Music Aggregator – It is very important for an independent artist or band to choose the right digital distribution platform for their music. And in today’s music industry, it’s very easy to distribute your music digitally on all the major streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and more. There are over twenty different digital distribution platforms that appeal to independent musicians. It’s important to understand what will work best for you and your ambitions as a musician.
Is there demand for your next album or single? Make sure you get 100% of your earnings. Will you be posting a large amount of content throughout the year? Find a digital distribution platform that offers unlimited releases. Platforms like DistroKid and Ditto both offer! Many digital distribution platforms have no sign-up fee, but take a percentage of your earnings. If you have no expectations and just want your music to be available on every streaming platform without paying upfront, Routenote might be the way to go. Whichever platform you choose, do your research and make sure it fits your ambitions as an artist or band.
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You can also use our music streaming payment calculator to estimate the revenue you can earn from each of these digital distribution platforms. But don’t be discouraged when you realize that 1,000 Spotify streams will almost make you enough money to buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks. In 2023, there are many ways for independent musicians to make serious money. Whether it’s selling souvenirs, getting sync slots, or being an influencer; your music is still the foundation. It needs to be distributed digitally. Especially with social media apps like TikTok and Instagram where you can really increase your reach.
Digital Music Distribution Companies
The following list of digital distribution services will help you identify the right partner for your music goals. So which digital distribution platform for independent artists, bands and labels really stands out? Read our full guide for each platform and see what fits your needs and the current demand for your music. These are the best digital distribution platforms for indie artists.
DistroKid is independent musicians’ choice as the best digital distribution platform. DistroKid takes 0% commission. You keep 100% of the revenue your music generates – rightfully so. They also use a subscription-based model with unlimited releases for 1 artist or band for $19.99 per year. If you choose DistroKid as your digital distribution platform, your releases will appear on all major streaming services and social networks. However, there are some additional fees to be aware of. The first (optional) fee is an automated service that allows you to receive all your releases on any additional outlets that appear after your release. It works out to $7.95 per issue where it is a free service provided by Ditto. You have the option to manually add your music to these new outlets. The next fee is related to YouTube monetization. That’s $4.95 per single and $14.95 for releases of two or more songs per year. They also don’t have an internal playlist service. UPC and ISRC are free and our experience with their customer support has also been pleasant. We need to let them see the user interface/user in their reports. Overall, DistroKid is really good, and if you decide to use it, you’ll get a lot of value.
Ditto Music is a very user-friendly platform that caters to the needs of independent artists, bands and even beatmakers. Global sensations Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith really got their start by distributing their music through Ditto. We also recently published a report on Chance The Rapper and why he uses Ditto as his digital distribution platform. First and foremost, you own 100% of your music and retain the rights when you distribute it through Ditto. They use a subscription based model and 1 artist gets unlimited releases for the low price of $19/year. The price per artist will be reduced if you distribute music for multiple artists. Ditto will distribute your music to all major stores (such as Spotify, Apple Music, etc.), social platforms (such as TikTok and Instagram) and other global outlets. They get a 10% cut of monetization on YouTube, but that’s less than some of the competition. Their distribution is also very fast in these stores. We’ve seen artists get a 1-day turnaround on Spotify. They also have a whole team dedicated to promoting artists on playlists, which is an important and nice bonus. Free ISRC and UPC codes for all your unlimited releases, smart links with pre-save functionality, great reports and visual dashboards. And brilliant customer support. We are very excited about Ditto Music and their amazing digital distribution platform.
Answers To Common Music Distribution Questions
Routenote is a unique digital distribution platform that independent musicians worldwide deserve attention. With Routenote, you can literally distribute your music on all major platforms for absolutely FREE. Now with the FREE option, Routenote will keep 15% of what you earn from your music, but you can upgrade to Premium at any time. You keep 100% of your earnings with the Premium option. The premium version costs $9.99 per year, but there are additional fees for each release: 1 track – $10; 2-6 tracks (EP) – $20; 7-18 tracks (LP) – $30; 18+ songs – $45. YouTube and Soundcloud monetization is included (even with the FREE plan) and they earn 15% or 0% depending on what you’re currently doing. They also have very simple reporting and analytics. If you’re an independent musician and aren’t ready to ally with your music, Routenote’s FREE plan might be for you.
LANDR has been making waves with its AI and machine learning services for years. Getting into digital distribution seems like a smart move for them and their customers. With their distribution services, you can get 10 tracks for $1 a month, 30 tracks for $2 a month, or unlimited releases for $4 a month. If you go the unlimited route, you also get unlimited free masters, which is a nice bonus. They have a really good customer support team and their reporting dashboards are also some of the best we’ve seen. LANDR takes 0% commission for all price levels. Another great option, best suited for those who already use their mastering services.
Tunecore is one of the OGs of the digital distribution game. And like the two platforms mentioned earlier, they also charge 0% commission. As an artist or band, you keep 100% of your earnings. The pricing model is where things start to change for Tunecore vs. Ditto and DistroKid. Each single released on Tunecore costs $9.99 and each album released costs $29.99. And if you want to keep the released music in the stores it’s distributed over the years (most of you do); it will cost you $9.99 per single and $49.99 per album per year, respectively. So, if you expect sales demand to drop, Tunecore may not be the platform for you. YouTube monetization is a one-time fee of $10. Tunecore is a very professional organization and some artists like Russ have had great success using them in the past.
Top 10 Music Distribution Services For Independent Artists
UK based Horus Music offers a reliable digital platform to distribute your music. And it might be for you if you want to be in a corner of the vast APAC/Greater China region. An artist has to pay £20 a year and gets unlimited releases (similar to Ditto and DistroKid). In addition to unlimited releases, Horus Music will not receive a percentage of your earnings. They have a wide reach due to their distribution, which may interest you in terms of global impact. They also offer some marketing and playlist services. On the other hand, there are some additional costs if you want to record your music with them or live outside the UK. Overall, Horus Music is a reputable digital distribution service.
Level Music is a growing digital distribution platform based in New York. They offer competitive rates that should keep them at the top of this list in the future. Whether you use a FREE or Premium plan, you keep 100% of your earnings. Now, the free plan is limited to 2 song downloads, but that’s great for an independent artist or band just starting out. Upgrade to the premium plan and these 2 tracks increase to 200. Another great feature that comes with the premium plan is the ability to manage up to 5 artists. You can also give production credits and get your catalog from another service in case you move. Level also creates playlists, blogs and social promotions. See for yourself if it works for you.
CD Baby is OG, OG. Founded in 1998 by Derek Sievers, CD Baby quickly became a resource for independent musicians
Free Music Distribution Services For Musicians & Producers
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