Horus Music

Horus Music is a UK-based digital music distributor founded in 2006 in Manchester, England. It offers unlimited distribution to 150+ stores for £20 per year (approximately $25) with 100% royalty retention, making it one of the more affordable subscription options. Horus Music also offers a pay-per-release model for artists who prefer not to commit to a subscription, with releases staying online forever. The company has direct deals with DSPs, cutting out middlemen to deliver a larger share of royalties back to artists, and distributes to stores in Asia and China that some competitors do not reach.

Pricing and Plans

Horus Music offers two pricing models:

Unlimited Distribution (Subscription)

• Artist Account: £20/year (~$25/year). Unlimited releases for 1 artist, 100% royalties, distribution to 150+ stores worldwide including Asia.
• Label Accounts: £30/year (up to 2 artists), £70/year (up to 5 artists), £120/year (up to 10 artists). All label features for every artist on the roster.

Pay-Per-Release (One-Time)

• Single (1-3 tracks): £25 (~$32)
• EP (4-6 tracks): £35 (~$45)
• Album (7+ tracks): £45 (~$58)
• 100% of all royalties paid out on the 15th of each month
• Releases stay online forever, including posthumously, unless you request takedown
• No subscription needed
• Free barcode and ISRC codes
• Automatic delivery to new stores as partnerships are secured, including back catalog at no extra cost

The pay-per-release model is similar to CD Baby's approach: pay once, stay live forever. But Horus Music charges 0% commission versus CD Baby's 9%. The trade-off is higher upfront per-release costs.

What Sets Horus Music Apart

1. Direct DSP deals: Horus Music has direct agreements with DSPs rather than routing through aggregators. This means more of the royalty pie reaches the artist.
2. Asian market coverage: Distributes to stores in Asia and China that some competitors do not reach, including regional platforms.
3. Pay-per-release with 0% commission: Unlike CD Baby's 9% commission on its pay-per-release model, Horus Music charges 0% commission. You pay more upfront but keep everything you earn.
4. Posthumous release protection: On the pay-per-release model, releases stay online even after the artist's death unless explicitly requested for takedown.
5. Automatic new store delivery: When Horus Music secures new platform partnerships, your existing catalog is delivered automatically at no extra cost.

Submission and Upload Process

1. Create an account through the Horus Music client portal.
2. Choose between unlimited subscription or pay-per-release.
3. Upload audio files and cover art.
4. Enter release metadata. Horus Music generates ISRC and UPC codes for free.
5. Select stores and territories (150+ worldwide including Asia).
6. Submit for distribution.

Horus Music provides a dedicated support team available via email and phone.

Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Less feature-rich than competitors. Horus Music does not prominently offer publishing admin, sync licensing, automated royalty splits, or advanced analytics. It is a straightforward distribution service without the extras that DistroKid, TuneCore, or Symphonic provide.
• Pay-per-release is more expensive upfront than CD Baby. £45 (~$58) for an album versus CD Baby's $14.99. The trade-off is 0% commission versus 9%, so it becomes cheaper once the album earns more than approximately $478 (9% of $478 = $43, the difference in upfront cost).
• Limited online presence and reviews. Horus Music has a smaller market presence than DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby. Fewer independent reviews and community discussions make it harder to assess reliability at scale.
• No free tier. The cheapest entry point is £20/year ($25) or £25 ($32) per single on pay-per-release.
• No publishing admin. You need separate PRO and MLC registration.
• Limited information on delivery speed. Horus Music does not prominently publish delivery timeframes, making it harder to plan release schedules.

Who Horus Music Is Best For

Horus Music is best for artists who want simple, affordable distribution with 100% royalty retention and strong Asian market coverage. The £20/year unlimited plan is competitively priced, and the pay-per-release model with 0% commission is attractive for artists who want permanence without CD Baby's 9% cut. The direct DSP deals and Asian store coverage are genuine advantages for artists with audiences in those regions.

Horus Music is less ideal for artists who need publishing admin, sync licensing, automated royalty splits, or advanced analytics. It is a no-frills distributor focused on getting music to stores efficiently. If you need a full-featured platform, TuneCore, Symphonic, or Ditto offer more services at similar or slightly higher price points.

Distributor Comparison Table

Horus Music's 100% royalty retention on all plans is a genuine advantage. The pay-per-release model with 0% commission is unique. Most competitors either take a commission (CD Baby at 9%) or require an ongoing subscription (DistroKid, TuneCore, Ditto).

AI Music Policy

Horus Music has not publicly stated a specific AI music policy. The platform does not prominently document whether AI-generated music is accepted, rejected, or subject to special review. Contact Horus Music directly for current AI music guidelines.

Artists using AI-assisted tools (where AI is used as a creative tool but human input remains central) should contact Horus Music before uploading to confirm eligibility. The platform's straightforward distribution model suggests it may follow standard DSP policies on AI content, but this is not explicitly documented.

Hidden Costs and Add-ons

Horus Music advertises 100% royalty retention and affordable pricing. The following costs and trade-offs should be considered:

• Pay-per-release is more expensive upfront than CD Baby: 45 GBP (~$58) for an album versus CD Baby's $14.99. The trade-off is 0% commission versus 9%. The break-even point is approximately $478 in album revenue (9% of $478 = $43, the difference in upfront cost).
• Label tier pricing: 30 GBP/year (2 artists), 70 GBP/year (5 artists), 120 GBP/year (10 artists). Each tier adds per-artist costs that compound for large rosters.
• No publishing administration: Horus Music does not offer publishing admin. You need separate PRO and MLC registration. Read our guide to mechanical royalties to understand what you are missing.
• No sync licensing: Horus Music does not have a built-in sync placement service. If you want your music in film, TV, or ads, you need a separate sync licensing company. Browse our sync licensing directory for options.
• No automated royalty splits: Horus Music does not prominently offer automated royalty splitting. Collaborators and co-writers need separate payment arrangements.
• No free tier: The cheapest entry point is 20 GBP/year ($25) for unlimited subscription or 25 GBP ($32) per single on pay-per-release. Compare this to RouteNote's free tier (15% commission) or Amuse's free tier.
• Limited delivery speed information: Horus Music does not prominently publish delivery timeframes, making it harder to plan release schedules. Contact them for current delivery estimates.
• Smaller market presence: Horus Music has fewer independent reviews and community discussions than DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby. This makes it harder to assess reliability at scale.

Video Guides

Compare Horus Music with Other Distributors

• CD Baby - Per-release pricing, 9% commission, music stays live permanently
• DistroKid - $22.99/year unlimited, 100% royalties, fastest delivery
• TuneCore - $19.99/year unlimited, 100% royalties, no commission
• Ditto Music - $19/year unlimited, 180+ stores, publishing admin available
• Symphonic - Full-service distribution with publishing admin and sync licensing
• RouteNote - Free tier with 15% commission, 180+ stores
• EmuBands - UK-based distribution with 100% royalties and permanent availability
• Full Distributor Directory - Browse all music distribution services

Related Resources

• Music Distribution Services Compared - Broader distributor comparison
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Project your earnings
• Horus Music Official Website - Current pricing and sign-up