CD Baby Reviews

CD Baby
( 12 reviews )
Website: CDBaby.com

CD Baby is a company who describes themselves as the world's largest online distributor of independent music who promises that when you buy from them, your money goes directly to the artist. 

CD Baby aims to cater to the many talented and budding musicians around the world who need a platform to get their music out there, earn money from it, and begin gaining recognition.

How Does It Work?

In order to create and distribute music with this company, you must choose a type of membership, whether Standard or Pro, both of which have different pricing and different features. 

Regardless of what membership you choose, you can always sell your music on their website, and through the companies they work with via their distribution partnership, which includes a wide variety of major online distributers like iTunes and Spotify, but also includes brick-and-mortar music stores as well.

Cost & Price Plans

As a Standard member, it costs $12.95 per single and $49 to create and record an album, while Pro members will pay $39 per single and $99 per album, as this membership includes a variety of song registration and global publishing features. 

Regardless of the type of membership you choose, all fees will only be charged one time - there are no annual fees like there are at other music distributor websites - and all members will be charged a 9% fee for all music sold or downloaded.

Mobile Options

CD Baby utilizes mobile applications in as much as their distribution will go through popular music mobile applications like Spotify.

Refund Policy

Since CD Baby also sells the music of the artists they work with, they do have a Refund Policy which pertains to customers who have purchase music through their site.

Defective and unopened CDs can be returned for a refund within 60 days, while music that simply isn't liked can be returned in 30 days.

As far as a Refund Policy for artists' membership, the website does not have information detailing if they offer anything. 

Customer Service Contact Info

Customers or members who questions, concerns, or complaints can contact them by email at [email protected], by phone at 800-289-6923, or by traditional mail at 13909 NE Airport Way, Portland, OR 97230.

Reputation

CD Baby seems to have a very positive reputation in general online, as they are a company whose services have been long established in the music community.

There are some negative reviews from customers regarding unhelpful customer service representatives, but the company says many of these complaints are not within their control - they are simply a part of distributing music independently. 

Is It Safe?

There does not seem to be any complaints regarding safety at this time.

Competitors and Alternatives?

There are a few different companies that offer similar distribution services, such as Ditto Music and others.

If you have any experience with CD Baby or their services, please leave your reviews below.

CD Baby Customer Reviews

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Help is NOT on the way. Bad Customer Service!!!
December 22, 2022

I've been having serious problems with CD Baby since I submitted an album and a single MONTHS ago for Pro Distro. They took my money, but a week or so later I started getting emails stating that more info was needed and to click on the link provided and provide the missing info. The link only goes to an ERROR page that says CD Baby techs have been informed and are working it.

I have tried everything. And I get no response from CD Baby for the numerous emails I have sent requesting assistance except a generic email that says "Help is on the way". I have filed a complaint with the BBB. Next step is a lawyer.

They took my money, put my music out everywhere, are collecting royalties, but passing nothing on to me, because of their problem with their stupid website. Next published songs will go to another distro service.

Scam
September 3, 2022

This company is a scam they take a percent of your earnings. Next the company throws you under the bus by giving money to the IRS. I don't make lots of money like A list artist.

Does not pay when your cds sell
August 14, 2022
Cdbaby does not pay for cd sales. Once vendor pays, it inserts a credit into your account so no payout is ever given. Alliance is selling cds and paying cdbaby. Cdbaby credits itself so it does not pay artist. Been catching them at this for years. They create stories about it but none of it adds up.

Intermediate, sometimes good
October 29, 2021

CD Baby does give some control over publishing and releasing music. Their Metadata management is average to intermediate. The website has a number of bugs which keep popping up in new versions. On top of this, their financial and performance dashboards are somewhat limited. They also do not have a mobile application.

I would go for Sony Music or Universal Music mobile application. Sony Music has a somewhat better mobile experience, and are also a better label than Universal Music. CD Baby also has a deal with EMI, which they keep under wraps. So all in all, they are on the one hand A&R and on the other hand do wish users to gain more control on the music industry.

CD Baby is now a Rip Off! Beware!
June 9, 2021

I sold my music with CD Baby for many years. Suddenly, without any warning, the links to buy my music at CD Baby were redirected here: https://store.cdbaby.com/ saying this:

"Where's the CD Baby Store?

CD Baby retired our music store in March of 2020 in order to place our focus entirely on the tools and services that are most meaningful to musicians today and tomorrow."

