CD Baby

CD Baby is one of the oldest independent distributors and charges once per release plus a permanent 9% cut of digital revenue. On AI it's the strictest of the majors: it rejects fully AI-generated tracks and accepts only AI-assisted work where humans led the creative process. It became part of Universal Music Group when UMG acquired Downtown Music Holdings in early 2026. It's a fit for human artists who want pay-once pricing, not for AI-first creators.