Additional primary artist
Are you releasing a recording together with another artist and do you both want to be credited as equal primary artists? That is exactly what the additional primary artist feature is for – and in this article we explain what it means, how it works and how to add one. Main artist = primary artist.
What is an “additional primary artist”?
Default primary artist
Every release has one default primary artist – the artist whose account is used for distribution. The release is created and managed under their profile. You can find out more about this role in the article Primary artist.
Additional primary artist
An additional primary artist is an equal primary artist added to a release or recording. What matters is where they are listed – at the level of the whole release, or only on a specific recording. This distinction is important.
Release level vs. recording level – a crucial difference
Primary artist at release level (album / EP / single)
If an artist is listed as a primary artist at the level of the whole release, the release appears on their profile as their own work – just as it does for the default primary artist. Their name appears on the cover, in the release title and in the main section of their profile on the platforms.
When does this make sense? When the artist features as an additional primary artist on most or all of the recordings on the release. If they were a primary artist on only one of the ten tracks on an album, there is no logic in listing them at the level of the whole release – that would be misleading.
Primary artist at recording (track) level only
If an artist is listed as a primary artist only on a specific recording (not at release level), the release does not appear on their profile. Only that specific track appears – in the “Appears On” section, not among their main releases.
When does this make sense? For example, on an album where one artist sings on only two of the twelve tracks. They are an additional primary artist on those two tracks, but not on the whole album.
The consistency rule
If you want an artist to be a primary artist at release level, they must be a primary artist on at least one recording on that release. And conversely: Anyone who is an additional primary artist on all recordings on a release must also be listed at release level. On a single, the artists on the release and on the recording must be the same. If they do not match, the release cannot be sent to distribution – the app will show you which artist is missing where. More in the article Artists on the release and on the recordings don't match.
The reverse logic also applies: If someone is a primary artist on only one recording on the whole album, there is no point listing them at release level. Add them only to that specific recording.
Summary: What appears where
Primary on release + recording
The release appears among the main releases on the artist's profile. Their name is on the cover and in the release title. The artist is equal to the default primary artist.
Primary on recording only
The release does not appear on the artist's profile. The specific recording may appear in their “Appears On” section – depending on the platform. The release stays primarily under the default primary artist.
Does an additional primary artist have to be registered with Bez Labelu?
No, they do not
The second (or third…) primary artist does not need their own Bez Labelu account. Distribution is always handled by the artist whose account is used for the release.
All you need is the artist's correct artist name, Spotify URI and Apple Music ID – and you can add them to the release. If they do not yet have a profile on one of the platforms, write NEW instead of the identifier and we will create a profile for them during distribution (more in the article How to enter another artist who does not have profiles on the platforms yet).
Consent and approval
Consent is mandatory
You must always have the consent of the artist you are adding as an additional primary artist. Adding someone without their knowledge is unethical and may have legal consequences – it interferes with the performer's rights.
Spotify has introduced release approval
In March 2026, Spotify launched the beta feature Artist Profile Protection. Artists who activate it receive a notification every time a new release is linked to their profile. The feature has two modes: In the default Review releases mode, the release goes out as normal and the artist can remove themselves from it afterwards. In Block releases mode, the artist must approve the release before it is shown to listeners.
If an artist in Block releases mode does not respond, the release will not appear on their profile. For trusted distributors there is a system called the artist key (a unique code), which allows automatic approval without the need for manual confirmation.
This feature was created primarily as protection against AI deepfakes and the misuse of artists' names – but in practice it also affects legitimate collaborations. If the artist you are adding has Block releases mode switched on, they must approve the release – in Review releases mode, they can remove themselves from it. We recommend letting them know in advance.
You can read more about this feature in the article Spotify Artist Profile Protection: How release approval works.
How do you add an additional primary artist?
You add them directly in the form
You enter an additional primary artist yourself in the Additional primary artist section – both in the release form and in the form for an individual recording. You fill in three fields: Artist name, Spotify URI and Apple Music ID.
For each additional primary artist you need:
- Artist name – exactly as it is displayed on the platforms.
- Spotify URI – including the “spotify:artist:” prefix at the beginning.
- Apple Music ID – 5 to 16 digits.
- NEW – instead of the Spotify URI or Apple Music ID if the artist does not yet have a profile on that platform. Only if the profile really does not exist, not as a substitute for looking it up.
Several additional primary artists at once
If you are adding more than one additional primary artist, separate the values in each field with a comma and a space – and make sure the artist names, Spotify URIs and Apple Music IDs correspond to each other in the same order. Example of artist names: Artist 1, Artist 2, Artist 3.
Note: Once an artist identifier has been saved, the form will not overwrite it. If you enter it incorrectly, support will handle the correction – see How to fix a wrong or missing artist on a release.
Where do you find the Spotify URI and Apple Music ID? Read the guide: