My account was restricted/suspended about a month ago due to an editorial violation. However, my streams are still ongoing, and the earnings are still showing on my dashboard. My question is: Has anyone successfully received their payout after an editorial violation? I'd appreciate hearing about your personal experience. Thank you!

🚨 Read This Before Distributing: Crucial DistroKid Pitfalls & Account Risks 1. The "Account Flooding" & Rapid Release Risk The Mechanism: Streaming stores (especially Spotify and Apple Music) use automated systems to detect "flooding"—the uploading of a high volume or a rapid succession of tracks/albums from a single account. The Consequences: When stores detect rapid bulk uploads, they flag the content under "Editorial Discretion" or suspect artificial streaming/spam. DistroKid's Stance: DistroKid acts aggressively when stores flag an account. To protect their wholesale relationship with DSPs (Digital Service Providers), DistroKid will typically ban the entire master account and freeze all pending payouts/royalties across every artist tied to that account. Safe Practice: Maintain realistic spacing between releases (e.g., leaving proper lead time rather than dropping dozens of tracks or back-to-back albums simultaneously from the same profile). 2. Multi-Artist Account Vulnerability (The Ultimate Plan Trap) The Risk: Managing 5, 10, or 20 artists under a single DistroKid Ultimate/Label Plan means shared liability. The Domino Effect: If one artist under the account gets flagged (whether for copyright claims, sample clearing issues, artificial streams, or store flooding), DistroKid wipes out the entire master account. How to stay safe: Use separate DistroKid accounts for different projects. At the very least, keep risky or high-volume uploads away from the accounts that are already making money. 3. Metadata & Identity Mismatches Songwriter vs. Artist Name: A common mistake on DistroKid is confusing the Artist Name (stage/brand name) with Songwriter Credits (legal name). Publishing/Payout Delays: Putting a stage name in the writer section can lead to metadata rejections, delayed royalty distribution, or publishing clearance holds. Hope this helps. 🙏

For everyone asking me why their DistroKid payment is still processing, here’s what happened to me personally. My first payout was around $1,000, and it went through without any problems. Once I made my first withdrawal of more than $10,000, though, DistroKid asked me to verify that I actually controlled the artist and the social media accounts connected to it. They offered multiple verification options. I used Instagram, so I had to show that I controlled the Instagram account and that it was connected to the artist’s Spotify profile and message distrokid from Instagram. My advice is to create an Instagram for your artist, keep control of the login, and add that Instagram account to your Spotify profile before you ever request a major payout. A lot of you are getting your first bigger payments right now, so I believe some of you may be hitting this exact verification step. It does not automatically mean anything is wrong. You also need to understand that payments can take time. Mine usually arrive fairly quickly, but I’ve had withdrawals take up to 12–14 days. I even contacted DistroKid support about one of them, and they said the payment was fine and still processing. Could they be reviewing streams, auditing the account, or checking your information? Possibly. I don’t know, and neither do most of the people spreading theories online. The only thing I can confirm is what happened to me: once the payouts became larger, DistroKid required me to prove that I controlled the artist’s connected social media accounts. Get that stuff organized now so you’re ready when your payout comes.

Hello, expert. I’d like to ask why some of my albums haven't appeared on YouTube Music for over two weeks—I’m looking for an answer.