Distributing AI music: the file requirements distributors actually check
Distributors reject files for technical reasons more often than for quality reasons. Most of the rules are simple, and a proper master satisfies all of them at once. Here is the checklist, and the two rules AI tracks most often fail.
· 6 min read
The format rules
| Requirement | Typical rule | What to deliver |
|---|---|---|
| Container | WAV or FLAC, no MP3 | 24-bit WAV |
| Sample rate | 44.1 kHz minimum | 44.1 kHz (native), 48 or 96 if the master was made there |
| Bit depth | 16 or 24 | 24-bit |
| Channels | Stereo | Stereo (dual-mono is accepted but flagged by some) |
| Peaks | No clipping | −1 dBTP ceiling |
| Silence | No more than ~2 s at start/end | Trim to 0.5 s or less |
Some distributors also reject files under 30 seconds, files with long digital silence in the middle, and anything whose metadata title does not match the submission form.
The two rules AI tracks fail
Clipping. A Suno WAV does not clip on its own (true peaks around −4 dBTP in our tests), but a file that was 'made louder' with a gain plugin or a peak normaliser often does. Automated checks look for consecutive samples at full scale and will bounce the file.
Loudness. Distributors do not enforce a LUFS value, but the stores do normalise, and a raw −15 LUFS file is the one release on your page that plays quiet. Master to −14 LUFS with a −1 dBTP ceiling and both problems go away.
Disclosure and rights
Several stores now ask whether a release contains AI-generated audio, and the answer depends on your generator's terms: Suno, for example, grants commercial rights to paid-plan output but not to free-plan output. Check the plan you were on when the track was generated, keep the generation link, and answer the disclosure honestly. A mastering service does not change the rights status of a file.
A release-ready checklist
- Export the WAV from the generator (not the MP3).
- Master to −14 LUFS, −1 dBTP, 24-bit, native sample rate.
- Trim leading and trailing silence to under one second.
- Check the file with a LUFS meter: no clipped samples, peak at or below −1 dBTP.
- Fill metadata (title, artist, ISRC if you have one) to match the submission exactly.
FAQ
Can I distribute the MP3 Suno gives me?
Most distributors refuse MP3 uploads. Download the WAV, master it, and deliver 24-bit WAV.
Do I need a different master for each store?
No. One −14 LUFS / −1 dBTP master works everywhere. Apple turns it down 2 dB, which is inaudible in isolation.
Try it on your own track
Free 60-second preview. No account needed.