– Getting your music out there –
Are you a musician and have just finished your first single, ep or album? Or are you already in the eyes of the public but want to change the way you are getting your music out there?
First of all, what is social streaming platforms?
Social streaming platforms are where people like you, me and everybody with phone, tablet or computer access can listen to music. Some of these platforms are Spotify, Itunes, Deezer, Soundcloud, Pandora, Tidal… etc. I am sure you have heard of at least one of them if you are a music consumer today.
How do I get my music on there?
This is what this post is all about, because there are actually several ways to do this. Even if you are a new band with no previous experience. The most known way to get your music out today is by getting signed by a record label. But there is in fact nothing stopping you if you still want to get your work published online and discovered. You do not necessarily need a label today, most of the tasks can be done if you are ready to put some effort into it. This is when we come to the label services and distribution companies.
Label services
Label services offer an alternative to the traditional record labels. When being signed to a record label you are most likely to sign away the rights for the music. When using a label service, the copyrights still belong to the creators and the revenue goes to the creator after paying all the label service costs. Label services offer different deals and services depending on your budget and which company you decide to go for. The label service I am going to focus on today is called Kobalt.
Kobalt Label Services was launched in 2012 by Willard Ahdritz, and is an international service. Following are some key facts about Kobalt;
- Kobalt offers flexible contracts which means you as a creator will have more control than if you were signed to a record label.
- The Kobalt portal offers access to data so that you can see how your music is doing.
- Kobalt also helps out with licensing across the globe, as well as collecting royalties.
- By using a platform called AWAL, Kobalt distributes – uploads – your music to all the key platforms so that your music can be heard.
- Help with releasing physical copies of your work.
- Marketing plans and promotion.
- They take 30% of all revenue
This meaning it is quite similar to what you would get with a label, but with more freedom and more rights. So why on earth would you not pick this as your way to publish your music? Kobalt is a great option, if you have the funds to use it. When using a Label service, you are most likely to present a budget to the company to make them do the job. This meaning that if you are an upcoming artist or band this might be a tough thing to afford. Though this is a great option, you can get your music out there much cheaper all it takes is a little bit more effort for the other parts. For only uploading the music, a distribution company is a good option. I will tell you more about distribution companies below.
Distribution companies
With a distribution company, anyone can sign up and get their music on the key streaming platforms. All you have to do is upload your music and cover art, fill in the release information, pay and it is up. The distribution company I will talk about today is called Spinnup. Spinnup is very much like another distribution company called Tunecore, but is more focused on unsigned musicians. Spinnup itself is owned by universal music and is an international company. Following are some key facts about Spinnup;
- Your tracks available in all major stores, worldwide. (with the option to choose countries if you want as well)
- Track your sales and social stats.
- A chance to be scouted by the Spinnup scouts with music industry connections. (Such as Universal music groups A&R teams)
- When scouted help with marketing, promotion and thoughts on your music is available.
- Connect social accounts to see stats on how you are doing.
- Yearly paid fee. 7.99 GBP for a Single, 14.99 GBP for an EP and 29.99 GBP for an album.
- ISRC codes are included in the price.
- You get all revenue made.
- You keep all your rights and receive the royalties paid by the digital stores.
Other distribution companies that I can recommend doing some research on are for example Distrokid, Loudr and Tunecore. You can find a good article about different distribution companies here.
Conclusion
Me personally would recommend a distribution company, such as Spinnup or Distrokid, if you have a somewhat knowledge about promoting yourself and your music. Because you do get to keep all your revenue and it does not require someone to approve your music. Meaning you get total creative freedom. Yes, this will also include working harder to get your music discovered and an understanding on how to do marketing if you ever want to earn money on your music. If you are an established musician but without a label and If you need more in depth marketing campaigns and a team to help you – Then yes, label service such as Kobalt might fit you better.
Each company has unique features that may be super important to some and not at all to others. Every musician’s situation is different and therefore I do recommend looking up several options before publishing your work. But hopefully this post will have made it all just a bit clearer, regarding what is possible and what the difference is between a label service and distribution company.
TuneTalkBrighton 