FAQs
What does The Orchard do?
What kind of music does The Orchard distribute?
Why Is The Orchard listed as a label on Allmusic.com?
Does The Orchard offer discounts to labels that want to distribute several different releases?
What credit cards does The Orchard accept?
Will record stores carry my CD?
Will online retailers like Amazon.com carry my CD?
Will digital music services like Apple's iTunes carry my music?
Can you guarantee that all of The Orchard's distribution partners will carry my music?
Will The Orchard promote my music to help me boost CD sales?
Are there any renewal fees?
Can I allow a record label to distribute my Orchard-distributed CD?
Can I leave at any time?
After you've received my music, how long does it take for your distribution partners to make it available for purchase?
What is a DMS?
Why do I need to deliver five physical CDs to The Orchard if I just want digital distribution?
What is encoding / burning?
What is an ISRC?
How do I register ISRCs for my tracks?
What if I already have ISRCs for my tracks?
What does it mean that my songs are available on a 'track-by-track' basis from DMSs?
How much do I get paid if my songs are streamed or downloaded? What's the payment / cost breakdown?
Are there any costs associated with selling my music files?
Why do I need to earn a $10 minimum release balance before I get paid?
What if my release balance never reaches $10?
How often does The Orchard pay artists and labels?
Do I need to register a UPC bar code for my CD before I send it to The Orchard?
What if I want to keep a UPC bar code that has already been assigned to my release?
Do I need to shrink-wrap my CDs before I send them to The Orchard?
What is the difference between "online retail" and "traditional retail?"
How much does The Orchard pay me for each CD sold?
What costs are associated with selling my CD?
Why do I need to earn a $250 minimum release balance before I get paid for CD sales?
What if my balance never reaches $250?
Why does The Orchard hold a reserve of 25% of my earnings?
How often does The Orchard pay artists?
What is a re-order request?
What is a return? What does it cost me?
I forget my password. Can you email it to me?
I forget my user name. Can you email it to me?
How many copies of my CD have sold through The Orchard so far?
Can I see my personal payment history for all sales through The Orchard?
Why do some online CD retailers classify my release as "back ordered?"
Why can't I find my CD at my local record store or online retail sites?
I'm in New York City - can I drop off CDs at your office instead of mailing them?
How do I update my artist and release information?
How do I update my personal contact info?
Do you offer discounts for adding new releases to The Orchard?
If you are an Orchard client, visit Client Services for more FAQs.
GENERAL
What does The Orchard do?
The Orchard is a non-exclusive distributor-for-hire that:
...distributes music files directly to an international network of legitimate digital music services, including iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody/Real Networks and many others.
...distributes CDs to online retail stores like Amazon.com.
...distributes CDs to record stores, including major record chains and mom-and-pop record stores.
The Orchard is not:
...an online CD retailer. We distribute music to digital download services, online CD stores and traditional retail outlets.
...a record label. We are a distribution company, period. We don't supply manufacturing, promotion, marketing, tour support, and other services of traditional record labels.
...just a 'middle man.' We encode and deliver Orchard releases, manage relationships with many different types of retailers, fulfill orders from CD retailers and provide Orchard artists and labels with up-to-date online accounting tools.
Click here for more details.
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What kind of music does The Orchard distribute?
The Orchard will distribute any kind of music, although we reserve the right to refuse music that violates copyright law or contains offensive lyrics or graphics.
COPYRIGHTS We are happy to distribute releases containing non-original compositions [ie. "cover songs"], as long as you have acquired the proper digital and physical licenses required by law. Likewise, we can distribute a collection of songs recorded by different artists [ie. "a compilation"], as long as you're fully warranted to grant The Orchard the rights to distribute those compositions. Click here for details.
OFFENSIVE LYRICS / GRAPHICS We're not in the business of censoring artistic expression, but we refuse to distribute pornography and music that promotes hatred against a particular race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. If you're not sure if your release falls into this category, contact Client Services.
