Whether you’re just starting out and looking for ways to get your music out there, or you’re an experienced artist looking to expand your reach, there are a number of options available to help you get your music into the hands (or ears) of as many people as possible.
As an independent musician, one of the most important things you can do to get your music out there is to distribute it to as many places as possible.
By making your music available on a variety of platforms, you can reach a wider audience and increase the chances that someone will discover your music and become a fan.
Below we will explore some of the different options for distributing your music and help you decide which ones are the best fit for you and your music.
CdBaby
CdBaby makes your music available on 150+ streaming and download services around the world, including Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Amazon, Pandora, YouTube, and Deezer, all for a one-time setup fee.
Streaming, downloads, CD & vinyl sales, YouTube monetization, sync licensing, publishing royalty collection, direct-to-fan sales, & more — anywhere you can earn money from your music, CD Baby is getting you paid. Wherever your fans prefer to listen to music, they’ll find you! CD Baby lets you pay once and keep your music up forever.
CdBaby was founded in 1998 and has since become a popular platform for independent musicians to sell their music and reach a wider audience.
In addition to selling music, CD Baby also provides distribution services to help musicians get their music into online stores and streaming platforms such as iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
The company is based in Portland, Oregon and has a reputation for providing good customer service and support to independent musicians.
DistroKid
DistroKid is the only service that lets you upload unlimited music to stores for one low price. Other services make you pay every time you upload something—that’s way less fun (and way more expensive).
DistroKids offers great customer service, daily stats, and a simple interface and optional Twitch streaming integration.
Pay only $19.99 to upload unlimited albums & songs for a year and get in stores 10-20x faster than any other distributor.
TuneCore
TuneCore is a digital music distribution service that allows independent artists to upload and sell their music on a variety of online platforms, including iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
TuneCore handles the distribution of the music and collects royalties on behalf of the artist.
The service offers a variety of pricing plans, including a basic plan that allows artists to distribute an unlimited number of tracks for a yearly fee, and a premium plan that includes additional features such as custom metadata and access to TuneCore’s Sync Licensing service.
Make your music available for download or streaming on all of the major digital music stores and streaming services around the globe. Make sure your music is available wherever your fans are listening.
Keep 100% ownership of your music and stay in control of your career. Unlimited Releases starting at $14.99/year. New artists can get started for FREE and Kick-start their career with unlimited releases to Social Platforms.
Landr
LANDR is an online platform that uses artificial intelligence to automatically master tracks.
The platform allows users to upload their music, and then utilizes algorithms to process the audio and create a beautifully mastered version of the track. Users can customize their mastered track to fit the exact feel and tone they are looking for.
The goal of the platform is to provide a quick and easy way for users to get professional-quality mastering for their music, without the need to hire a mastering engineer or have specialized knowledge of audio mastering.
LANDR offers unlimited mastering, unlimited distribution (Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Amazon etc…), collaboration tools, plug-ins, and Ableton Live DAW.
LANDR offers a range of pricing plans, and users can choose the one that best meets their needs. LANDR studio starts at $12.50/month.
Ditto
Ditto Music is an independent music distribution company that helps artists and labels get their music into online stores and streaming platforms.
The company was founded in 2006 and has since become a popular choice for independent musicians looking to distribute their music. Ditto Music offers a range of services, including digital distribution, CD and vinyl pressing, copyright registration, and music marketing.
With Ditto Music, artists can choose to have their music distributed to a wide range of online stores and streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more.
In addition to distribution services, Ditto Music also offers a range of tools and resources to help artists promote their music and build their careers. These include things like music video promotion, radio promotion, and social media marketing.
Why is it important to distribute your music?
Distributing your musics enables you to reach a wider audience, increase your exposure, and generate revenue through the sale and streaming of your music.
It also makes it convenient for listeners to access your music through their chosen platform and preserves your music digitally for future listeners!
These benefits are common to all music distribution platforms and are essential for independent artists both in helping to promote their music and to sustain a career in the music industry.
The music distribution company that you choose really comes down to the type of artist you are and your specific distribution needs.
If you release music consistently and frequently, we recommend DistroKid. If you release music less frequently, say an album every other year, we recommend CdBaby.
