How to Get Your Music on Instagram for Free

Putting your music into the hands of millions of Instagram users is one of the most powerful ways for an artist to grow today. When your track is officially in Instagram's Music library, it means anyone can add it to their Stories or Reels, turning your song into the potential soundtrack for a new trend. This guide breaks down exactly how to get your music on Instagram for free using legitimate methods, and how to promote it once it's there.

Why You Need a Distributor to Get Music on Instagram

You can't just upload an MP3 file directly to Instagram. To get your music into the official library used for the “Music” sticker in Stories and Reels, you need to go through a digital music distributor.

Think of distributors as the bridge between you and major digital platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and a long list of others, including Meta (which covers Instagram and Facebook). They handle the complicated parts of the process, including:

• Formatting & Delivery: They properly format your audio and artwork to meet the specific requirements of each platform.
• Licensing & Royalties: They manage the legal rights and make sure that when your music is used or streamed, you get paid any royalties you're owed.
• Metadata Management: They collect and deliver all the important information about your track, like the artist name, song title, and album art, so it shows up correctly.

While many distributors charge upfront fees or annual subscriptions, several fantastic options allow you to distribute your music for free. The trade-off is that they typically take a percentage of the royalties your music generates. For an independent artist just starting out, this is often the perfect model - you don't pay anything out of pocket to get your foot in the door.

Choosing a Free Music Distributor: Top Picks

When selecting a free distributor, you're looking for one that specifically lists Facebook and Instagram as stores they deliver to. Here are a couple of popular and reliable services that offer free distribution plans.

1. Amuse

Amuse has become a go-to for many rising artists. Their free plan, "Amuse Start," lets you release music to all major platforms, including Instagram, with no upfront cost. They make their money by taking a 15% commission on any royalties you earn. This is a great starting point for anyone who wants to get their music out there without a budget.

2. RouteNote

RouteNote offers a very clear "Free" model where they distribute your music to all their partners in exchange for a 15% cut of earnings. You retain full ownership of your music. They also have a Premium option if you later decide you'd rather pay an upfront fee to keep 100% of your royalties, giving you flexibility as you grow.

3. SoundOn

Owned by TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, SoundOn is designed for getting music onto TikTok and other ByteDance-owned platforms and often includes distribution to platforms like Instagram. For a limited time, they often offer 100% of royalties for the first year and a very compelling distribution network focused on virality through short-form video.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Upload Your Music

While the user interface of each distributor is slightly different, the overall process is fundamentally the same. Here's a general walkthrough of the steps you'll take.

Step 1: Get Your Files Ready

Before you even sign up, gather your materials. Being prepared will make the upload process smooth and fast. You will need three things:

• Your Audio File: The distributor will want the highest quality version of your track. This should be a WAV file, typically at 16-bit, 44.1 kHz. Exporting your final mix in this format is standard practice. Avoid using compressed files like MP3s, as the quality will suffer.
• Your Album-Ready Artwork: Your cover art needs to meet specific requirements. It must be a perfect square, in high resolution. The standard is 3000x3000 pixels in JPG or PNG format. Your artwork cannot include social media handles, website URLs, or logos from services like Spotify or Apple Music. It should only contain the artist name and the song.
• Your Metadata (Song Information): This is all the text-based information about your track. Write it all down in a separate document so you can copy and paste it easily.
  • Song Title: E.g., "Sunset Drive"
  • Artist Name: Your official artist name.
  • Featured Artists (if any):
  • Songwriter(s): The legal name(s) of everyone who contributed to writing the song.
  • Genre: Primary and secondary genres.
  • Explicit Lyrics: A simple yes or no. Be honest here!

Step 2: Create an Account and Start a New Release

Head to the distributor of your choice - let's use Amuse as an example. Sign up for a free account. Once you're in your dashboard, look for a button that says "Create New Release" or "New Single."

Step 3: Upload Your Music and Artwork

You'll be prompted to upload the audio file and cover art you prepared in Step 1. The platform will process them, and if there are any issues with formatting (e.g., artwork is the wrong size), it will let you know.

