In this tutorial we will guide you thro ugh the step-by-step transfer of music distributed by Zimbalam to TuneCore.
Since 2015 TuneCore has been part of the same parent company as Zimbalam, Believe Digital, but using a different distribution system, which is why this transfer requires manual action. This process described below shouldn’t take you longer than 10 minutes.
The process aims to move music from Zimbalam’s distribution system to TuneCore’s as seamlessly as possible, hence avoiding your releases not being accessible on streaming platforms, keeping the existing stream counts, the playlists, fans saves and more.
Note that due to the stores content policy evolving since Zimbalam initial’s distribution it’s not possible to 100% guarantee that all of the music platforms will transfer or accept the audio content and metadata. Some formats, like Youtube videos “Art tracks” (the audio that plays along with the static artwork), are not transferable; instead a new art track will be created.
By transferring your references to TuneCore you’ll benefit from all the advantages of one of the most popular Distribution platforms in the world, including:
- 100% Royalty rate (no commission)
- Delivery of your music to 150+ platforms, including all latest platforms like Tidal, Amazon Music, Tencent, TIMMI, Gaana & much more.
- Delivery of your music on all social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Youtube or Triller with a 20% commission on collected revenues.
- Support teams available in your local language
- Unique opportunities for contests, partnerships, label scouting and events for the TuneCore community
- TuneCore’s Publishing Administration feature
THE TRANSFER PROCESS IN 5 STEPS
STEP 1
Log in into an existing TuneCore account or Create a new one by clicking “Sign Up” button
STEP 2
Upload your release(s) to TuneCore using the exact same metadata (Track title, credits & more) as your content already distributed via Zimbalam
A/ Identify your Metadata (the data associated with your music release) by accessing your Zimbalam account on https://login.zimbalam.com/
B/ Upload your release(s) to TuneCore using the exact same metadata as your content on Zimbalam (Release level)
C/ Upload your release(s) to TuneCore using the exact same metadata as your content on Zimbalam at the track level (Track titles and ISRC Codes)
On this page , you’ll also have the opportunity to select the music platforms you want to distribute your music to. You can choose to select all the music platforms, this will cover the stores distributed by Zimbalam and new additional stores that partner with TuneCore.
Additionally on this page, you can select distribution of your music to social platforms such as TikTok, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and more. Activating this option is free, and a commission of 20% will be taken from revenues generated by the Social Platforms.
STEP 3
Enter and validate your discount code at checkout
By validating your promo code, the release total should become free.
When this checkout step is completed, your release is finalized and it will now pass a manual review process from our Content Review Team that should take 1-2 days.
The average delay for your new reference to go live on music platforms is 5 business days (Spotify, Apple, Deezer and more).
STEP 4
Ensure your new TuneCore release(s) are live on music platforms.
When connecting to platforms such as Spotify on their desktop app, click on the Album or Single release. You should be able to see a button on the bottom right hand corner stating “1 new version of this Album/Single” it means that your new TuneCore release correctly “matched” with the oldest Zimbalam version.
STEP 5
When the Zimbalam automatic takedown is effective on Mar 31, 2022 your new TuneCore version will takeover, and your fans will not see any difference.
That’s it! You successfully managed to transfer your music from Zimbalam to TuneCore, which will allow your music to be heard worldwide by being added to existing platforms + new platforms all over the world !
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
I can’t access my Zimbalam account anymore, who should I contact ?
Depending on where you’re from, you should contact the Zimbalam support team in your language by using one of the below email addresses:
Note that the TuneCore Support teams can’t access the Zimbalam platform information and will not be able to help you on this.
Can I transfer my royalties balance from Zimbalam to TuneCore ?
No. Zimbalam and TuneCore are partners but operate on different technical systems. The royalties generated through Zimbalam distribution are only accessible through the Zimbalam dashboard and aren’t transferable to a TuneCore account.
The Royalties will be generated from TuneCore once you’ve completed the transfer and the new TuneCore reference will take over from the old Zimbalam reference.
If you have a general inquiry about your royalties on Zimbalam, depending on where you’re from, you should contact the Zimbalam support team in your language by using one of the below email addresses:
Note that the TuneCore Support teams can’t access the Zimbalam platform information and will not be able to help you on this.
Can I upload on TuneCore a different audio version from the original version I distributed with Zimbalam ? (Example New mastering or remixed version).
No. The audio file needs to be exactly the same as your original released version, same length, same mastering etc. If your audio file isn’t exactly similar, the metadata might change and the two versions will not match.
If you want to release a new version (for example New Mastering or acoustic version) it should be released as a new single or album.
Will the new distribution appear in my “latest releases” on my artist profile ?
No, if you entered the original release date and checked in “Yes” in the “previously released” section (as described in the Step 2B) the release will not appear as a new release.
The Original release date defines the first day the release was publicly released.
The release date defines when TuneCore set up your music to be available in stores, in the case of a previously released music , you will want this date to be as soon as possible from the moment you finalize your upload on TuneCore.
Can I change the Label name with this new Distribution ?
Yes, the label name can be different from the original version distributed by Zimbalam.