Is Your Distributor Actually Independent? What a New Report Found

The infrastructure question

Independent music is thriving on the surface. A new quarterly report from research company STVDIO, published with support from Secretly Distribution, a distributor with more than 25 years of history working with independent labels and artists, puts independent music's share of global recorded music at 46.7%, with a 35% share of streaming consumption and 40% of album sales. Those are numbers the independent sector has every right to be proud of.

But the report's central argument is that a growing share of the music does not automatically translate into greater control over the business surrounding it. The infrastructure underneath, the systems artists use to distribute, account for royalties, and license their music, is quietly consolidating.

What the acquisitions actually mean for you

After a string of acquisitions in the first half of 2026, many independent distributors are now under major label or private equity control. The practical result is stark: a fully independent artist can retain their own copyrights while still routing their release through distribution, royalty accounting, or publishing administration systems that are ultimately controlled by a major music company, without ever being told this is happening.

The report describes independent roots being replaced with major label infrastructure "at almost every layer of the stack." The biggest fight for independent artists, it argues, is now happening at the operations level, not just in the music itself.

Three areas to watch

The report focuses on three areas where the independent sector needs to act. The first is distribution, where the erosion of genuinely independent routes to market is already well underway. The second is AI licensing, where major labels and large technology companies are currently fighting in court over the terms of how music gets used to train AI systems. The report argues that independent music organisations have a rare opportunity to establish fairer, consent-based licensing standards before those battles are settled and the rules are written without them. The third area is collective action, pointing to organisations like Merlin, which negotiates digital licensing deals on behalf of independent labels and distributors, as models for how the independent sector can act faster and more effectively than individual companies working alone.

Why it matters and what to do with it

If you use a distributor, it is worth knowing who owns that distributor. Many services that present themselves as independent have been acquired by larger entities in recent years. That does not necessarily mean the service itself has changed overnight, but it does mean your releases may be flowing through systems that are not neutral. Knowing who sits at the top of the chain gives you a clearer picture of where your money goes and what leverage you actually have.

The full report, Independent Music 2026: The Fight for Music's Infrastructure, is available through STVDIO's website.