Which digital distributor

Cover song licensing is also offered, and reporting and analytics tools , including income boosting features such as professional publishing administration and social video monetization, are available. Finally, the company also offers marketing tools all integrated under the CD Baby brand. The company also offers bespoke value-added services that have separate price tags from their music distribution service.

Curiously, Distrokid is the only one in this list highlighting its unlimited data backups. Like CD Baby, Distrokid distributes to over partners. Artists with tight budgets will also be glad to know that the company offers a free tier with direct selling, but digital distribution has separate price tiers. ReverbNation is the only one in this list that highlights a website-builder for artist branding, as well as fan feedback for music.

These value-added services come with a separate price tag. LANDR is unique in this list because, at its core, it is not a music distribution company, it is an audio mastering software. LANDR offers music production and mastering via a desktop app with digital distribution services. LANDR takes advantage of AI-powered audio mastering for its software that also performs audio mastering for video , attempting to give a professional feel and finish to every track produced by its users.

LANDR also has its own promotional tools and offers free sample packs for inspiration and use. Pricing is split between audio mastering and release and just digital distribution.

Tunecore is a straightforward distribution service that prides itself on being one of the first in the market, starting the business model in Aside from music distribution to over digital stores, Tunecore provides its users with comprehensive sales data, and as value-added services: social media promotion and music publishing administration.

Essentially, a complete dashboard of backend reporting, marketing, and administration to go with the digital distribution. Note that the value-added services incur a one-time fee.

Finally, the company also offers distribution credits that can be exchanged for an album, single, and ringtone plans. OneRPM actively leverages its global network of users for more visibility and opportunities for its members, amplifying the reach of its artists with the help of fan engagement from its existing user base. The fundamental offer is music distribution, direct selling, and cover licensing, but extends to marketing, including social media, business intelligence, rights management and publishing, and a Music Video Network that also includes video production.

OneRPM pricing starts with a free tier for audio and a one-time fee for video and ringtone distribution. Ditto is the quintessential music distribution service without a lot of fluff. Aside from distribution, the company offers pre-release and promotional tools, streaming and sales data plus reporting, free ISRC and UPC codes, and chart registration.

Established in , Fresh Tunes took the value-add approach. The distribution itself is free of charge, but value-added services are what bring in revenue for the company. Aside from marketing and promotion, the company also provides professional consulting for tracks submitted by artists.

This often takes the form of a custom label name more than anything else. On top of that or alternatively you could be charged monthly or yearly fees to use the service. And if none of the above apply, you will likely be charged to upload your release. Commonly there is a set of 2 or 3 options for uploading releases. A single, an EP or an album. Many distribution platforms make their money via extra costs incurred, when you want to do something beyond the basic distribution setup.

This can involve numerous things. Anything from extra stores beyond a core offering to iTunes pre-orders, registration with Soundscan, Youtube monetisation, SHazam registration, digital booklets, extra detailed reports, or UPC codes really only needed for physical products or registration with Soundscan. Most distributors offer a list of stores, but be aware that due to the changing landscape of the digital music industry these lists will go out of date and can change regularly.

How you get paid by the distributor may affect your choice of which to go with. Generally most seem to pay into Paypal or a bank account, but the regularity of these payments and the threshold at which these payments happens varies.

Some will pay you right away, some will pay you weekly or monthly, and some may only pay you when you request it. I had to upload a giant release with 40 odd tracks a few years ago, and it was great to know I could send the support staff the tracks and have them handle the uploads while I was on an unreliable connection.

Generally these platforms offer phone support and email support, often with response rates of around a day or two. What you need to realise is that there are more than just the 2 or 3 companies that get mentioned regularly, and many provide a much better, cheaper or faster service than the key players do. Alongside a host of info about distributors, I have also pulled together a giant list of distribution platforms, companies and aggregators, along with their costs, links to their store lists and sortable lists of other information.

Posted in: Distribution. Tagged with: course , digital distribution , distribution , distributors , how to , label , release , releasing , self-releasing.

Feel like your music is going unnoticed? Founded in , Distrokid sends music to over stores and streaming services, and prides itself on the ability to distribute music to digital stores x faster than its rivals for a fraction of the cost. Similar to how flight tickets often seem like great deals until you look a little closer and realize you have to pay to sit next to your group and to check luggage, Distrokid is packed with hidden fees that turn the incredible bargain it initially sells itself as into a decidedly less exciting one.

But even with the extra fees, which charge you to make your music searchable through Shazam and collect royalties from YouTube, Distrokid is still a mighty good deal. One of the biggest complaints musicians have about Distrokid is their weak analytic reports, which are reportedly almost impossible to understand for the average user.

In , the company was founded by Derek Sivers, a musician who first created the website to sell his own music. In , the company moved to Portland from New York, and pioneered early digital music distribution through companies like iTunes. Though CD Baby is the biggest indie distributor out there, a growing field of competitors is nipping at its heels in an effort to claim the title.

If this sounds like a good or bad deal completely depends on how many streams or downloads you think your work is capable of producing. From music promotion tools to a publishing program, CD Baby gives users a solid roster of benefits that transcend distribution.

But what really makes the company unique is that it ties in vinyl and CD production and duplication seamlessly into its platform. For musicians wanting to get the most out of their releases, the physical-digital blend of distribution alone will be enough of a selling point to be won over by. Where companies like Tunecore, CD Baby, and Distrokid are household music industry names, iMusician is a lesser-known digital distribution company.