Does their statement above mean that they no longer find it 'meaningful' to sell digital music tracks? ... that it's all right to 'kick to curb' the musicians that helped CD Baby become successful in the first place? (This scenario reminds me of what YouTube has been doing in the past few years)

Thanks a lot CD Baby!

and recently, I'm receiving emails from CD Baby weekly trying to suck me and others back into their web, probably because everyone is learning to not have anything to do with them.

Buyer Beware!

RogueCock September 16, 2021

We tried to warn folks years ago that the real CD Baby died. They're worse now.

Crooks
March 3, 2021
Complete scam. Cdbaby took (stole) my money over a year ago for publishing administration. They never actually set it up or provided the service. They have not responded to multiple emails nor to a bbb complaint. Basically they stole my money and did not even attempt to provide the service. Complete crooks do not fall for their con.

8 years experience - still sucks
March 1, 2021

Many, many issues. I have been using their services for more than 8 years, and every single time there are issues with the releases. Featured artists randomly don't get tagged, if they get tagged, the song does not appear on their page, if you write them to correct it ASAP because you spent $1000 on studio works, photo shooting, promotion, marketing plan, and you had been preparing for the release for 2 months before it would be out, they say "it takes up to 30 days to fix it, sorry for the inconveniences", and then they close the chat without saying goodbye.

You can not customize the capitalization of the title, they "inspect" your song for extremely long time before they would send it to distribution, they are not flexible when something is wrong on their side, etc etc etc.

I know there are not too many good options for indie artists out there, but this is unacceptable, makes me think that they do not care too much about you once you paid the fee. Why haven't I changed yet? Good question. Still waiting for something better. As soon as I find it, I would migrate our whole discography there for sure.

NeoshaMusic March 11, 2021

I agree completely with you. 3 of my singles will be late and one I sent 5 weeks in advance like they asked.

Cd Baby is a complete rip off and I've been trying to tell everyone that so they can go to someone else. The amount you spend for distribution of your music, service, quality, speed should be a major priority, but it is not.

These 3 singles will be the last I do with CD Baby. I'm going for DistroKid and give them a try because so far based on research, it's way better than CD Baby and they're faster apparently with unlimited downloads. Immediately more bang for your buck. Whereas with CD Baby, you have to cut and sell a kidney for each upload.

CDBaby is a total scam
May 2, 2019
CD Baby is a total scam. Just want to get this out there. They market their service as a turnkey publishing

Gave me wrong cd edition
November 29, 2017

Pre-ordered Ninja Sex Party's Under the Covers: Volume 2; the cd and packaging are both in great condition, but they sent me the regular edition instead of the pre-order edition and poster. A bit irked about that, but I'm happy to own the disc.

Cdbaby keot pushing the delivery date back, we were to the point where we were ready to sue. We aren't the first to have this issue.

Overall, I would only order from them if I couldn't get a physical copy anywhere else.

CD Baby made an illegal copyright claim on my legally copyrighted property!
November 29, 2015
CD Baby made a third party claim on a song I legally own the copyright to and uploaded to YouTube. Upon asking them to remove it they instead stated that they collect ad revenue that the song makes and sends me the money. In reality I have never had any association with these people and as such they have no idea how to even send me money. THEY ARE LIARS. They are taking independent artists' music without permission and trying to make money off of it. My next step is to contact my attorney.

somewhat pleased wtih this company
November 22, 2014
staff is helpful, but overall experience was ok .I would only recommend them if you have the patience.

Richard Gallacher April 07, 2015

its been a while since that comment i cant even get them to answer my email got me wondering if it was just a prelonged SCAM as usual

Not the best as they make out they are
November 22, 2014

I was happy when i first found them, i thought they was great... But then after i published my album they started to list & categorize my music under the wrong genres that i never even specified.

When i contacted the staff at customer service about it "they" well some said they could not fix it, others did later on when i contacted again about it, some kind of lies going on among staff.

One day, after two years later of being an artist with them i decided to delete my album. And guess what? Around one month later they are still selling my album on "tradebit", that's kind fraudulent in a sense that they state in their terms and conditions that "you" have 100% rights over your music. I heared the same thing from another artist before it happened to me, i guess i should of listened. Anyway I could sit here rant & say some curses at cdbaby but i am not even going to waste my energy at them. My advice is to stay away from them and here are some better distributors i found> "loudr.fm", "venzodigital.com"(this one is itunes only but still good), "routenote.com", and for CDs (Createspace) > "www.createspace.com/Products/CD/",

RogueCock September 16, 2021

just "Not" would have been sufficient