If you are an independent musician or a music label, you might be wondering how to get your music on popular streaming platforms and online stores. One of the ways to do that is to use a music distributor, a service that helps you upload and distribute your music to various digital outlets. But what are these outlets, and how do they work? In this blog post, we will explain everything you need to know about music stores that music distributors submit your music to.
Music stores are online platforms that allow users to access, stream, download, or purchase music. They can be divided into two main categories: streaming services and download stores. Streaming services, such as Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, or Tidal, let users listen to music online without downloading it to their devices. Users can either pay a monthly subscription fee or listen for free with ads. Download stores, such as iTunes, Amazon Music, or Google Play Music, let users buy and download individual tracks or albums to their devices. Users can then listen to their music offline or transfer it to other devices.
Music distributors work with different music stores to make your music available on them. Depending on the distributor you choose, you can select which stores you want your music to be on, or opt for automatic distribution to all available stores. Music distributors also collect and pay you the royalties you earn from each store. Royalties are the payments you receive when someone streams or downloads your music. Each store has its own royalty rate and payment schedule, which can vary depending on factors such as the user's location, subscription plan, or number of streams.
How to get your music on music stores through a music distributor?
Follow some steps.
First, you need to choose a distributor that suits your needs and budget.
There are many distributors out there, each with its own features, fees, and benefits. Some of the most popular ones are DistroKid, CD Baby, TuneCore, and Ditto Music. You can compare them online or read reviews from other musicians to find the best one for you.
Second, you need to create an account with your distributor and upload your music files and metadata.
Metadata is the information about your music, such as the title, artist name, genre, release date, cover art, etc. You need to make sure that your metadata is accurate and consistent across all stores, as this will affect how your music is displayed and discovered by users.
Third, you need to select which stores you want your music to be on and pay the required fee.
Some distributors charge a flat fee per release or per year, while others take a percentage of your royalties. You also need to agree to the terms and conditions of each store before submitting your music.
Fourth, you need to wait for your distributor to process and deliver your music to the selected stores.
This can take from a few hours to a few weeks, depending on the distributor and the store. You can track the status of your distribution on your distributor's dashboard or website.
Fifth, you need to promote your music and monitor your performance on each store.
You can use social media, email marketing, playlists, blogs, podcasts, or other channels to spread the word about your music and drive more streams and downloads. You can also use analytics tools provided by your distributor or by some stores to see how many people are listening to your music, where they are from, what they like, etc.
Submit your music to music stores yourself.
Audiomack is a youth-driven, artist-first music streaming platform that allows creators to share unlimited music and podcast content for free. Audiomack has over 20 million monthly active users and focuses on emerging genres such as hip-hop, R&B, Latin, Afrobeats, dancehall, and more.
One of the advantages of Audiomack is that it offers artists various tools to promote their music, such as trending charts, playlists, editorial features, and social media integration. Audiomack also pays artists based on the number of streams they generate on the platform.
To upload your music to Audiomack, you can either do it yourself by creating a free account on their website or app, or use a music distributor that partners with Audiomack, such as DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby.
SoundClick is a music-based social community where you can download or stream songs. The platform has over 5 million registered users and offers a variety of genres, such as hip-hop, pop, trap, reggaeton, rock, R&B, and more. SoundClick is also known for being a marketplace for beats and instrumentals, where producers can sell their tracks to artists.
One of the benefits of SoundClick is that it allows artists to customize their own page with their own design, logo, bio, links, and widgets. SoundClick also lets artists set their own prices for their songs and keep 100% of the sales revenue.
To upload your music to SoundClick, you can either do it yourself by creating a free or premium account on their website or app ($9.95 per month), or use a music distributor that works with SoundClick, such as SongCast or Symphonic Distribution.
Each of these music stores has its own advantages and disadvantages for artists. For example, Bandcamp gives you more control over your pricing and branding, but it has less exposure than Spotify or Apple Music. SoundCloud gives you more feedback and interaction from your fans, but it has lower payouts than other platforms. Deezer has a large global audience, but it has less market share in the US than other platforms.
Therefore, before you decide which music stores to upload your music to, you should consider your target audience, your genre, your budget, and your goals. You should also compare the features and benefits of different music distributors and choose the one that suits your needs best.