This, as you might guess, comes with lots of strings attached. But at the next to levels of service, revenue sharing goes away and initial fees increase significantly to cover costs. These services include pre-orders through iTunes, Apple Music, and Google Play, and a membership for iTunes Pro , which aims to give musicians the power to better promote their work through iTunes.

Prices increase through higher tiers, but revenue sharing goes away as well. Musicians who plan to sell lots of music through iTunes should check out iMusician. Ditto Music was founded in , and holds the Guinness World Record for distributing the first hit song from an unsigned band.

Noting annoyance from musicians miffed by unexpected costs through companies like Distrokid, Ditto Music prides themselves on fee transparency. The company also delivers solid, easy-to-read analytic reports about the performance of their songs. The company also has a special YouTube benefit that allows musicians to easily distribute and monetize their work through videos on the platform.

RouteNote distributes to a lengthy list of music companies, which include heavy hitters down to lesser-known niche platforms. They also have a modest record label and management wing. Downsides of this company include illegible data reports and distribution speeds that can take as long as a month. But with solid customer service and non-controversial reputation, many musicians will dig RouteNote, especially if they use Soundcloud heavily to promote their work.

Musicians building their audiences on Soundcloud and in Asia will dig this modestly priced distributor. Record Union fancies itself a savvy music distribution company capable of helping musicians succeed in the modern music industry.

Like comparable distribution companies, Record Union offers multiple tiers of services set at varying fee levels. Record Union offers multiple tiers of fees. Musicians eager for exclusive deals and spots on heavily followed Spotify playlists will like Record Union, even if they have to give up a decent chunk of their royalties to access their services. Along with a few other companies, Amuse is pioneering the digital distribution space by offering musicians completely free music distribution.

The company hopes to make money by getting close access to the data of its users and signing artists before anyone else has the chance to. This means that if you rack up loads of streams and downloads through the platform, the public statistics reflecting your success could evaporate, which could damage your career.

This all amounts to a great deal of risk from working with this company. They currently only work with nine, but the stores they work with are the largest in the industry. Completely free! Amuse is a company with free services that best serve unproven but ambitious artists who have an appetite for risk. Launched in , ReverbNation aims to be a one-stop-shop for independent musicians. Why go with ReverbNation? But complaints aside, what ReverbNation does is unique, and plenty of musicians get loads of value and important opportunities from distributing through their platform.

However, the amount of stores you can send music to through this package is significantly limited. AWAL is trying its damndest to be a hip, modern version of a record label. AWAL offers physical distribution in some cases, solid analytical reports, and playlist plugging features to keep your momentum buzzing.

What does it cost? The company offers meaningful career help to artists, but at a cost many will consider to be steep and inflexible. Based in Sweden, Spinnup is a digital distributor that promises painless music distribution services to independent musicians. In addition to distribution, Spinnup also offers some additional perks that will pique the interest of musicians. Other benefits include insanely fast hour distribution, solid analytical offerings, and personalized artist profiles that feature lyrics, artwork, and more.

Not a bad little distributor, I must say. With a roster of over 50, artists, Symphonic brings 13 years of experience to the distribution space. But like other companies embracing experimental business models, Symphonic now offers artists label services, royalty collection offerings, promotional assets, and multiple tiers of service aimed at record labels and publishers, not just independent artists.

So, how does Symphonic stack up when it comes to digital distribution? Currently, AWAL only works with artists who apply and are accepted. How much is that fee? But between a lack of transparency in pricing, negative reviews, an archaic website, and no added benefits, Songcast ranks as one of the lowest distributors you could trust your music with.

Based in Nashville, ONErmp was founded in and offers distribution, direct-to-fan sales, and the promise to enhance music careers through technology like easy-to-understand analytical reports and video distribution.

ONErpm employees their own playlist pitchers and the company also curates some heavily followed playlists, giving artists a leg up to get the most mileage out of their new releases. However, the company has shifted its strategy to trying to reach independent artists to largely catering to labels, managers, and video makers in recent years, which has left some musicians feeling left out in the cold.

Formed in , this company represents over , artists and provides yet another new and unproven business model than those of conventional distributors. Is it a good deal? Inevitably, whether you think Songtradr is worth it or not depends on the unique factors surrounding your career.

Distribution packages start at no cost, but with no benefits and extremely limited distribution. Established way back in , Horus Music has loads of distribution experience under its belt, but for the uninitiated it might not look like its size and influence is anywhere near that of its rivals that were launched around the same time.

This company distributes to over stores in more than countries, serving behemoth streaming platforms and small fish alike. Horus Music offers unlimited digital distribution for either a royalty split or a yearly fee, which is great for artists with different needs. Horus Music even offers physical distribution to Amazon, a unique asset that many musicians will be won over by.

Named after the famous musical interval, Octiive delivers music to an astounding digital platforms. Who knew there were even that many music platforms out there? All the big, expected players are distributed to here, and the company offers other services for musicians like promotion, mastering, and video distribution.

This pricing model is clearly trying to loop artists into their yearly package, as well as their other services. Formerly known as MondoTunes, some musicians take issue with different parts of this company, such as their habit of distributing to many stores with hardly any followings. Multiple reviews accuse the company of stealing, and one even urges other musicians to join in on a class-action lawsuit. This company sets itself apart by pitching cover song distribution and services that pay collaborators automatically.