You can change your artist name through Spotify for Artists, but the process depends on whether you use a distributor

If you distribute your music to Spotify directly through Spotify for Artists, you can change your artist name yourself in your account settings. If you use a third-party distributor like DistroKid, CD Baby, or TuneCore, you change the name in that distributor's dashboard instead, and the change syncs to Spotify within a few days to a few weeks. The route you take depends entirely on how your music got onto Spotify in the first place.

Changing your artist name does not remove your old streams or followers — they stay attached to your profile. However, the name change takes time to roll out across Spotify's apps and web player, and it may not appear when ready on all devices or in all regions.

Key Takeaways

  • Artists who use Spotify for Artists can change their name directly in the platform's settings without waiting for a distributor.
  • Artists who use a third-party distributor must change the name in that distributor's system, and Spotify updates it automatically within days or weeks.
  • Your streams, followers, and playlist placements remain on your profile after a name change — you do not lose your history.
  • Name changes take time to appear across all Spotify apps and regions, so do not be alarmed if the old name shows up for a few days.
  • If you have multiple artist profiles, you will need to change each one separately.

Changing your name through Spotify for Artists

Log into your Spotify for Artists account at artists.spotify.com. Click on your profile icon in the top right corner and select Settings. Look for the section labeled Artist Profile or Profile Information — the exact label varies depending on when Spotify last updated the interface.

Find the field that shows your current artist name. Click on it to edit, type your new name, and save the change. Spotify will ask you to confirm the change. Once you confirm, the name change begins rolling out across Spotify's systems. The change usually appears on your profile within a few hours, but it can take up to 24 hours to show everywhere.

If you do not see a name field in Settings, your account may be set up through a distributor instead. Check your email for confirmation that you signed up directly with Spotify for Artists, or look for a distributor name in your account details.

Changing your name through a distributor

If you uploaded your music through DistroKid, CD Baby, TuneCore, Amuse, or another distributor, log into that distributor's dashboard instead. Each distributor stores artist information in a different place, but the process is similar: find your artist profile or release settings, locate the artist name field, edit it, and save.

After you save the change in your distributor's system, the distributor sends the update to Spotify. This sync does not happen when ready — it typically takes three to seven days, though some distributors are faster. You can check your distributor's documentation or contact their support to find out how long updates usually take.

Do not change your name in both Spotify for Artists and your distributor at the same time. If you have both accounts, your distributor's version will overwrite any change you make directly in Spotify for Artists, which can cause confusion. Stick to one source of truth.

What happens to your streams and followers when you change your name

Your streams, followers, and playlist placements do not disappear when you change your artist name. Spotify ties all of this data to your artist profile ID, not to your name, so the change is purely cosmetic from Spotify's perspective. Your monthly listeners, saved followers, and all historical data stay exactly where they are.

However, people who search for your old artist name will not find you when ready. Spotify's search index takes time to update, so during the transition period — usually a few days — searches for your old name may still pull up your profile, or they may not. This is temporary and resolves on its own.

Handling name changes across multiple artist profiles

If you have released music under more than one artist name on Spotify, you have separate artist profiles for each name. Changing one profile's name does not affect the others. You will need to change each profile individually, either through Spotify for Artists or through your distributor, depending on how each one was set up.

If you want to consolidate multiple artist profiles into one — for example, if you released music under "John Smith" and "J. Smith" and want to merge them — Spotify does not offer a built-in merge tool. Contact Spotify for Artists support through the help section in your account to ask about consolidation options. They can sometimes manually merge profiles, but this is not may provide and depends on your specific situation.

Timing and what to expect during the rollout

After you change your name, it appears on your artist profile page within a few hours. However, it may take longer to show up in other places: your profile on the Spotify mobile app, the web player, search results, and playlists you appear on. During this rollout period, different users may see your old name or new name depending on which Spotify app or region they are using.

This delay is normal and not a sign that something went wrong. Spotify's systems are distributed across many servers and regions, and they do not all update at the same moment. By 24 to 48 hours after the change, your new name should appear consistently everywhere.

If your name still shows the old version after 48 hours, clear your Spotify app's cache or log out and log back in. If the problem persists, contact Spotify for Artists support.

Changing your name if you use a distributor but also have Spotify for Artists

Some artists set up both a Spotify for Artists account and use a distributor. This can happen if you switched distributors or if you manually claimed your profile after your distributor uploaded your music. In this situation, your distributor is the source of truth — any change you make in your distributor's system will overwrite changes you make in Spotify for Artists.

To avoid confusion, change your name only in your distributor's dashboard. Do not change it in Spotify for Artists at the same time. If you have already made conflicting changes, wait 24 hours for Spotify to sync with your distributor, and the distributor's version will win.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my artist name affect my Spotify for Artists analytics?

No. Your streams, listener data, and all historical analytics stay attached to your artist profile ID, not your name. You will see the same numbers and trends before and after the change. The only thing that changes is the label on your profile.

Can I change my artist name back to what it was before?

Yes. You can change your artist name as many times as you want by following the same process. There is no limit on how often you can edit it. However, frequent name changes can confuse your listeners and may hurt your discoverability, so most artists change their name only when necessary.

How long does it take for my new artist name to show up in search results?

Spotify's search index usually updates within 24 to 48 hours. During this time, searches for your old name may still find you, or they may not. This is temporary. After a few days, searches for your new name will work consistently, and searches for your old name will gradually stop returning your profile.

What if my distributor does not have an option to change the artist name?

Contact your distributor's support team. Most distributors allow artist name changes, but the feature location varies. Some hide it under "Release Settings" or "Artist Information," while others may require you to contact support directly. Your distributor can walk you through the process.

Can I change my artist name if I have unreleased music scheduled on Spotify?

Yes. Changing your artist name does not affect scheduled releases. Your upcoming music will release under your new name automatically. If you want the release to show your old name for some reason, you would need to cancel the release, change the artist name back, and re-schedule it — but this is rarely necessary.