Frequently asked questions

NORTH is free to sign up. Distribution economics and any applicable commission are governed by the NORTH distribution agreement shown in the product and legal pages.

Yes. NORTH supports artist and label workflows, and accounts with access to more than one workspace can switch context without sharing logins.

Submit as early as you reasonably can. NORTH review and store processing both take time, and no platform can guarantee every store will publish at exactly the same moment.

Yes. The release builder keeps unfinished work as a draft so you can return after you collect missing files, credits, or metadata.

If NORTH returns a release for revision, you can correct the requested items and resubmit. Some changes after approval or delivery require a different workflow or support assistance because stores may already be processing the catalog.

Yes. Eligible releases expose a takedown action in NORTH. Store removal times vary after the request is sent.

Not necessarily. Enter an existing identifier only when it already belongs to the exact release or recording. Otherwise follow the builder state presented by NORTH rather than inventing an identifier.

Upload the final master for the track, not a demo, preview, or social-media export. The builder and review flow will surface any file issue that prevents delivery.

Common causes include poor image quality, text that conflicts with release metadata, unauthorized logos or branding, policy-restricted content, or artwork you are not authorized to use.

Only when you have the permissions or licenses required for the sample and the underlying rights. Keep documentation available in case NORTH requests verification.

You can distribute your own recording of a composition when you have the licenses required for the use and territories involved. A cover does not give you rights to use another artist’s master recording.

Potentially, as long as you have the rights needed for every part of the release and the content complies with NORTH and store policies. AI involvement does not remove normal ownership, likeness, or licensing requirements.

Stores process deliveries independently. A release can appear at one destination before another even when NORTH sent them at the same stage.

Approved means NORTH has cleared the release through review. Depending on the release workflow, you may still need to confirm royalty splits or complete a final action before delivery begins.

After a release is approved by NORTH, each payee on the release should receive their own automated split email at the address saved in NORTH. The message identifies the NORTH allocation, lists the relevant release/track assets, and includes a Beneficiary Portal action. Use that portal to create or access your payee account and accept the allocation.

Yes. Every collaborator you add in NORTH Splits receives their own accounting email for the percentage assigned to them after approval. They use their own Beneficiary Portal account, track their own monthly earnings, and manage their own withdrawals independently.

NORTH needs the complete release allocation before it can save the split. Adjust payee percentages until the Splits page shows exactly 100% allocated.

When the release status is eligible for split editing, open the release details page, choose Splits, update the allocation, and save. NORTH confirms when the change has synced.

Open the split email sent after NORTH approves your release and choose the Beneficiary Portal action. Create your payee account (or sign in if you already have one), complete the secure onboarding, and accept your allocation. Earnings are reported into the portal monthly. Once your available balance reaches $50, you can request a withdrawal through PayPal.

No. Sensitive payment setup should be completed through the secure accounting flow provided in the accounting email, not through ordinary support messages.

Analytics can update before financial reporting. Stores report royalties on accounting schedules, so beneficiary earnings are posted as monthly reports are processed rather than immediately when a stream happens.

Use the Beneficiary Portal linked from your split email. After you create your payee account and accept your allocation, monthly royalty earnings are posted there as financial reports are processed. NORTH Analytics remains the place for performance data such as streams and audience activity.

Your available beneficiary balance must reach $50 before you can request a withdrawal. If it is below $50, the balance remains in your account and continues accumulating as future monthly earnings are reported.

When your available balance reaches $50, request the withdrawal through the Beneficiary Portal and use PayPal as the payout method. Follow the instructions shown in the portal for your account.

No. Every collaborator is a separate payee. Each person receives their own split email, creates or accesses their own Beneficiary Portal account, sees their own monthly earnings, and reaches the $50 withdrawal minimum independently.

No. Analytics describes performance such as streams and engagement. Royalties reflects financial reporting and statements. The two are related, but they can cover different timelines and update on different schedules.

Use one NORTH artist profile consistently and connect the correct external artist profile IDs where available. If a release lands on the wrong store profile, contact support with the correct and incorrect page links.

No. Invite them to your NORTH workspace with their own account and give them the permissions or catalog scope they actually need.

Yes. Financial and revenue access can be managed separately from catalog and distribution access for members who do not need sensitive earnings information.

That is the intended promotional workflow for eligible releases. Use the release smart link before release day, then continue sharing the same page as store destinations become available.

Use the password recovery option from sign in and follow the secure email reset flow. NORTH support should never need your existing password.

Do not use services that rely on artificial streams, bots, click farms, or manipulated engagement. Artificial activity can lead to store penalties, withheld revenue, release removal, or account action.

NORTH distribution does not require you to transfer ownership of your master recordings. You remain responsible for having the rights needed to distribute everything you submit.

Include the release title, the NORTH workspace involved, what you were trying to do, the visible status or error, and any non-sensitive screenshots or store links that help explain the issue.