Checked by the editors: 7 September 2026
Store lists checked against Yandex Music's partner list and the distributors' own terms.
Why your distributor decides whether Russia hears you
Listeners in Russia use Yandex Music, VK Music and Zvuk; Spotify isn't available to them. In 2025 these three services took 90.6% of the revenue of a streaming market worth 53.97 billion ₽ (J'son & Partners Consulting). None of them has an upload form for artists: music arrives only from distributors with a direct contract. If your distributor isn't one of them, your release simply won't appear there – however good your metadata is. The market itself is in music streaming services in Russia.
Western distributors and Russian platforms in 2026
| Distributor | Russian platforms | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| TuneCore | ✅ On Yandex Music's list of partner distributors | The only big Western service on that list. Check that VK Music and Zvuk are also on your store list |
| DistroKid | ❌ Not on Yandex Music's partner list | Popular and cheap, but it doesn't get you into Yandex Music |
| CD Baby | ❌ Left in 2022 | Stopped delivering to Yandex Music, VK Music and Zvuk and stopped collecting royalties in Russia |
| LANDR | ❌ Stopped delivering to Russian platforms | – |
| Symphonic Distribution | ❌ Stopped delivering to Russian platforms | – |
| Repost by SoundCloud | ❌ Stopped delivering to Russian platforms | – |
Statuses change several times a year, and the final word is the store list your distributor shows for your release. Look for all three names before you pay: Yandex Music, VK Music and Zvuk (formerly SberZvuk).
Russian distributors: all three platforms at once
Russian distributors deliver to Yandex Music, VK Music and Zvuk together with international stores. Their terms are built for artists in Russia, so check how each one works with artists from your country.
| Distributor | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OUR ANGELS | 1 500 ₽ per single, 3 000 ₽ per EP or album, one-off | 250+ services, editorial pitching, live in 2 business days |
| MusicAlligator | 790 ₽ (a Russia-only plan), 1 600 ₽ and 2 650 ₽ | A priority partner of Yandex, VK and Zvuk; delivery in 6–48 hours |
| FreshTunes | Free plan, or Pro at $10 a month / $100 a year | An official Yandex Music partner; editorial pitching only on Pro |
| Imixes / EMD | 600 ₽ one-off activation, 80% of royalties to the artist | An official Yandex Music partner focused on electronic music and Beatport; a 12-month agreement |
| VAUVISION | 2 590 ₽ per single, 3 090 ₽ per EP or album in Russia; $30 and $37 for other countries | A separate contract for each release; 80% of royalties to the artist on top of the fee |
| Zvonko Digital | By contract, no public prices | The largest Russian distributor, 150+ services; requires a Russian legal status (sole proprietor, company or self-employed) and electronic document flow |
| SFEROOM | From 700 ₽ per single | Delivers through an intermediary rather than as a priority partner of the stores |
What to check before you choose
- The store list. Yandex Music, VK Music and Zvuk by name – not just "Russia" or "CIS" in general.
- Partner status. Official and priority partners of the stores usually get releases through moderation faster; ask how the distributor handles editorial pitching.
- Payouts. A payout method that works in your country, the minimum withdrawal and how often reports come.
- Contract term and exclusivity. Some agreements run for 12 months and don't allow the same release with another distributor.
- Pitching. Editors on Yandex Music and VK Music pick tracks before the release date, so set it about 14 days ahead.
- One spelling of your name. If your artist name exists in Cyrillic and Latin letters, use the same spelling on every release, or your plays will be split between two artist pages.
One store – one distributor
Don't send the same release to the same store from two distributors: it creates duplicates, splits your plays and can end in a takedown. If you already have a Western distributor for Spotify and Apple Music, you can deliver the same release to Russian platforms through a second one – as long as each store receives it from only one source and the ISRC codes stay the same.
What about Spotify?
Spotify closed its Russian office and isn't available to listeners in Russia, but distributors still deliver music there, and plays from listeners outside Russia are paid. For an artist abroad nothing changes on Spotify – the question is only how to reach Yandex Music, VK Music and Zvuk. How the upload works step by step – in how to upload music to Yandex Music and how to upload music to VK Music.
Sources and methodology
Store lists and terms were checked on 7 September 2026 against Yandex Music's help for artists and rights holders and its list of partner distributors, the distributors' own pricing pages and terms, and the DDEX metadata standards. Market data: J'son & Partners Consulting, 2025 results. Terms change several times a year – check the distributor's current store list before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
Does DistroKid deliver to Yandex Music?
No. As of 2026 DistroKid isn't on Yandex Music's list of partner distributors, so releases uploaded through it don't appear on Yandex Music. CD Baby and LANDR stopped delivering to Russian platforms altogether.
Which Western distributor delivers to Yandex Music?
TuneCore is the only big Western distributor on Yandex Music's partner list. Check the store list in your account: what the distributor shows for your release is the final word.
Can an artist outside Russia use a Russian distributor?
Often yes, but terms differ: VAUVISION, for example, publishes prices for other countries, while Zvonko Digital requires a Russian legal status and electronic document flow. OUR ANGELS works with artists outside Russia remotely.
Can I keep my current distributor and add Russian platforms separately?
Yes, if each store receives the release from only one distributor and the ISRC codes stay the same. Sending the same release to the same store twice creates duplicates and splits your plays.
How much does distribution to Yandex Music, VK Music and Zvuk cost?
At OUR ANGELS – 1 500 ₽ per single and 3 000 ₽ per EP or album, one-off, to 250+ services. Russian distributors range from a 600 ₽ activation fee to subscriptions of about $10 a month.
Does Spotify work in Russia?
Spotify isn't available to listeners in Russia, but distributors still deliver music there, and plays from listeners outside Russia are paid.
Release your music with OUR ANGELS
OUR ANGELS is an independent music label in Moscow, working since 2010, with 7,200+ releases in the catalogue. We deliver releases to Yandex Music, VK Music and Zvuk together with 250+ other stores and streaming services worldwide: 1 500 ₽ per single and 3 000 ₽ per EP or album, one-off, live in 2 business days, editorial pitching included. The rights stay with the artist, and royalty reports come once a quarter.
See every service on the price list, send us a demo or get in touch.
Read next: How to upload music to Yandex Music · How to upload music to VK Music · Music streaming services in Russia 2026 · How much Yandex Music pays per stream · All guides
This page is also available in Russian.