Revelator offers three distinct YouTube services. Understanding the difference between them is essential before distributing music or linking a channel. Each service works differently, generates revenue differently, and has different requirements.
YouTube Music distribution
- YouTube Music is YouTube’s music streaming platform — comparable to Spotify or Apple Music.
- When you distribute a release to YouTube Music through Revelator, your tracks appear as art tracks: a static video using your release artwork, no separate video upload required.
- YouTube Music has a free ad-supported tier and a paid subscription tier.
- Revenue is generated when listeners stream your art tracks on either tier.
When you distribute to YouTube Music, YouTube automatically creates a topic channel for the artist — a system-generated channel that hosts their art tracks. By default, this is separate from any personal YouTube channel the artist manages themselves.
Artists who want their distributed releases to also appear on their personal channel can request an Official Artist Channel (OAC). An OAC links the artist’s owned channel with their YouTube Music topic channel, so both appear unified to listeners — with a music note badge confirming official artist status.
| Tip If your artist has their own YouTube channel and wants their distributed releases to appear there too, request an OAC. See Requesting a YouTube Official Artist Channel (OAC) for the procedure and eligibility requirements. Note that processing can take up to 6 months. |
YouTube Content ID distribution
- Content ID is YouTube’s rights management system.
- When you distribute a release to Content ID through Revelator, YouTube creates an asset from your audio file — made up of your metadata, an audio fingerprint, and your ownership information.
- Once registered, Content ID continuously scans all videos on YouTube. When it detects your audio in someone else’s video, it automatically places a claim on that video — generating revenue for you.
- Content ID only earns revenue when other videos use your audio. If no one is uploading videos that contain your sound recording, you earn nothing from Content ID distribution alone.
YouTube MCN (channel monetization)
- If your client has a YouTube channel, they can link it to Revelator’s Multi-Channel Network (MCN).
- This is separate from distribution.
- Linking a channel unlocks additional monetization capabilities, enhanced reporting, and Content ID superpowers for videos uploaded directly to that channel.
See Linking a YouTube Channel to Revelator’s MCN for setup instructions.
Which service does your client need?
| Service | What it does | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube Music | Makes your releases available on YouTube’s music streaming platform as art tracks | All clients distributing music |
| YouTube Content ID | Registers your audio with YouTube so it can claim other videos using your recordings | All clients distributing music |
| YouTube MCN channel | Enables monetization, reporting, and Content ID for a client’s own YouTube channel | Clients who upload videos to a YouTube channel |
| Note Most music clients will use all three. A typical setup: distribute releases to YouTube Music and Content ID through Revelator, then separately link their YouTube channel to the MCN if they upload music videos or artist content. |
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