RocNation Distribution Review: Hidden Contract Traps Artists Must See

The name RocNation rings bells in the entertainment business. It’s one of the top management companies in the world, representing recording artists, songwriters, publishers, and athletes. Its roster includes:

• LaMelo Ball

• Megan Thee Stallion

• Rihanna

• A$AP Rocky

• Big Sean

That’s major star power. So when RocNation launches a music distribution service, recording artists pay attention.

Artists seeking validation care about association

The psychology behind this is simple. Art is one of the few fields where almost everyone looks down on you until you achieve some level of success. As a result, many artists chase symbols of validation.

I’ve seen artists buy fake followers, fake views, and fake streams. I’ve seen artists push their videos through VEVO—not because VEVO does anything special, but because they want the logo. Some even steal the VEVO logo from Google Images to paste onto their thumbnails.

This same psychology plays out with RocNation. Artists want the brand association. That’s why the RocNation Distribution FAQ has to address whether artists can use its logo in promo materials and cover art. When validation is the motivating factor, artists stop judging the value of the service and focus on the appearance of affiliation.

A Look Back: The Previous RocNation Distribution

A quick scan of TrustPilot shows that an earlier version of RocNation Distribution existed. It has a 2 out of 5 score with 100% negative reviews. The consensus:

• Artists signed up

• Uploaded music

• Then were locked out of their accounts

• With no customer support response

That history makes the current Terms of Use worth examining closely.

The Terms: Exclusive, Irrevocable Rights That Survive Termination

RocNation’s current Terms of Use grant the company broad, sweeping rights to your music:

• License your works

• Sublicense them

• Issue sync licenses

• Create derivative works (think Chamillionaire’s “Ridin’ Dirty” vs Weird Al’s “White & Nerdy”)

• Modify, adapt, and distribute in any format

Some of these rights are normal. DSPs generate their own clips, previews, and promotional edits, so distributors need certain permissions.

But three characteristics here are unusual:

1. The rights are exclusive

You can’t authorize anyone else to distribute or exploit your content.

2. The rights are irrevocable

You can’t take the rights back simply by leaving the platform.

3. The rights survive termination

Even if RocNation terminates your account, the license doesn’t end.

This is the part most artists will miss.

If RocNation terminates your account—or locks you out, as the TrustPilot reviews indicate—they are not required to remove your music from DSPs.
They can continue to monetize your catalog indefinitely.

The Payment Loophole: Only Royalties Earned Before Termination Are Owed

The Terms explicitly state that RocNation is only obligated to pay royalties that accrued before termination.

Anything earned after termination?

The contract does not obligate them to pay you.

Combine that with:

• Exclusive rights

• Irrevocable license

• Surviving rights after termination

…and you arrive at the most dangerous part:

RocNation can terminate your account, leave your music live, continue earning money from it, and legally keep 100% of the royalties.

And if you discover this too late, there is nothing you can do because…

The One-Year Time Limit on Claims

The Terms impose a strict one-year statute of limitations on any claims.

If RocNation continues monetizing your catalog in foreign territories—which often report royalties with long delays—you may not find out for 18–24 months.

At that point, you’re legally barred from filing any claim.

The Class Action Waiver

Class action waivers are becoming common in music distribution agreements, but in this context, it’s especially concerning.

If multiple artists:

• Are locked out,

• Can’t reach support,

• Aren’t paid,

• And their catalog stays live,

…they cannot band together to take action. RocNation only has to deal with individual isolated cases, most of whom lack the time or money to pursue arbitration in New York.

A class action waiver, paired with:

• Irrevocable rights

• Survival clauses

• A claim time limit

• A history of account lockouts

…should raise every possible red flag.

About RocNation’s Actual Service

Modern music distributors don’t differ much. The main areas where a distributor can stand apart are:

• Cost

• Reliability

• Customer support

• Promotional support

RocNation offers no advantage in any of those categories.

Cost

It charges 15% of your gross revenue. That means the more you earn, the more you owe—without any increase in support or services.

Reliability

There’s no track record comparable to TuneCore’s long history or CD Baby’s legacy.

Customer support

Standard ticket-based support. No dedicated rep. No industry relationships.

Promotional support

None included.

Where RocNation Actually Stands Out

RocNation highlights:

• Music video distribution

• Aggregated social media metrics

• Mentions tracking

These features look good on paper, but here is the reality:

Music Video Distribution

This only matters if your music videos earn significant revenue.

With a 15% cut, earning $3,000 in a year from YouTube or Vevo means RocNation takes $450 from your music video monetization alone.

Compare that to:

• DistroKid: ~$99/year for unlimited music video delivery

• Venice Music: ~$500/year for both audio and video, 100% royalties kept

If you’re earning actual video money, RocNation becomes the most expensive option.

Aggregated Social Metrics & Mentions Tracking

These are almost certainly sourced from Chartmetric or a similar third-party provider.

Chartmetric allows any artist to sign up and claim their profile for free. You don’t need to give up 15% of your royalties for this.

And if you’re already buzzing, you won’t need a dashboard to tell you.

Conclusion

RocNation Trading on the strength of its brand, not the strength of its distribution service.

Artists drawn to the name risk overlooking terms that give RocNation:

• Exclusive, irrevocable rights

• Surviving licenses after termination

• No obligation to pay royalties post-termination

• A one-year window to challenge misuse

• A class action waiver

• A 15% cut of all earnings

• No obligation to remove music after termination

In the best case, it’s simply not a good deal.
In the worst case, it creates a loophole where artists can lose control of their catalog and the revenue it generates.