I’ve Been Inside Enough to Know

I’ve walked through the doors of Violator, Bad Boy, Atlantic, J Records, Def Jam. I’ve seen Cornerstone and the 1200 Squad in action, running guerilla campaigns that plastered posters on every block and got college DJs spinning records before release day.

So when someone tells me “Upload to TuneCore or DistroKid and you’re in the same game as the majors” — I can’t help but laugh. That’s the biggest lie in music. Uploading is delivery, not promotion. Majors run their music through a whole other pipeline that’s locked tight, and if you’re not in it, you’re not in the game.

The Major Label Pipeline

Here’s what they don’t want you to know:

1. Mixshow Promotions Teams
   Every major has a squad working phones, texts, and club doors. Their job is to make sure the new record hits radio PDs, club DJs, and mixshow DJs — and that it gets played.

2. Promo Servers & Record Pools

   • Play MPE → the gold standard for radio servicing.

   • NewMusicServer → I paid to use it, and my track Thunderbird hit FM. It works.

   • Digiwaxx / Promo Only / ZIPDJ / Franchise Pool → these are not simple “DJ pools.” Think of them as marketing engines. If you want in the right lane, you’ll need to save a few thousand just to activate a campaign through them. Majors treat this as budget — indies better be ready if they want the same exposure.

3. DSP Relationships
   Majors don’t pitch through Spotify for Artists like everyone else. They’ve got account managers inside Spotify, Apple, Amazon. That’s why their songs land in Baila Reggaeton or Today’s Top Hits the same day they drop.

4. Remix & Acapella Networks
   Majors don’t upload stems to Splice. They feed acapellas to a tight circle of trusted remixers. Those remixes fuel the clubs, which fuel the streets, which fuel radio. If you’re outside that circle, you’ll never see those files.

Marketing Budgets Disguised as Campaigns

Let’s call it what it really is: the right lane.

• Digiwaxx isn’t selling you downloads — they’re selling you their Marketing Engine.

• Promo Only doesn’t just “service DJs” — they run elaborate promo campaigns that require a serious budget.

• These campaigns aren’t cheap. If you’re serious, set aside $3–5K minimum.

Majors cut that check without blinking. Indies choke on it, which is exactly why the system stays closed.

Why Indies Fall Behind

Distribution platforms like TuneCore or DistroKid only get your music onto DSPs. They don’t:

• Deliver it directly to program directors.

• Put it in the hands of the DJs who actually shift culture.

• Walk it into Spotify Latin’s editorial team.

That’s why so many indie releases sink quietly into the algorithm graveyard.

Breaking the Fence

If you’re serious about pushing a record, here’s where to focus:

• Play MPE → Get in this lane if you want your music in the inbox of radio PDs.

• Regional Promo Firms → Miami, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Mexico City — the real players who plug Latin music into FM.

• Build Your Own DJ Squad → Forget chasing 500 randoms in a pool. Hand-select 30–50 DJs worldwide and service them personally with stems, drops, and edits.

• Legit Playlist Plug-Ins → Not “500 random playlists,” but real agencies with connections to Spotify/Apple editorial.

Final Word from Rico Sanchez

The fence is real. The gatekeepers are real. But don’t confuse delivery with promotion. Uploading to a distro doesn’t mean you’re in the game.

If you want a seat at the table majors eat from, you need either leverage, budget, or your own network. Otherwise, you’re just paying to exist on Spotify while the majors eat up the airwaves.

I’ve been inside. I’ve paid the fees. I’ve watched the machine up close. And I’m telling you flat out: distribution is step one — but real promotion lives in the right lane.