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Why is The Orchard listed as a label on Allmusic.com?
We automatically register all Orchard releases with the All Music Guide, the most comprehensive online database of CD releases. The All Music Guide and most of our distribution partners use "The Orchard" as a default label name because we are their unique point of contact for all Orchard-distributed releases.
If you would like to update your label information on AMG and our partner sites, click here to visit Client Services.
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Does The Orchard offer discounts to labels that want to distribute several different releases?
Yes! When you add five or more releases to The Orchard at the same time, Worldwide Digital Distribution costs $30 per release [$19 discount] and Digital & Physical Global Distribution costs $59 per release [$40 discount per release].
If you'd like to take advantage of these discounts, you must download and complete a special PDF form at the beginning of our online "add release" form.
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What credit cards does The Orchard accept?
We currently accept VISA, Mastercard, American Express and Discover.
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IF THE ORCHARD DISTRIBUTES MY MUSIC ...
Will record stores carry my CD?
If you choose our Digital and Physical Global Distribution option, The Orchard will make your CD available to record store chains and mom-and-pop record stores throughout the United States. If a fan goes into a record store to buy your CD and it's not on the shelf, that store can special-order your CD through one of The Orchard's one-stop distribution partners: Alliance, Baker & Taylor, Super D or Arrow. Otherwise, in order for a record store to stock your release, their in-house buyer needs to know that there is a demand for it. We strongly encourage you to contact buyers at individual record stores and send them a "one-sheet" description of your release. Once your release is registered with The Orchard, visit the "My Account" section in the Artist & Label Area for a personalized one-sheet template for your release [coming soon].
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Will online retailers like Amazon.com carry my CD?
If you choose our Digital and Physical Global Distribution option, The Orchard will list your CD release with over fifteen online retail partners, including Amazon.com, CDNow, Borders.com and many others.
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Will digital music services like Apple's iTunes carry my music?
If you choose either of our two Distribution Options, The Orchard will use the industry's leading digital encoding company to encode your music and send your tracks for sale to over 35 digital distribution partners, including iTunes, Napster and Rhapsody / Real.
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Can you guarantee that all of The Orchard's distribution partners will carry my music?
All of our distribution partners reserve the right to refuse to carry any particular release, so we cannot give you a 100% guarantee. But those exceptions are rare.
Digital Track Distribution
All of our DMS partners are committed to carrying the entire Orchard catalog. Due to the time-consuming nature of encoding and delivering tracks and track information to meet the specifications of many different DMSs [imagine converting your entire CD collection to MP3, multiplied by several thousand], some DMSs are further along than others in adding our catalog.
Online CD Retailers
All of our major online CD retail partners are committed to carrying the entire Orchard catalog.
Traditional CD Retailers
Traditional record stores will carry your CD if they know there is a demand for it. See "Will record stores carry my CD?" for a full explanation.
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Will The Orchard promote my music to help me boost CD sales?
Although The Orchard offers unprecedented sales and exposure opportunities, we do not promote individual releases. However, we have partnered with companies that can help your promotional and marketing efforts.
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Are there any annual renewal fees?
No - you pay a one-time set-up fee per release for Orchard distribution. Once your release is registered with The Orchard, you can add other releases for a discounted rate.
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Can I allow a record label to distribute my Orchard-distributed CD?
The Orchard artist agreement is non-exclusive, so you will always have the freedom to sign a record label contract that provides distribution through outlets outside of The Orchard.
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Can I leave at any time?
In order for The Orchard to distribute your music, you must sign an agreement that grants The Orchard perpetual non-exclusive distribution rights to your music. We made the agreement non-exclusive so there'd be no need to discontinue Orchard distribution if you had an opportunity to take advantage of services outside of The Orchard's distribution reach.
