Physical Music Distribution

Get your music into 3,000+ brick and mortar retailers and web stores across North American and beyond.

For decades, physical music distribution has been an important part of artist and label development. Although popularity has fluctuated over the years, physical music sales and vinyl distribution services are growing rapidly and showing very encouraging signs for the future. As vinyl sales continue to grow and new independent retail stores continue to expand and open all over the globe, there are no signs of slowing down now. Get in on the action right here with Symphonic’s Physical Music Distribution services.

Artists & Labels must first be accepted as a digital distribution client to be eligible to apply for traditional physical music distribution. There needs to be a demonstrable demand for your releases at physical retail outlets and clients are responsible for manufacturing their releases. Learn more specific criteria here.

Physical Music Distribution

As a Symphonic client, we can help you get your vinyl LPs, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, and cassettes to retail outlets through our partnership with AMPED Distribution. Our physical distribution offering includes:

  • Global reach
  • State-of-the-art 600,000 square foot warehouse
  • Largest sales force of any distributor
  • Servicing to over 2,000 independent music and video retailers
  • 3,700 unique customers; 16,000 Ship-to locations

Additional offerings included with our Physical Music Distribution service below.

A black vinyl record is placed on a wooden table, showcasing the importance of Physical Music Distribution.

Partners

And many more…

Retail Marketing

Our physical distribution service includes marketing support through the following:

  • Inclusion in AMPED’s New Release Guide
  • Monthly newsletter that goes to store owners, buyers, and managers
  • Availability on WebAMI, an online ordering & product lookup platform
  • Product listings on Record Store Day’s website
Vinyl record player
Record and CD store

Co-op Advertising

Clients also have the ability to opt-in to paid retail marketing opportunities including some of the following:

  • Independent retail coalition programs
  • Endcap positioning
  • Listening posts
  • Email newsletters
  • Social media posts
  • Sale pricing
  • Print advertising

Success Stories

Box set featuring Rick Springfield’s “Big Hits” album, offering physical music distribution with two vinyl records, two CDs, a photo booklet, and artwork of a white dog with a red frisbee on stage.
Album cover for Rick Springfield's "Working Class Dog Super Deluxe 40th Anniversary Special Live Edition," celebrating physical music distribution, featuring a dog in a shirt and tie with a small inset photo of a person.
A boxed set featuring a Rick Springfield photo book, an open book with black-and-white portraits, and a CD—perfect for fans who appreciate physical music distribution alongside unique artwork.
A musician performs on stage with a guitar to a seated audience inside a record store decorated with posters and CDs, celebrating the era of physical music distribution.
Rick Springfield poses with arms crossed on the cover of AMPED magazine, celebrating the 40th anniversary edition of his album "Working Class Dog" and highlighting its physical music distribution.
Album cover for "Big Hits" by Rick Springfield featuring a victorious dog in red boxing gloves standing over a defeated man in a wrestling ring, alongside three iridescent vinyl records, celebrating the era of physical music distribution.

Rick Springfield

We helped Rick Springfield craft a dynamic and nostalgic physical release campaign that blended exclusivity with national visibility. Fans were treated to 11 custom vinyl variants across four releases, special Record Store Day drops that fueled collector demand, and TalkShopLive exclusive editions that seamlessly merged livestream shopping with physical product sales. From eye-catching colored vinyl and deluxe editions packed with rarities, photo books, and custom slipmats, to a memorable in-store performance at Amoeba Records Hollywood and national TV shoutouts on The Kelly Clarkson Show and Entertainment Tonight, this campaign reignited Springfield’s presence in record stores and on screens across the country.

A vinyl record with an abstract orange and purple design, part of physical music distribution, is partially visible behind a white square album cover featuring track lists and credits for OK Go and The Deadline Hollywood Orchestra.
A vinyl record with a pink and yellow splatter pattern highlights the artistry of physical music distribution, displayed in a white sleeve labeled "OK GO" in pink and "THIS" in green.
Two vinyl records, one red and one blue, are displayed next to an album cover and a geometric sculpture, highlighting OKGO's "And the Adjacent Possible" exclusive color variant—a celebration of physical music distribution.
Cover art for OKGO's "The Adjacent Possible" album, featuring a geometric sculpture and two vinyl records in blue and red color variants—celebrating physical music distribution. Text announces "OUT NOW.
OKGO album "And the Adjacent Possible" out now, featuring an exclusive red and blue vinyl variant. Celebrate physical music distribution with unique geometric cover art.
A vinyl record set exemplifying physical music distribution, with one blue and one red disc, is displayed next to a white album cover featuring a geometric circular design and the title "OK Go: And the Adjacent Possible.
A red vinyl record, symbolizing physical music distribution, is partially pulled from a white and red striped sleeve with "OKOGO" printed boldly in the corner.
A pop-up book features a red and teal spherical lattice structure rising from a silver reflective circle on a white background, reminiscent of the tactile appeal found in physical music distribution.

OK Go

We partnered with OK Go and Paracadute Records to bring fans two truly groundbreaking physical releases that fuse music, design, and collectibility. Their fifth studio album And The Adjacent Possible arrived as a double LP gatefold featuring a stunning pop-up sliceform structure, pressed on heavyweight 180g turquoise and red vinyl—an art piece currently under Grammy consideration for Best Packaging. Alongside an eye-catching 12” picture disc single and a memorable in-store performance at Music Millennium in Portland, we’re also gearing up for a surprise: an exquisitely crafted 7” single box set slated for release later this year.

A clear vinyl record, a nod to physical music distribution, partially slides out from an album cover featuring a soft, abstract swirl of pink and blue with the text "Frou Frou off cuts" at the bottom.

Imogen Heap

We helped reimagine iconic Imogen Heap releases with a collector’s touch, designed to captivate superfans and tastemakers alike. Frou Frou’s sought-after Record Store Day exclusive brought a fan-favorite back into the spotlight, while the upcoming 20th Anniversary edition of Speak for Yourself promises even more excitement. From an unannounced floral magenta splatter double LP exclusive for Urban Outfitters’ Y2K campaign to a sleek white gatefold Spotify-exclusive pressing, each edition has been carefully crafted to honor the legacy and elevate the experience.

Schoolly D packshot
Record Store Day
Schoolly D packshot

Schoolly D

The legendary Schoolly D’s release “The Real Hardcore” that features an ICE-T, an intro by CHUCK D, and scratches by CODE MONEY + SID WILSON has been a huge success.

This 12” single was a Record Store Day exclusive. It featured hand-painted artwork by Schoolly himself, was available in 4 smoked-out colors, and sold out immediately!

physical music distribution
physical music distribution

Brothertiger

A lot of success for this talented young artist. The first pressing of his “Out Of Touch” reissue on jade green vinyl sold out and similar success on his follow ups.

“Paradise Lost”, his follow up vinyl release was a quick seller followed by a second pressing of the release magenta additionally sold out.

Janet Simpson signing
cornelius chapel
Alabama Slim

Cornelius Chapel Records

Cornelius Chapel Records is an independent record label based in Birmingham, AL. They are one of Symphonic’s earliest physical distribution clients.

In that time, they have released over a dozen albums by indie rock, americana, and blues artists such as Sarah Lee Langford, Austin Lucas, Alabama Slim, and Janet Simpson.