How to Choose an Artist Name That Works on Streaming Services
- 06 Nov 2026
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Your artist name is the one piece of metadata that follows every release you make. Changing it later splits your catalogue, your followers and your search results, so it is worth an hour of checks before your first release.
What makes a good artist name for streaming
- Searchable. When someone types it, they should find you, not a dictionary word, a city or a famous band.
- Easy to spell after hearing it once. Fans will hear your name on the radio or from a friend.
- Distinct. Avoid names that already belong to an active artist, even in another genre.
- Short enough to display. Long names are cut off in apps and playlists. The SpaceMedia release form allows up to 32 characters.
Checks to do before you decide
- Search every major store: Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and SoundCloud. If another artist uses the name, your music may land on their profile.
- Search the web and social platforms for the name and check whether the handles are free.
- Search trademark databases in your main markets, such as the UK, EU and US trademark registers, for music and entertainment classes.
- Say it aloud to a few people and ask them to type it. If most spell it wrong, simplify it.
Names stores and distributors reject
- Generic words or placeholders such as "Artist", "Music" or "Unknown".
- Names that copy or closely imitate a famous artist, even with a small change.
- Names that are mostly numbers or symbols.
- Names that include other artists, "feat." or keywords to attract searches.
Consistency matters more than style
- Decide the exact spelling, capitalisation and spacing, and never change it.
- Avoid special characters that are hard to type. If you use one, check how it appears on every store.
- Use the same name for your social handles where possible, or a close version such as adding "music".
If your name is already taken on a store
Two artists can have the same name. Stores separate them into different profiles when the distributor indicates it is a new artist. Tell your distributor when you submit your first release, and check that it lands on a new, empty profile. If it appears on someone else's page, contact your distributor rather than re-uploading. See how to claim your artist profiles.
Protecting your name
Copyright does not protect names; trademarks do. Once you start earning from music, consider registering your name as a trademark in your main markets. See music copyright basics.
Found the right name? Create your SpaceMedia account and set up your artist profile with it.
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Choose the plan that suits you best
Select from a variety of membership options to find the one that aligns perfectly with your music distribution needs.
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Submit your music for distribution
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Get Paid
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SpaceMedia delivers music to a broad and changing network of streaming, download, social, and music-identification platforms. This can include major services such as Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, SoundCloud, Tidal, Pandora, Boomplay, Anghami, iHeart, JioSaavn, KKBOX, NetEase Cloud Music, Tencent, Qobuz, and other supported partners.
The exact network can change as platforms update territories, rules, and delivery requirements. SpaceMedia gives you access to supported distribution channels, but no distributor can guarantee that every platform will accept every release in every country.
Most major streaming services do not let every artist upload music directly. A distributor like SpaceMedia delivers your audio, artwork, metadata, and rights information to supported platforms so your release can appear on services such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, and others.
Create an account, choose the plan that fits your needs, upload the final release files, review the details, and submit. SpaceMedia reviews Free submissions within 5 business days, Premium submissions within 2 business days, and Label submissions within 1 to 2 business days. Store publishing happens afterwards.
You can monetize eligible music on supported video platforms through Content ID when your plan includes it. Content ID is currently included with Premium and Label, and it is not included with the Free plan.
Only submit music you fully control for Content ID. Tracks with uncleared samples, non-exclusive beats, royalty-free loops used by many creators, public-domain recordings, or disputed rights may be rejected or may cause claims that need to be resolved.
Submit your release through SpaceMedia and choose distribution to social music platforms where available. Eligible releases can be delivered to platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and other supported social or short-form music services.
Once delivered, each platform decides how the music appears, how long processing takes, and which features are available in each territory. Use accurate metadata and clean audio to reduce avoidable delivery issues.
Independent music distribution lets artists release music to streaming, download, and social platforms without signing to a traditional record label. You stay in control of your music while using a distributor to deliver it to supported services.
With SpaceMedia, you can manage releases, artist details, earnings, and payout information from your account. All standard plans let users keep 100% of standard DSP royalties.
The Free plan lets artists release music without an upfront distribution fee and keep 100% of standard DSP royalties.
This gives new artists a way to start releasing music before paying for a yearly plan. Premium and Label add more primary-artist capacity and tools. All standard plans include 100% of standard DSP royalties.
Yes. In many cases you can transfer existing releases to SpaceMedia while keeping them live, as long as you submit the same metadata, audio, artwork, UPC, and ISRCs where available.
Keep the old release live until the SpaceMedia delivery is live and matched correctly. Removing the old version too early can interrupt availability or make stores treat the transfer as a new release instead of matching it to the existing one.
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