ADA is a full service, independent national distributor whose services include:

• National distribution of music with a knowledgeable sales force spread across the country.
• Digital preparation, distribution, and marketing.
• Co-operative advertising planning and placement.
• Manufacturing and printing of music (CD, DVD, vinyl).
• Warehousing and inventory management.

Please send an email to distribution@ada-music.com describing your company, staff, projected release schedule and distribution needs. We will respond with an email request for any additional information if needed.

If your artist roster is primarily urban or Hip/Hop Rap, please submit your materials to:

Currently only authorized employees of ADA distributed labels and ADA retail accounts may register for membership on this site. To apply for membership please complete the appropriate form and fax back to ADA at (212) 625-6444.

ADA always welcomes applications from new retail partners. We ask that you maintain a minimum average order quantity of 100 units a month. In order to open a retail account you will be required to complete a credit application form and a resale tax emption certificate. You will also need to provide a copy of your most recent year-end financial statement.

Download a PDF containing those forms here.

To get in touch with the salesperson nearest you please contact the appropriate regional manager below:

For international distribution, contact Colleen Theis at ADA Global: colleen.theis@ada-global.com
For UK distribution, contact Susan Rush at ADA UK: susan.rush@ada-music.co.uk

Keith Holzman has written the definitive guide that takes you through all the steps of starting your own record label. He is an experienced music industry veteran with almost forty years as a senior executive at record companies large and small. Please visit RecordCompanyStartup.com

Bernard Baur has written an excellent piece for the Music Connection Magazine on searching for a distribution partner. Click here to view the article. The other piece discusses the current world of CD distribution. Click here to view the article.

If you are a musician, regardless of your musical persuasions, Nadine Condon has written a book called Hot Hits, Cheap Demos: The Real-World Guide to Music Business Success, the one book that will save you money, time, and heartache.

Topics include...

• The top three industry secrets and 22 actions you can take right now
• How to research traditional and non-traditional marketing strategies
• How to contact a club, alternative venue, and other bands
• How to produce your own shows and ways to promote them
• Ways to make your website stand out; web page categories and site sins
• How to create a press kit and when to hire a publicist
• What is a hit song, how to find a producer, packaging a CD
• Facts and fiction about commercial and college radio airplay
• How and when to solicit a manager, agent, and lawyer, with professional checklist
• Submission guidelines and criteria to get major label interest
• Options to major labels, publishing and performing rights info
• 12 points of practical advice to carry with you for your career

Choosing a distributor is an important business decision for any label. Alexis Kelly, president of LiveWire Entertainment Sales and Marketing, wrote a great introduction to independent distribution entitled "The Hows and Whys of Distribution" that may be viewed here.