How to take down a release from the stores
You can ask us to take a release down from all stores or only some of them, at any time. Maybe your plans changed, there is a rights issue, or your music is heading in a new direction. The process has five steps. Once we pass your request on, each store, such as Spotify or Apple Music, decides how quickly the release comes down.
Step 1: Decide what comes down
Decide which release you want to take down, and whether it should leave all stores or only some. You can choose either. Double-check your choice before you ask: once the stores have removed a release, your music is no longer available there.
Step 2: Gather the release details
We need to know exactly which release you mean. Collect the artist name, the release title and the stores concerned. If your release has a UPC (Universal Product Code), include it as well. A UPC identifies one release across the stores, so it rules out mix-ups with similar titles.
Step 3: Send your takedown request
Send your request by email to support@laydistribution.com, or ask on the platform. In your message, include:
- The release details from step 2.
- Whether the release should come down from all stores or only some, and which.
- A short reason (optional, but it can help us understand your request).
For example, you could write:
“Please take my album [Album Name] (UPC: [Code]) down from all stores. My music strategy has changed.”
Step 4: We instruct the stores
After we have your request, we instruct the stores to remove the release. We cannot promise you a date for this step or the next, because it depends on the stores.
Step 5: The stores remove the release
The last step is up to the stores, such as Spotify, Apple Music or Deezer. How quickly a release comes down depends on each store. The store listings are the place to check whether the release is gone.
What happens after a takedown
- Your rights return to you. The rights you granted us for the release end once it has been removed from the stores. Ownership of your recordings stayed with you all along.
- Purchases stay valid. Licences that stores have already granted to listeners, for example for purchased downloads, remain valid.
- Your earnings are paid out. Revenue that the stores pay after the removal for the period before it is accounted for and paid out to you, under the usual payout rules.
- Changes can need a new delivery. If you only want to change a release that is already delivered, such as new metadata, you may not need a takedown at all, but a change can require a new delivery and the stores’ rules can limit it. Ask support first.
Before you take a release down
Think about what the removal means for your fans and your overall music strategy. Removing your music affects your existing listeners and the streams it earns, and with them your earnings. Weigh the pros and cons before you ask.
If you are unsure, write to support@laydistribution.com. Free accounts typically hear back within 48 to 72 hours. The rules behind this guide are in sections 7 and 8 of our Distribution Agreement; that your recordings stay yours is in section 3.3.
