DistroKid lays off 37 workers, decimating US Artist Relations team

DistroKid put 37 employees on “administrative leave” Friday, just an hour before the union was set to meet with the company to continue contract negotiations, according the DistroKid Union.

DistroKid workers voted to unionize in April. On October 19, the Union shared that it was “happy to share we’re making progress towards our first contract.”

DistroKid lays off 37 workers, decimating US Artist Relations team

Friday’s layoffs reportedly include nearly half of the members of the DistroKid Union including 5 of the 7 members of the contract negotiating committee.

The layoffs represent 15% to 25% of total company staffing and were focused in the Quality Assurance Engineers and Artist Relations teams. DistroKid reportedly began to test outsourcing customer service and artist relations to the Philippines last year.

🚨 Urgent action needed🚨Help us save 37 jobs, please consider reposting for visibility. In solidarity. ✊🏼 pic.twitter.com/2gVtppxE7T

— DK Union (@distrokid_Union) October 25, 2024

DistroKid responds

Confirming the layoffs, a company spokesperson told Billboard: “DistroKid is committed to continuously enhancing support for independent artists around the world by expanding to 24/7 customer service with faster response times. To achieve this, we have identified solutions that allow us to deliver more scalable and exceptional service, ensuring that artists around the globe receive the high-quality support they deserve. This includes considering difficult decisions that may affect valued team members as we continue our focus on providing the best artist experience possible.”

Last year DistroKid acquired Bandzoogle. Its staff, including an award winning customer service team, were apparently not affected by the layoffs.

UPDATE: DistroKid Union ramps up allegations: ‘No non-union staff affected’

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.