- Delivery
- Within 24 hours of approval; how fast NetEase publishes is up to NetEase
- Codes
- ISRC and UPC included free
- Your share
- 100% of NetEase Cloud Music royalties on the Artist and Label plans
- Independent scene
- More than 1.25 million registered independent artists by June 2026
Who listens on NetEase Cloud Music
NetEase Cloud Music (网易云音乐) is the second-largest music streaming app in China, after the apps of Tencent Music. It is known for its community — listeners comment under songs and share playlists — and its audience leans young.
It also has a reputation for supporting independent musicians, and the numbers bear that out. By the end of June 2026 more than 1.25 million registered independent artists had contributed over 7.3 million tracks to it, up from more than one million artists at the end of 2025.
It serves mainland China. Tencent Music is a separate store with its own tick box, so if you want listeners in China, send your release to both.
How releasing there works through TempoDigital
We deliver your release — audio, artwork and metadata — to NetEase Cloud Music along with the other stores you tick. NetEase reports the plays back to us and pays what the release earns, which lands in your wallet with your Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube money.
All it takes on your side is to keep China in the release's territories and tick the store.
NetEase Musician
NetEase runs its own platform for independent artists, NetEase Musician (网易音乐人), which turned ten in 2024. It is a Chinese-language service where musicians sign up, release, follow their data and earn directly — from plays, membership packs, tips, digital albums and a share of advertising.
NetEase backs it with long-running programmes:
- Project Cornerstone — support for new talent
- Project Cloud Ladder — aimed at raising original musicians' income and exposure; its 2024 round added a share of advertising revenue
It is built for musicians releasing directly in China. You do not need it for music we deliver, which reaches NetEase Cloud Music on its own.
AI music and China's labelling rule
In 2025 NetEase added two new creator roles to NetEase Musician: AI Musician and Trainee Musician. AI music creators have a role of their own there, separate from other musicians.
Chinese law goes further and requires AI audio to be marked wherever it is published. Since 1 September 2025, China's Measures for Labelling AI-Generated Synthetic Content require AI-generated audio to carry an explicit label — a spoken or audio cue, or a clear notice — and a label in the file's metadata. Platforms that distribute content check those labels and add notices to content declared or suspected to be AI-generated, and nobody may remove or alter them.
If AI generated any of the audio on your release, declare it, and do not strip the labels your AI tool put in the file. If you are not sure the release meets the rule, leave the Chinese stores unticked for it.
Releasing on NetEase Cloud Music, step by step
- Apply and set up your artistAccounts are opened by application — tell us about your music and we usually have you ready within one working day.
- Check the release for ChinaDeclare any AI-generated audio, and check lyrics, titles and artwork against Chinese content rules — see the Tencent Music page for what they cover.
- Add the details and territoriesKeep China in the territories, and credit featured artists as artists rather than in titles.
- Upload artwork and audioSquare artwork of at least 2400 × 2400 px and lossless WAV, FLAC or AIFF. Both are checked on upload.
- Tick NetEase and Tencent MusicEvery plan includes every store at no extra charge. We deliver approved releases within 24 hours.
Set your release date two to three weeks ahead so NetEase can go live on the same day as every other store.
How NetEase Cloud Music pays you
NetEase Cloud Music pays rights holders for plays of their music. There is no fixed amount per stream, and we do not quote one.
| Plan | Price | Your share of NetEase royalties |
|---|---|---|
| Release | $8.99 per release | 90% |
| Artist | $29.99 a year, unlimited releases | 100% |
| Label | $149 a year, up to 10 artists | 100% |
| Label Partner | No fee | 85% |
Stores report in arrears — most about two months after the month the plays happened. NetEase's earnings land in your TempoDigital wallet in US dollars, and above $70 you can withdraw by Payoneer, PayPal, Wise or bank transfer.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending to Tencent only. NetEase is a separate store; a release sent only to Tencent never reaches it.
- Unlabelled AI audio. China's labelling rule has applied since September 2025.
- China left out of the territories. NetEase Cloud Music serves mainland China.
- Uploading the same songs through NetEase Musician as well. One route per song, or the same track can appear twice.