Change your artist name in DistroKid's account settings, and it updates everywhere the service distributes your music

DistroKid syncs your artist name across all platforms it distributes to — Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and dozens of others — from a single change in your account. You do not update each platform separately. When you change the name in DistroKid, the service pushes that change to every distributor over the next few days, though some platforms take longer to reflect it than others.

The process takes about five minutes. You will need to log into your DistroKid account, find the artist settings, enter your new name, and confirm the change. The tricky part is understanding what happens to music already released under your old name — DistroKid can update it, but you have to choose whether to do that or keep the old releases under the old name.

Key Takeaways

  • Log into DistroKid, go to Account Settings, select your artist profile, and change the name in the "Artist Name" field.
  • DistroKid distributes the new name to all platforms automatically, but Spotify and Apple Music may take one to two weeks to show the change.
  • You can update your artist name on existing releases or keep them under the old name — DistroKid asks you to choose when you save the change.
  • If you have multiple artist names or projects, create a separate DistroKid account for each one rather than switching names repeatedly.
  • Changing your name does not affect your streaming history, playlist placements, or follower counts on any platform.

Step-by-step: changing your name in DistroKid

Start by logging into your DistroKid account on the web (distrokid.com). Mobile apps do not have full account settings access, so use a computer or tablet if you can.

Once logged in, click your profile icon in the top right corner and select Account Settings from the dropdown menu. On the Account Settings page, look for the section labeled Artist Profile or Artist Name — this is usually near the top of the page. Click into that field and delete your current name, then type your new artist name.

Before you save, DistroKid will ask whether you want to update your name on all past releases or keep them under the old name. If you choose to update past releases, every song you have ever uploaded will show the new name. If you choose to keep the old name on past releases, only new music you upload from that point forward will use the new name. Most artists update everything for consistency, but some keep the old name on older projects intentionally.

Click Save or Confirm (the button text varies slightly). DistroKid will send the change to all distributors when ready, though it can take a few days to a few weeks for each platform to display it.

How long it takes platforms to show the change

DistroKid sends your new name to distributors right away, but each platform processes it on its own schedule. Spotify and Apple Music typically take one to two weeks. YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and Tidal usually update within a few days. Smaller platforms may take longer or update within hours.

Your profile name on each platform updates separately from your artist name on individual songs. Your profile (the page people visit when they click your name) usually updates first. Song credits and album artwork may lag behind by a few days.

If you do not see the change after two weeks, log into each platform directly and check whether the name updated there. Sometimes a platform will show the new name in your account settings but display the old name publicly — refreshing the page or clearing your browser cache can help. If the name still has not changed after three weeks, contact DistroKid support with screenshots showing what you see on each platform.

What happens to your streams, followers, and playlists

Changing your artist name does not erase your history on any platform. Your total streams stay the same, your followers stay the same, and any playlists your music is on stay the same. Spotify, Apple Music, and other services recognize you by an internal artist ID, not by your name — so from their perspective, you are the same artist before and after the change.

Some listeners may not notice the change when ready if they have your old name cached in their app or browser. But within a few days, everyone will see the new name when they search for you or visit your profile.

Managing multiple artist names or projects

If you want to release music under more than one artist name — a side project, a different genre, or a collaboration — do not switch your DistroKid artist name back and forth. Instead, create a separate DistroKid account for each project. Each account has its own artist name, its own upload dashboard, and its own payment settings.

DistroKid charges a flat annual fee per account (not per song), so running two accounts costs twice the annual fee. But it keeps your projects separate on all platforms, which is cleaner than uploading everything under one name and hoping listeners understand which songs belong to which project.

To create a second account, log out of your current DistroKid account, go to distrokid.com, and sign up as a new user with a different email address. You can use the same payment method for both accounts if you want.

Changing your name on individual songs or albums

If you want to change the artist name on only some of your releases — for example, keeping old music under your old name but releasing new music under a new name — you have two options.

The first option is to update your DistroKid artist name and choose not to update past releases when prompted. Then only new uploads will use the new name. This works well if you want a clean break between old and new work.

The second option is to re-upload the songs you want to change under a new DistroKid account (your second artist project). This takes more work but gives you complete control over which releases appear under which name. You would then delete the old versions from your original account to avoid duplicate uploads.

Troubleshooting: name change not showing up

If you changed your name in DistroKid but it is not showing on Spotify, Apple Music, or another platform after two weeks, start by confirming the change actually saved in DistroKid. Log back into your account, go to Account Settings, and check that your new name is still there. If it reverted to the old name, the save did not go through — try again and watch for any error messages.

Next, check each platform directly. Log into your Spotify for Artists account, your Apple Music for Artists account, and so on. See whether the name shows as updated there. If it is updated on the platform but not showing publicly, try logging out and back in, or clear your browser cache and refresh.

If the name is still the old one in DistroKid but you want to change it again, make sure you are logged into the correct account. Some artists have multiple DistroKid accounts and accidentally log into the wrong one. Check the email address shown in Account Settings to confirm.

If none of that works, contact DistroKid support through the Help section in your account. Include screenshots of what you see in DistroKid and on each platform, and let them know how long it has been since you made the change. DistroKid support usually responds within one to two business days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my name affect my Spotify streams or followers?

No. Spotify tracks you by an internal artist ID, not your name. All your streams, followers, and playlist placements stay attached to your artist profile even after you change your name. The change is purely cosmetic from Spotify's perspective.

Can I change my name back to the old one later?

Yes. You can change your artist name in DistroKid as many times as you want. Each change takes a few days to a few weeks to show on all platforms, but there is no limit to how often you can do it. However, changing your name frequently can confuse listeners, so most artists do it rarely.

What if I want different names on different platforms?

DistroKid does not support different names on different platforms. The name you set in DistroKid goes to all platforms. If you need your music on Spotify under one name and on Apple Music under another, you would need separate DistroKid accounts and upload each song twice — once to each account.

Do I need to update my name on SoundCloud, Bandcamp, or other sites I use?

DistroKid only distributes to major streaming platforms and some smaller ones. If you have a SoundCloud, Bandcamp, YouTube channel, or personal website, you need to update those separately. DistroKid does not manage those accounts.

How long does it take for Apple Music to show my new name?

Apple Music typically takes one to two weeks. Sometimes it is faster, sometimes slower depending on when Apple processes DistroKid's batch updates. If it has been more than three weeks, contact DistroKid support.