Free Music Distribution in New Zealand 2027: Full Guide

2026-11-15 · 7 min de lectura

Kiwi artists can release music free in 2027 through commission plans such as RouteNote Free, which keeps 15%. Then register with APRA AMCOS for songwriting and Recorded Music NZ, which can pay up to 50% of recording income directly to featured artists. NZ On Air funds singles up to NZ$11,000.

New Zealand is a small market with unusually good support for local music. Public funding for singles, a recording-rights body that can pay artists directly, and payouts in New Zealand dollars all make it easier to release independently. What you will not find in 2027 is a distributor that is completely free and also handles everything. This guide explains the options, the organisations you register with yourself, and how to stack them so nothing is left on the table.

Songwriting royalties: APRA AMCOS New Zealand

APRA AMCOS administers performing and reproduction rights for songwriters, composers and publishers in New Zealand (and Australia). A few practical points from its join page:

Writer membership is for individuals. Companies and groups cannot join as writers.
In a band, only the members who write or compose need to join.
If your works are published, your publisher usually collects reproduction royalties for you, so you may not need to join AMCOS separately.

Your distributor never registers your songs here. If you wrote the track, joining APRA AMCOS is a separate step.

Recording royalties: Recorded Music NZ

Recorded Music NZ licenses recordings and can pay featured artists directly. According to its registration page, it can "distribute up to 50% of the income from recordings directly to the recording artist(s)", with a default split of 50% to the artist and 50% to the master rights holder, as long as the rights holder has given permission and you complete the form. To register you must be a featured artist (not a session musician, producer or DJ), a New Zealand citizen or resident, and you must appear on a recording registered by a Registered Rights Holder. If you do not register, all income goes to the rights holder.

If you self-release and own your masters, register both as the rights holder and as the featured artist, so both halves come back to you.

NZ On Air: public funding for your next single

Few countries fund independent singles as directly as New Zealand. NZ On Air's New Music Single fund (Whai Pūtea mō te waiata hou) offers up to NZ$10,000 plus a mandatory Artist Creation Fee of up to NZ$1,000, a total of up to NZ$11,000 per song, to cover recording, visual content and promotion. To apply, your track must qualify as New Zealand music under its checklist, and you must meet at least 10 of 30 benchmarks covering audience, track record, business credentials, plans and budget. The latest round opened on 8 October 2026 and closed on 22 October, with decisions due on 19 November 2026. Competition is real: in the September 2026 round, NZ On Air funded 25 songs out of 137 eligible applications.

Funding pays for the recording; distribution is still up to you. That is where the services below come in.

Free distribution options that work from New Zealand

Most well-known distributors now charge a yearly fee. These are the free options we could confirm on official pages today, plus press-reported terms where marked.

Option	Model	What you keep	Where it goes	Payout
RouteNote Free	Free, commission on earnings	85% of net income	Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube Music, Deezer, TIDAL and more; YouTube Content ID at no charge where eligible	US$50 minimum; PayPal, bank transfer or Payoneer; paid between the 15th and 20th of each month
SoundOn (TikTok)	Free (press report, May 2026)	100% on TikTok and CapCut; 100% for 12 months on other stores, then 90%	TikTok, CapCut and other streaming stores	Not published in the source
Audiomack AMP	Free direct upload, Audiomack only	50% of revenue per stream, once your account is verified and your country is eligible	Audiomack only	Via Tipalti, 90 days in arrears
Bandcamp	Free store, direct sales to fans	85% of digital sales (90% after US$5,000 in 12 months), 90% of physical, minus payment-processor fees (usually 4-6%)	Your own Bandcamp page	Not stated in the fees article

A commission-based plan suits early releases. If you land NZ On Air funding for a single, factor the distributor's cut into the budget you submit.

For contrast, these are the cheapest paid tiers we could confirm on official pages today: Ditto Starter at US$19 a year (100% to the artist), Amuse Artist at US$23.99 a year, TuneCore Rising Artist at US$24.99 a year, SoundCloud Artist at US$39 a year (two distributed tracks a month), and RouteNote Premium, which charges US$10 per single and US$9.99 a year per release from year two in exchange for 100% of income. Amuse states that if a plan lapses your music stays live but it keeps 25%. ONErpm says its self-service Emerging tier has no registration, annual or upload fees, but in 2026 there are contradictory reports about whether sign-up is open to everyone, so check its site before you plan around it.

How to get paid in New Zealand

PayPal's official Payouts country table lists New Zealand with "send, receive, and withdraw in local currency", so you can take royalties out in New Zealand dollars. RouteNote also pays by bank transfer or Payoneer once your balance reaches US$50. Distributors usually report in US dollars, so compare the conversion each option gives you.

Royalties and grants can have tax consequences, including GST if you are registered, as NZ On Air's own guidelines mention. Check Inland Revenue or an accountant for your situation. This is not tax advice.

Platforms that matter in New Zealand

Spotify and YouTube Music: both list New Zealand on their official availability pages (Spotify, YouTube Music).
Apple Music and Amazon Music: included by every distributor in the table.
Bandcamp: handy for selling directly to fans at home and overseas.
Radio: airplay is where Recorded Music NZ and APRA AMCOS income tends to come from, so register before you pitch.

Aotearoa's music spans indie, hip-hop, reggae, electronic, Pacific and te reo Māori music. Whatever your sound, the same three registrations apply.

Your first release in 2027, step by step

Master for streaming with our guide to mastering a song for streaming.
Pick a distributor using the table and our music distributor checklist.
Upload four weeks ahead and pitch in Spotify for Artists.
Join APRA AMCOS if you wrote the song.
Register with Recorded Music NZ as rights holder and as featured artist.
Plan the next single around NZ On Air's next funding round.

Common mistakes New Zealand artists make

Not registering as a featured artist, so all recording income goes to the rights holder by default.
Joining AMCOS when a publisher already collects reproduction royalties.
Applying for funding without a track record plan. The 10-of-30 benchmark test needs evidence.
Leaving small balances below the payout threshold for years.

When to move to a paid plan

When your yearly commission is larger than a yearly subscription, switch. Our distribution comparison and free distribution guide help you choose, and our Australia guide covers PPCA if you also release across the Tasman.

When a single starts to travel, investment is usually the next step. Be Fun, based in Medellín, Colombia, co-invests in artists with traction without taking their masters.

Tell us about your project in the Be Fun chat.

Frequently asked questions

Can I distribute music for free in New Zealand?

Yes. RouteNote Free has no upfront cost and pays 85% of net income from US$50. Audiomack and Bandcamp are free for their own platforms.

How does Recorded Music NZ pay artists directly?

Featured artists who are NZ citizens or residents can register to receive up to 50% of recording income directly, with a default 50/50 split with the rights holder.

How much is NZ On Air New Music Single funding?

Up to NZ$10,000 plus an Artist Creation Fee of up to NZ$1,000, for a total of up to NZ$11,000 per song.

Can I get paid in New Zealand dollars?

PayPal's Payouts table lists New Zealand as able to send, receive and withdraw in local currency. RouteNote also pays by bank transfer and Payoneer.

Sources

Updated: November 2026. Written by Juan Álvarez, co-founder of Be Fun (Medellín, Colombia).