Why Don’t Distributors That Distribute Music to Spotify Work with Libraries?

  1. Overview
  2. The Basics
  3. That Pitch
  4. Why Don’t Distributors That Distribute Music to Spotify Work with Libraries?

It’s a fair question. If distributors can send music to platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, why don’t they also distribute to sync libraries?

Short answer: it’s a completely different business model, with different rights, legal structures, and operational demands.

Here’s the clear breakdown.

1) Legal complexity

Music libraries don’t operate like streaming platforms.

Each library has:

  • Its own licensing agreements

  • Different rights requirements

  • Unique territory rules

  • Custom deal structures

This means every placement involves nuanced legal review, rights verification, and contract management. DSP distributors are built for standardized delivery, not ongoing legal administration across dozens or hundreds of partners.

2) The industry is highly fragmented

Streaming platforms are centralized. Music libraries are not.

Libraries differ in:

  • Genres they accept

  • Exclusivity expectations

  • Pricing models

  • Customer types

  • Delivery specs

  • Approval timelines

This fragmentation makes it extremely difficult for traditional distributors to create a one-size-fits-all pipeline.

3) Rights management is more complex than DSP distribution

DSP distributors manage master rights.

Music libraries require:

  • Master rights

  • Publishing rights

  • Clearance verification

  • Metadata accuracy

  • Licensing authority

Managing both sides of rights administration at scale requires infrastructure DSP distributors simply don’t have.

4) Specialized infrastructure is required

That Pitch was built specifically for library distribution.

Our system handles:

  • Rights verification

  • Library-specific delivery formats

  • Contract alignment

  • Content ID coordination

  • Clearance through specialized tools

  • Ongoing administration

This is outside the scope of DSP distribution models.

Looking ahead

We are actively working with several distributors to integrate library distribution into their ecosystems. The goal is to give artists access to sync opportunities directly from platforms they already use — while ensuring rights and licensing are handled correctly.

The takeaway

DSP distribution and sync library distribution serve different purposes:

DSP distribution focuses on:

  • Releases

  • Streaming access

  • Immediate availability

Library distribution focuses on:

  • Licensing

  • Rights management

  • Clearance

  • Long-term placement opportunities

Both are valuable. They just require different systems.

That’s why traditional DSP distributors don’t work with libraries — and why That Pitch exists to fill the gap.