But if you still want to discontinue your Orchard agreement, you will need to submit a written termination request that states why you want to remove a particular release from Orchard distribution. If The Orchard approves the termination request, we will notify all of our partners, all unsold product will be returned to you (if applicable) and, after a full quarter without receiving physical returns (if applicable), any payment due will be rendered.
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After you've received my music, how long does it take for your distribution partners to make it available for purchase?
Here's a step-by-step description of what happens after we receive your music:
- We check all incoming "new release" packages the day they're received to make sure everything is in order.
- Within two business days, we create and post your Orchard artist and release pages.
- We assign a "release date" to each new release. The release date is scheduled for the third Tuesday after we receive your package. Please note: your "release date" is not the exact date when your music will be available for purchase through our distribution partners. It is simply a rough estimate.
- Every Thursday, we send our distribution partners a list of new releases received the prior week.
- Every Friday, we ship those releases to our third-party encoding partner, who encodes your tracks to meet the different specifications of our DMS partners.
The rest is up to our distribution / encoding partners. In our general experience:
- Online CD retailers usually post new releases within 2-4 weeks of receiving The Orchard's weekly email. Amazon.com sometimes beats that estimate, listing new Orchard releases within a week.
- Digital music services [DMSs] should take between 2-4 weeks to post your tracks, but due to the relative newness of these services and the encoding/delivery process involved, many DMSs are temporarily overwhelmed with ingesting high volumes of music. The current turnaround is closer to 4-6 weeks, although we expect it to shorten eventually.
- Record stores typically take the longest to update their systems. The time it takes to get your CD into a record store largely depends on how frequently that store updates its database with information provided by our one-stop distribution partners. Although we deliver your CD information to our one-stop partners within days of receiving your package, your release could take up to a month to appear in most record store databases.
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ABOUT WORLDWIDE DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION
What is a DMS?
A DMS is a "Digital Music Service." DMSs sell digital music files for streaming, downloading, or physical CD burning (or a combination of these three) over an Internet connection. All of The Orchard's DMS partners have obtained their music files legitimately, through direct agreements with artists, labels and distributors. DMSs are not file-sharing or P2P [peer-to-peer] services; all of them charge users a fee to access your music, whether through a subscription, pay-per-song or pay-per-album structure. Visit our individual Digital Distribution Partners for details on how each service operates.
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Why do I need to deliver five physical CDs to The Orchard if I just want digital distribution?
We use one CD to encode your music into a digital file format, which we then distribute to our DMS partners. We send one CD to the All Music Guide, the world's most comprehensive online database of CD releases. We submit one CD to our in-house A&R team - The Orchard always keeps its ears open for emerging talent and helps it grow, like with The Raveonettes, who signed a high-profile record deal with Columbia Records under Orchard management. Read our company history or Richard Gottehrer's story of The Raveonettes for background info. The remaining two CDs are filed in The Orchard's archives as back-up copies.
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What is encoding / burning?
When we "encode" your music, we transform the digital information stored on a physical medium [a CD] into an intangible digital file format [MP3, for example]. Different DMSs offer customers different audio formats for your individual tracks. The Orchard's partnership with the music industry's leading digital encoding company insures the highest quality of encoding and delivery.
"Burning" is "encoding" in the opposite direction. Digital information stored in digital files [like MP3] can be "burned" onto physical CDs for playback on everyday CD players.
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What is an ISRC?
ISRC stands for International Standard Recording Code. Similar to the way a UPC identifies a physical recording, the ISRC is likely to become the new industry standard for identifying digital audio and video recordings. Encoded directly into the fabric of individual digital tracks, ISRCs are permanent 12-character digital fingerprints that identify recordings for royalty payments and track administration. Some of the major DMSs require that ISRCs are assigned to tracks before they make them available.
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How do I register ISRCs for my tracks?
