ditto, Amuse, and AWAL. Do a little research, compare their pricing plans and features (like playlist pitching or YouTube Content ID), and pick the one that feels like the best fit for your budget and release schedule.

A Step-by-Step Guide: How to Get Your Song in the Instagram Music Library

Once you’ve selected a distributor, the process is pretty straightforward. While the exact user interface will vary between services, the core steps are almost always the same.

Step 1: Get Your Files Ready

Before you even log into your distributor's dashboard, you need to have two essential things prepared:

• Your Audio File: The distributor needs the highest quality version of your song. This means a 16-bit, 44.1 kHz WAV file is the industry standard. Do not upload an MP3. You've spent time and money making your music sound great, so don't compress it at the final step.
• Your Cover Art: Your artwork needs to be a perfect square, high-resolution (at least 3000x3000 pixels is recommended), and in JPEG or PNG format. Make sure it contains only the artist name and release title, with no social media handles, website URLs, or brand logos. Distributors are very strict about these rules.

Step 2: Upload Your Release and Enter the Metadata

This is the most detailed part of the process, but getting it right is vital. As you upload your track and artwork, you'll be prompted to fill out a form with all the important information about your song. This is called metadata, and it’s how platforms identify your track and tell you who to pay.

Key information you will need:

• Artist & Songwriter Names: Make sure you list the real, legal names of all songwriters for publishing purposes.
• Release Title: The name of your single or album.
• Genre: Primary and secondary genre.
• ISRC Code: This stands for International Standard Recording Code. It's a unique identifier for your specific recording. If you don't have one, don't worry - your distributor will generate one for you for free. This is a standard part of their service.
• Explicit Lyrics: Be honest! Mark if your song contains explicit language. Mislabeling it can get your release rejected.

Step 3: Select the "Stores" Where You Want to Distribute

After you've entered your metadata, you'll see a checklist of all the streaming platforms and stores your distributor can send your music to. This list will include Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL, Amazon Music, and - most importantly for us - Instagram & Facebook.

Make sure this box is checked! It's usually checked by default as part of the main distribution package. There is no extra fee for this, it’s part of the core service you’re paying for.

Step 4: Lyric Delivery (Super Important!)

You know when you use the music sticker in a Story and the lyrics pop up on screen, perfectly synced to the music? That doesn't happen by chance. Your distributor sends the audio, but the lyrics are often handled separately.

Most distributors have a partnership with a service called Musixmatch, which is the official provider of lyrics for Instagram. You'll often find a "Lyrics" section in your distributor's dashboard. Follow their steps to submit and sync your lyrics. It’s an extra step, but it dramatically improves how people engage with your song on the platform.

Step 5: Submit and Be Patient

Once you’ve double-checked everything, hit submit. Your distributor will review your release to make sure it meets all the requirements, and then they'll start delivering it to the platforms. This part takes time.

It can take anywhere from 5 days to a few weeks for your song to go live on all platforms and become available in Instagram’s music library. Plan your release promotion accordingly. Don't announce your song is "out now" and expect people to be able to use it in stories on the same day.

Your Music is on Instagram! Now, How Do You Promote It?

Getting your music distributed is just the beginning. The real magic happens when people start using your sound. Your job now is to kickstart that process and build momentum for your track.

First, Find Your Sound

Once your release date arrives and you've given it a day or two for Instagram's system to populate, you can search for it:

1. Open Instagram Stories or Reels.
2. Tap the sticker icon and select the "Music" sticker.
3. In the search bar, type your artist name or song title.

When you see it pop up, your music is officially ready for use! Take a quick screenshot, it’s a moment to celebrate.

Create a Simple, Shareable Content Strategy

Don't just wait for people to find your song. You need to show them how to use it. Think like a marketer and make your sound the centerpiece of your content strategy.

1. Post the "Official" Reel

Your first piece of content should be a Reel you create yourself using your new sound. Use a visually interesting clip - maybe from a music video, a live performance, or even just a well-shot video of you - and make sure your song is the audio. Pin this Reel to the top of your profile so it's the first thing new visitors see.

2. Start a Trend (or "Micro-Trend")

"Going viral" often feels like lightning in a bottle, but you can definitely encourage it. Listen to your song and identify a specific 10-15 second clip with great potential for a trend:

• Does it have a great beat drop? Create a 'transition' video format.
• Are the lyrics relatable or funny? Create a lip-sync video.
• Does it have a strong vibe or feeling? Create a video trend based on that mood, such as "POV: you're driving at night listening to this".

Keep the trend easy to replicate. Complex dances scare people off. The simpler the concept, the more likely others will join in.

3. Actively Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)

UGC is the core of any successful Instagram sound. You need to directly ask your followers to use your audio.

• Launch a Challenge: Create a challenge around your micro-trend. "Show me your best transition using this sound!" or "Create a Reel that captures the mood of this song for a chance to be featured."
• Share Every Single Use: Whenever someone uses your sound in their Reel or Story, reshare it to your own Story. This validation makes them feel seen and encourages others to participate. It creates a collaborative feeling and shows that you appreciate your fans.
• Collaborate With Other Creators: Reach out to a few smaller creators or influencers whose style matches your music and see if they'd be willing to create a Reel with your sound. Even a handful of creators can provide the initial spark needed for a track to take off.

Final Thoughts

Getting your music on Instagram isn't about some secret industry trick - it's about understanding the role of digital distributors and taking the time to prepare your assets correctly. Once your song is available in the library, your focus shifts from distribution to creative marketing and building genuine connections with your audience.

Once that heavy lifting is done, promoting your newly released track becomes the main goal. At Postbase, we built our platform for modern creators and artists just like you. Because our tool was designed for video-first platforms like Reels and TikTok, we make it effortless to plan out all your promotional content on a visual calendar, schedule it across all your socials at once, and manage all your fan comments and DMs from one inbox. Let Postbase handle the social media chaos so you can get back to what you do best: making music.