Help with music distribution, royalties and payouts

I spent almost ten years as employee #2 at DistroKid. Now I help independent artists and labels with distribution questions and problems, from payouts and release setup to frozen royalties, locked accounts and takedowns.

Photo of Jasen Samford

What I handle

Distribution problems I help with

A lot of my work is resolving cases where something has gone wrong with a distributor.

Frozen or escrowed royalties

Earnings held during a review, dispute or account investigation.

Locked or terminated accounts

Accounts locked, suspended or closed, including after a hack.

False DMCA takedowns

Releases removed by a takedown notice that doesn't hold up.

Copyright and ownership claims

Conflicting claims over who owns a recording or release.

Fraudulent duplicate uploads

Someone else distributing your music as their own.

Payout holds

Withdrawals paused, delayed or stuck in review.

I also help with release planning, metadata and royalty setup. See release planning and metadata.

All services and pricing →

Why me

A decade inside DistroKid

I was employee #2 at DistroKid and spent almost ten years there, working on artist support, fraud prevention and internal tooling.

I know how distributor teams review these cases, what they need to see, and who to escalate to. Now I work cases for independent artists, labels and the people who represent them, mostly by email.

More about me →

Typical outcomes

  • Withheld and frozen royalties released.
  • Locked and restricted accounts restored.
  • Takedowns and copyright claims resolved, releases back up.
  • Fraudulent duplicate uploads removed.

How it works

A flat fee to open your case

Plus a success fee only if withheld money comes back.

  1. Tell me what's going on

    Fill out the contact form with your distributor, what happened, and any messages you've received.

  2. $175 opens your case

    That covers collecting the details, creating a plan, and contacting your distributor and DSPs as needed.

  3. I gather documents and escalate

    I collect what the distributor needs to see, then contact the distributor and DSPs and keep you updated by email.

  4. 15% success fee, only on recovery

    If earnings have been withheld or locked, there's a 15% success fee, which applies only if the funds are recovered.

Results

What clients say

$74,000+ in frozen royalties released for one artist
$51,000+ in earnings released for one client
$10,000+ in frozen royalties recovered within days

$74,000+ in frozen royalties released

Jasen helped me through a difficult situation with frozen royalties and very little clarity. He was professional, direct and knew exactly how to handle it. In the end, everything was resolved successfully. I'm very grateful for his help.

Ziggy in tha House

$51,000+ released and account restored

Working with Jasen was like having an experienced navigator when everything went off course. I came to him facing multiple copyright claims, restrictions on my distribution account, and a significant amount of inaccessible earnings. He brought clarity and deep industry knowledge to a situation that felt impossible to untangle: the claims were resolved in my favor, my account was restored, and more than $51,000 in earnings was released. I would recommend him to any independent artist or producer navigating complex distribution or copyright issues.

3z Production

$10,000+ in frozen royalties recovered within days

My distributor account was locked during a legal dispute, and over $10,000 of my hard-earned royalties were frozen. I had tried everything and felt hopeless, but once Jasen stepped in he handled the situation with complete professionalism and used his contacts to resolve it. Within days my withdrawal button was reactivated and my funds were fully recovered. Jasen is reliable and a true lifesaver for independent artists. I highly recommend his services to anyone facing similar issues.

Kila Fvnky

Over $6,000 unlocked for a client

My client's earnings were frozen by his distributor and nothing seemed to be moving. Countless emails, late nights of research, and numerous dead ends forced me to rethink the approach. Then I found Jasen Samford, and that connection changed everything. He understood the system, guided parts of the process, and helped bridge the gap where needed to help the artist get over $6,000 unlocked.

Sharon Igbokwe, Corporate Commercial Lawyer

Copyright claim resolved, release restored

I was dealing with a serious copyright claim involving my release being taken down through my distributor, with the situation becoming unclear at the time. Jasen was able to step in quickly and handle the copyright claim directly, guiding the entire process from start to finish. He kept me updated throughout so I always knew what was happening, and the issue was resolved in a short time with the release fully restored.

Black River Whiskey

Fraudulent duplicate attack resolved quickly

Jasen helped me resolve a fraudulent duplicate attack very quickly thanks to his experience and network. I later reached out again for a separate distribution issue, which was also handled fast. His professionalism speaks for itself, and I won't hesitate to use his services again.

Alexis C, ATANA

Hacked, locked account resolved within a month

After months of trying in vain to get any response from my distributor, Jasen helped us resolve everything within a month, including fixing an account lock caused by a hacker. Something that's unfortunately becoming more and more common these days. Huge thanks to Jasen!

Triarstar

Months-old issue resolved within days

A very frustrating, months-old distribution issue I had been stuck on was resolved within days of contacting Jasen. The results speak for themselves, but it's also worth noting that he was professional, thorough, and quick to respond throughout the entire process. I can't recommend his services enough to any artist looking for help and practical answers in the music industry.

W. Summers

False DMCA takedown handled fast

Hands down the best decision I made this year. As an independent artist it's easy to feel unheard, and when I had a false DMCA takedown on my music, Jasen responded immediately to offer assistance. Fast, professional, and actually cares about results. 10/10 would recommend again!

CEO K

Frozen distributor account resolved

Jasen's help was invaluable when my distributor account appeared to be frozen. He assessed the situation promptly, guided me on the next steps, and most importantly managed to resolve the issue with the distributor. His deep industry knowledge is second to none and I would recommend him without hesitation.

Timothy L (Chill City Pop)

Structure in a messy copyright dispute

Jasen was a huge help during a really messy distributor and copyright situation. When everything started piling up, he helped bring structure to the chaos and walked me through it all. His guidance has made a real difference in how I handle disputes, distribution decisions, and overall strategy now. I would absolutely recommend him to other artists dealing with similar issues.

Cain Walker

Clear, honest guidance on a complicated case

Jasen was extremely helpful throughout a difficult situation involving a music distribution platform. He took the time to properly understand the issue and provided clear, honest guidance when things became complicated. He helped clarify the best path forward and stayed proactive in trying to move things along from the distribution side. His persistence and willingness to look deeper than surface-level support really stood out. I'd definitely recommend working with him.

Zachary Aghaizu

A trusted advisor for a new indie label

I met Jasen when I first launched my indie label and he has been super valuable. Extremely professional, personable, and very knowledgeable about all things music and tech. On several occasions he has gone above and beyond, which really impressed me with his character. Highly recommend him for anything music tech related and beyond.

Raviga Records

My company

Gatefolded

Public or private music sharing for artists, producers and labels. Send demos and advance music as one private link, and see who actually listened.

Tell me what's going on

I work with artists and labels worldwide, mostly over email. Video calls are available on request.