The Orchard is one of only a handful of companies that have been given permission from the RIAA to assign ISRCs. If you haven't already received ISRCs from a third party, The Orchard will assign ISRCs to your tracks, free of charge, and register them with the RIAA [Recording Industry Association of America] and IFPI [International Federation of the Phonographic Industry], as part of our regular service. If you're a current Orchard artist or label, we've already assigned ISRCs to your Orchard-distributed releases, unless we have received a response to this email instructing us otherwise. Current Orchard artists / labels: you can view your ISRCs in your Artist & Label Area [coming soon].
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What if I already have ISRCs for my tracks?
If you already have ISRCs for your tracks - whether you obtained them yourself or they were assigned to you by a third party on your behalf - you must include the codes when adding a new release to The Orchard ["Step 3" of "Add a Release" in the Artist & Label Area]. Similar to a bar code, ISRC codes are likely to become an industry standard; they identify individual tracks and streamline accounting on your behalf. The codes assigned to your recordings are yours, so no matter how you obtained them, you should use them universally with all of your distribution partners.
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What does it mean that my songs are available on a 'track-by-track' basis from DMSs?
Every DMS offers streaming, downloading or burning music on a "track-by-track" or song-by-song basis. Some services allow users to burn digital files onto physical CDs.
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How much do I get paid if my songs are streamed or downloaded? What's the payment / cost breakdown?
Each DMS differs in the way it prices your music - some are subscription services and others are pay-per-stream or pay-per-download services. Likewise, DMS payment methods also differ. As a loose rule of thumb, subscription-based services calculate the percentage of times your music has been downloaded/streamed/burned against total subscription income to determine payment.
Some services pay The Orchard monthly, others pay The Orchard quarterly. But whatever the payment method, The Orchard always pays artists 70% of revenue received from the DMSs on a quarterly basis. If your music is currently distributed through The Orchard, visit the "Accounting" section of your secure Artist & Label Area to view a detailed streaming and downloading history of your individual tracks through our DMS partners [coming soon].
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Are there any costs associated with selling my music files?
The Orchard uses a third-party state-of-the-art facility to encode your CD to meet the diverse specifications of each individual DMS. The Orchard pays a standard one-time encoding cost for each individual CD release. This cost is covered by your initial set-up fee. There are no additional costs associated with selling your music files via DMSs.
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Why do I need to earn a $10 minimum release balance before I get paid?
We realize that minimum balances are annoying, but considering the thousands of releases in The Orchard catalog, it would be impractical for us to operate otherwise. We deeply appreciate your understanding and cooperation on this point.
THE SILVER LINING:
- The $10 minimum balance is a one-time requirement per release. After one of your releases has reached its minimum balance, you will be paid quarterly for any additional digital earnings on that release, no matter how small.
- If The Orchard distributes more than five of your releases, you will be paid when your aggregate account balance reaches $10 - not when an individual release balance reaches $10. After your account has reached its minimum balance, you will be paid quarterly for any additional digital earnings, no matter how small.
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What if my release balance never reaches $10?
The Orchard will withhold all payments until your release balance [or account balance, for those with over five releases] reaches $10. After it reaches $10, The Orchard will pay you quarterly for any additional earnings.
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How often does The Orchard pay artists and labels?
The Orchard pays all artists and labels quarterly by cashier's check in US dollars only.
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ABOUT DIGITAL & PHYSICAL GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION
Do I need to register a UPC bar code for my CD before I send it to The Orchard?
No, we automatically assign and sticker each new Orchard release with a unique UPC bar code, as part of our regular service. The Orchard also registers each new UPC with SoundScan, the record industry's sales tracking system that determines the Billboard music charts.
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What if I want to keep a UPC bar code that has already been assigned to my release?
Because we are a non-exclusive distributor, we must assign all Orchard-distributed releases a new barcode sticker so we can track and account for all CD sales and returns that occur through The Orchard. This is the only way to keep our accounting accurate and pay the correct amount due to you.
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Do I need to shrink-wrap my CDs before I send them to The Orchard?