Step 4: Enter Your Metadata

This is where you'll fill in all the details from your metadata document: song title, artist name, songwriters, etc. Be precise and double-check for typos. This information is what appears on digital storefronts, so getting it right is important. You'll also be asked to select the language of your lyrics and specify which parts of the song you want available for Instagram/TikTok clips (if given the option).

Step 5: Select Your Digital Stores

Next, you'll see a list of all the digital platforms your distributor works with. You want to make sure that Instagram & Facebook are selected. Most free distributors include them by default. You should also select streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music to make your song available everywhere at once.

Step 6: Submit for Review

Once you've filled everything out, you'll submit your release for review. The distributor's team will perform a quality check to make sure your audio, art, and metadata meet all the requirements. They check for things like artwork formatting, audio quality, and potential copyright issues.

This isn't instant. The review process can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the distributor and how busy they are. Do not wait until the day before your planned release to do this! Plan to submit your music at least 3-4 weeks before you want it to go live.

After Uploading: Using Your Music on Instagram

Once your distributor approves your release and sends it to the platforms, it can take another few days or even a week for it to appear in Instagram's system. Be patient.

When it's ready, finding it is simple:

1. Open Instagram and create a new Story or Reel.
2. Tap the sticker icon (the smiley face in the square).
3. Select the "Music" sticker.
4. In the search bar, type your artist name and the song title.
5. Your track should appear! Tap it to add it to your content.

You can scrub through the song to select the 15-second snippet you want to use. Congratulations, your music is now officially available for you and millions of other users to use.

The "Original Audio" Strategy: An Alternative Approach

If you need your music on Instagram right now and can't wait for a distributor, there's another way: using "Original Audio." This method involves editing your music directly into a video before you upload it to Instagram.

How to Do it:

1. Use a video editing app on your phone, like CapCut, Splice, or InShot.
2. Create a new video project and add the footage you want to use.
3. Import your song directly into the editor and line it up with your video visuals.
4. Export the final video to your phone's camera roll.
5. Upload this video file as a Reel to Instagram.

When you post it, Instagram will automatically label the sound with your username, such as "Original audio - @yourusername."

Pros and Cons of Original Audio

• Pro: It's immediate. You don't have to wait for distributors or review processes.
• Pro: Others can now use your audio. Anyone who sees your Reel can tap the "Original audio" text at the bottom and use it in their own Reel, which is great for virality.
• Con: It's not in the official Music Sticker library. This is the major downside. People can't search for your song when making a Story, which limits its discoverability. It only exists within the Reels ecosystem.

How to Promote Your Song Once It's on Instagram

Getting your music on the platform is only half the battle. Now you need to encourage people to use it.

• Announce It: Create a polished Story and Reel showing your followers how to find and use your new song in the music library. Make a screen recording and walk them through it.
• Start a Trend: Create your own simple, replicable video concept using your song. Whether it’s a quick dance, a simple edit, or a pov-style video, give people a framework to copy.
• Engage with Fan Content: Whenever someone uses your sound, engage with their video! Like it, leave a genuine comment, or even share their Reel to your Story. This encourages more people to participate.
• Put a Call-to-Action in Your Content: When you post using your audio, add a line in your caption like, "Use my new song 'Sunset Drive' in your next Reel!" and tell them what kind of videos you'd love to see.
• Pin a Reel: Pin the best Reel you've made with your audio to the top of your profile. This gives new visitors an immediate introduction to your sound.

Final Thoughts

Getting your music uploaded to Instagram's official library is a straightforward process when you use a free digital distributor. By preparing your assets and allowing enough time for review, you can give your songs an incredible opportunity for organic discovery by fans, creators, and new listeners all over the world.

Of course, once your music is live, promoting it requires a steady stream of content, from countdowns in Stories to Reels that showcase your sound. That's why we've focused on making planning so easy in Postbase. With our visual calendar, we can map out a whole release week's worth of content in one session - seeing every scheduled post for every platform at a glance. It helps us stay consistent with promotion without feeling overwhelmed by last-minute posting.