# manifeste · distribution

*The cargo manifest (what ships to which DSP) — and the manifesto.*

Full 2026 research: [`research-2026-distribution.md`](research-2026-distribution.md).

## Decision (2026-06)

RouteNote is **"milking but not moving"** — confirmed. Still distributes & pays,
but ~3–4+ week moderation, thin support, Trustpilot 3.3/5, and account-freeze
risk. It advances neither reach nor legitimacy (our top priorities).

**Subscription-free stack** (no DistroKid/TuneCore-classic tax):

| Layer | Tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| DSP distribution | **CD Baby** | one-time/release ($9.99 single / $14.99 album), keep **91%**, stays up forever, reaches JP (AWA/LINE/KKBOX) |
| Superfans / ownership / gig funding | **Bandcamp** | 15%/10% cut, 0% on 8 Bandcamp Fridays, daily Stripe payouts, human-only AI policy (on-brand) |
| Community / discovery | **SoundCloud** | keep as scene hub + FPR engine; paid tier optional, **not** the distributor (it's a sub) |
| Japan push (optional) | **TuneCore Japan** | Believe subsidiary (French!), dominant inside JP; per-release annual, so JP-campaign-only |

**Rights to register** (money most indies leave on the table): **SACEM**
(authorship) + **ADAMI/SPEDIDAM** (performer) + **SCPP or SPPF** (producer —
you self-produce). Watch **CNM** *musiques actuelles* mobility/export aid for touring.

## Migration off RouteNote (no gap, low risk)

1. Export RouteNote catalog, UPCs/**ISRCs**, earnings; withdraw balance >$50.
2. Register rights (SACEM + neighbouring-rights) — distributor-independent.
3. Open **Bandcamp**, upload catalog immediately (additive, instant).
4. Set up **CD Baby**, re-deliver release-by-release, **reuse existing ISRCs** so
   stream history/links don't fragment; newest/most-streamed first.
5. Once a release is confirmed live on CD Baby, **take it down from RouteNote**
   (avoid DSP duplicate-delivery flags). Migrate one at a time.
6. SoundCloud unaffected throughout.
7. Reassess in 12 mo: ~50k monthly listeners → apply **AWAL**; JP traction →
   **TuneCore Japan** + bilingual metadata.

## Tools

- **Le Sextant** — `armada/ui/sextant.html` (Vite, `nvm use 22 && npm run dev`):
  slider-driven lifetime cost/revenue simulator. Models PORT / KEEP / ADD across four
  distributors (RouteNote Free baseline · Premium · CD Baby · DistroKid) + Bandcamp as
  an independent layer, prefilled with the real catalog. Surfaces the DistroKid-vs-CD-
  Baby break-even and reframes it as ownership-vs-price once a back-catalog exists.
  Supersedes the static `compare.html`.

## Next

Feeds off `tide-table` gap analysis → drives the **release manifeste** (task #8):
which catalog tracks ship where, in what order (frontlist + back-catalog interleave).