We recommend that you shrink-wrap
your CDs before you send them to The Orchard. Otherwise, we will do it for you
and charge your Orchard account $.10 per CD.
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What is the difference between "online retail" and "traditional retail?"
"Online retail" refers to CD retailers that operate from websites like Amazon.com, CDNow.com and Borders.com. "Traditional retail" refers to physical brick-and-mortar record stores, like your corner independent store or chain store.
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How much does The Orchard pay me for each CD sold?
The Orchard pays you 70% of the wholesale price that you select during the application process, minus costs related to shipping and inventory management. Click here to see the Wholesale Price Calculator.
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What costs are associated with selling my CD?
There are three categories of costs associated with Digital & Physical Distribution.
Inventory Management: The Orchard uses a third-party warehouse to store your CDs. The warehouse charges the following fees:
$.25 per unit picking fee - The physical removal of a single CD to fulfill an order.
$.50 per unit breakage fee - Only applies to CDs delivered
to The Orchard with broken jewel cases.
$.10 per unit re-stocking returns - The physical act of re-stocking unsold CDs returned from partners.
$.10 per unit shrink-wrapping - Only applies to CDs delivered to The Orchard without individual shrink-wrapping.
$2.00 per release re-stocking reorders - A flat fee charged for the physical act of adding new CDs to your inventory, after your initial shipment of CDs has sold through. Does not vary according to size of restock.
$2.00 per release returning product to artist or label - Only applies to special-case emergency scenarios where artist or label needs Orchard-warehoused product returned to them.
Shipping: Shipping charges vary depending on shipment. Shipment cost is distributed evenly among every unique item that is included in a shipment to the retailer or one-stop. This fee is typically between $.15 and $.20 per unit for larger orders.
Digital Encoding Fees: The Orchard uses a third-party state-of-the-art facility to encode your CD to meet the diverse specifications of each individual DMS. The Orchard pays a standard one-time encoding cost for each individual CD release. This cost is covered by your initial set-up fee. There are no additional costs associated with selling your music files via DMSs.
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Why do I need to earn a $250 minimum release balance before I get paid for CD sales?
We realize that minimum balances are annoying, but considering the thousands of releases in The Orchard catalog, it would be impractical for us to operate otherwise. We deeply appreciate your understanding and cooperation on this point.
THE SILVER LINING:
- The Orchard keeps two separate financial accounts for each release: one
for sales of digital tracks through our DMS partners and
one for sales of physical CDs through online and traditional retailers.
- Payment for digital track sales is subject to a $10
balance minimum per release. If your release's CD sales have not
yet reached $250, but that release's digital track sales exceed $10, we will
pay you the digital track sales balance. Conversely, if your release's digital
track sales have not yet reached $10, but your CD sales for that release exceed
$250, we will pay you the CD sales balance.
- Balance minimums are one-time requirements per
release. If a release has reached its minimum balance, you will be
paid quarterly for any additional earnings on that release, no matter how
small. Since The Orchard keeps separate accounts for digital track sales and
CD sales, a release's CD balance must reach a one-time minimum of $250 before
you can receive regular quarterly payments for CD sales for that release.
Likewise, a release's digital track sales must reach a one-time minimum of
$10 before you can receive regular quarterly payments for digital track sales
for that release.
- If The Orchard distributes more than five of your releases, you are considered
a label. Accordingly, you will be paid when your aggregate
account balance reaches a minimum balance - not when an individual
release reaches a minimum balance. Once your digital track sales
(across all releases) reach $50, you will be paid quarterly for all digital
track sales, no matter how small. Likewise, once your CD sales (across all
releases) reach $1,000, you will be paid quarterly for all CD sales, no matter
how small.
We strongly recommend that you consult our wholesale price calculator to determine the minimum amount of CDs you'll need to sell through our distribution partners in order to receive payment for CD sales.
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What if my balance never reaches $250?
