Sometimes, stores require an artist to verify their artist name. This helps protect your content on DistroKid and within stores, and ensures that no one is uploading your music or using your artist name without your permission.
Please note that artist name verification is only required when DistroKid asks it of you – it is not necessary to contact DistroKid to verify an artist name before then.
To verify an artist name and provide permission to use it, the artist needs to contact us directly and verify the artist name via one of these options:
- If the artist uses Instagram, they can send a Direct Message ("DM") to @distrokid to verify. In the DM, please include the UPC of the release. Something like "Verifying for UPC [UPC code]" will work great as a verification DM. Note that a brand-new Instagram account won't work for verification purposes.
- If the artist uses X, they may send a Direct Message ("DM") to @distrokid for verification. In the DM, please include the UPC of the release. A message like "Verifying for UPC [UPC code]" will work well for verification purposes. Please note that a newly created X account will not be accepted for verification.
- The artist can send a photo of the artist's driver's license or passport (you may block out personal info such as address) along with the UPC of the release that requires verification.
If the artist name is different than the legal name on the ID, they will also need to provide a link to a website where we can associate the legal name on the ID to the artist name – artists have used links to these websites to verify: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, Twitter/X, Wikipedia.
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