If you've consulted our wholesale price calculator and conclude that the amount of CDs you'll need to sell in order to meet the $250 minimum release balance is more than you expect to sell in the long run, then The Orchard's Digital & Physical Distribution option might not be for you.
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Why does The Orchard hold a reserve of 25% of my earnings?
This is a standard practice for most traditional distribution outlets. Since our one-stop partners and retail stores always reserve the option of returning unsold CDs, The Orchard must insure against this by withholding a 25% reserve. After two quarters, this reserve will be liquidated and you will be paid the withheld amount.
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How often does The Orchard pay artists?
The Orchard pays all artists and labels
quarterly by cashier's check in US dollars only.
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What is a re-order request?
When your inventory runs low, our re-order department will send you a "re-order request" via email requesting more CDs.
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What is a return? What does it cost me?
All physical retail outlets reserve the right to return CDs that remain unsold on their shelves. To account for this possibility, The Orchard withholds a 25% reserve of your earnings for two quarters, after which the balance is liquidated as a payable amount.
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ORCHARD ARTISTS AND LABELS
I forget my password. Can you email it to me?
Sure - click here for instructions.
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I forget my user name. Can you email it to me?
Sure - click here for instructions.
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How many copies of my CD have sold through The Orchard so far?
You can view your complete accounting
information, including what specific retailers have sold how many copies of
specific releases, in the "Accounting" section of your personal account area
-- log in here!
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Can I see my personal payment history for all sales through The Orchard?
You can view your payment history in the "Accounting" section of your personal account area -- log in here!
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Why do some online CD retailers classify my release as "back ordered?"
Online CD retailers refer to the stock that our one-stop distribution partners have on hand. If a one-stop has very few or no copies on hand, online CD retailers automatically present the worst-case shipping scenario, informing consumers that their CD order will be shipped in 4-6 weeks. Although it's likely that their CD will actually ship the day the order is received, this "worst case scenario" policy is common among online retailers in order to manage customers' expectations. Unfortunately, The Orchard has no control over this policy.
This is generally less of an issue for popular releases. If a release sells well, The Orchard will aim to keep a larger amount of CDs in inventory, shortening the shipping time estimated by online retailers.
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Why can't I find my CD at my local record store or online retail sites?
The Orchard does all the back-end work to put your music in front of buyers at most major and mom-and-pop record stores in the United States. In order for a retail buyer to take the next step and order your music to stock at their store, they need a reason. For example, they'll want to stock your CD if customers have requested it, if your music is receiving airplay on local radio stations, or if you've received press coverage. Basically, if there is a demand for your music, the buyer will order it from one of our one-stop distribution partners.
You are responsible for creating a demand for your music. We encourage Orchard artists to contact buyers at individual record stores and send them a "one-sheet" description of your release. Once your release is fully registered with The Orchard, scroll to the bottom of your personal account homepage for a personalized one-sheet template for your release [coming soon].
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I'm in New York City - can I drop off CDs at your office instead of mailing them?
If you would like to personally deliver
your CDs to The Orchard's Manhattan warehouse at 133 Fifth Avenue [at 20th Street], drop us a line through Client Services and let us know when you'd like to stop by. Our office hours are 10am to 6pm, Monday through Friday.
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How do I update my artist and release information?
You can update your artist and release
information by clicking on the "Edit Release" tab after you log
in to your account. If you'd like to update your artist name, release name,
track title, or anything else that's not changeable on "Edit Release," visit Client Services and we will alert all of our distribution partners.
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How do I update my personal contact info?
We like to know where you are -- please keep us up to date! Update your personal contact info on your account home page when you log in to your account. If you'd like to update other account specifics, see How do I update my artist and release information? .
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Do you offer discounts for adding new releases to The Orchard?
Yes! If your music is already part of The Orchard catalog, you can register additional releases for a discount:
Worldwide Digital Distribution for $35 each [$14 discount]
Digital & Physical Global Distribution for $69 each [$30 discount]
Log in to your account to add your new release online!
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