How to release your music on Spotify itunes, TikTok & digital download sites in 2022

So you are making music as a producer or a rapper etc, and you have a few tunes for sale on Bandcamp. You may make a few extra coins from this. But how can you extend on this by getting your music into all of the other streaming and digital download sites to raise more revenue? Below are what I consider the main and best options for distributing your tracks.

Making music is a long process and often by the time you have finished a piece of music, you have to then go through the process of uploading it to a variety of sites and this in itself can be exhausting but rewarding. But lets look at ways to alleviate that with a few ideas on distribution.

1. Distribution

How many digital stores and streaming sites are you actually on? If you are a hobbyist that makes a bit of music part time and wants their songs on Spotify or iTunes as well as other streaming sites for a bit of exposure then the best ways to do this is to go through sites such as the ones below.

Using these sites will incur fees per track per year on, but depending on how many streams you end up getting it could cost you more to have your songs hosted than you do receive in return. But if you want to more serious about this, then perhaps setting up your own label and going through a site like Label-Worx would be more suited to your needs.

Below are 4 of the most popular sites where you can distribute your music. I have picked out the best points of these sites for you to consider which road you wish to take.

AMUSE

So to get your music on Spotify and all the other major streaming sites without putting up an advance fee you can use the Amuse site which allows you to have 12 songs per year for free, which is not a bad deal if you are a part time musician and wish to have a few songs out there.

If you are looking for your music to go on digital download stores though such as Beatport and Traxsource then this is not the option for you. However if you want to add your songs to TikTok videos or Instagram stories etc then this is a perfect platform to start using without any upfront fee unless you want the premium package.

The Lowdown on AMUSE

Free to release 12 songs per year

Music gets uploaded to all the major streaming sites aswell as social media giants TikTok and Instagram

No fee taken for your streams (you keep 100% royalties)

Unlimited uploads for a $24.99 per year subscription fee

You have to use the app to upload music which can be frustrating

Label Worx

If you are a producer who wants to be in the EDM House & Techno genres etc then the way to get your music on the major DJ stores like Beatport is to use Label-Worx. They are a great distribution company and have been around for around 12 years now. You dont have to be exclusively a House music producer etc to use label-Worx but they are predominantly but not restricted to a Dance music distribution. They do offer Ambient, Pop, R&B and Rap labels etc the chance to work with them also so its not exclusively club music, but that is their main area of expertise.

I have used them since 2009 for the Waxadisc Records label and have never been let down by their professionalism and quality of service. You get your music on every major site and streaming service and believe me the list is massive so its worth it. they also have TikTok integration so your music could be used on their videos where they pick up royalties so not a bad option if a video goes viral with your track playing. this may not be of interest to some underground producers but the money to be made on a viral video could help you massively.

The only thing with this is that you must own your own record label. But before you stop reading, let me assure you that it is not as difficult as it sounds. All you really need to do is set up a small website, get at least 5 tracks ready for release so you have a release schedule.

Then have a social media presence and have your facebook and instagram accounts all up to date and regular. Then make sure you already have your music for sale on Bandcamp so that it shows you are active. Then you fill out the forms and apply and usually they are happy to let you on board and start sending you music out to many sites.

Remember that owning your own label is the best way these days to maintain complete control over your work. So instead of trying to get a major record deal straight away unless your really lucky, it is best to build your way up from the bottom and take control of your music.

The Lowdown on Label-Worx

it doesn't cost anything to have music distributed by them.

They do charge a 20% commission fee every quarter based on sales and streams. but if you haven't earned anything then they don't either.

Your music is available on both streaming and digital download stores, So you can sell Mp3,s or Wav files to DJ,s aswell as streaming to fans.

They also offer many other services like promo services and mastering your tracks but you have to pay extra for these.

TUNECORE

Tunecore has been around for a long time also now and has become one of the leaders in digital distribution. However their prices are a lot more than other services but they do have some nice features such as the social app which gives you control on how to promote and schedule your releases.

There are two versions though the free limited one and the main one which is $7.99 per month. As a independent artist this can be a bit steep on top of other fees you have throughout your musical journey. However Tunecore is a staple in the industry but does cost you more money than the others but you keep all of the royalties you earn.

The lowdown on TUNECORE

Costs $9.99 per track uploaded

An album costs $29.99 and you have to pay a further $29.99 for them to annually host your music.

You keep all of your royalties 100%

They have a sync and licensing feature where you could end up having your music on a commercial or in a TV show etc.

It has its own social media connection app where you can control your promotions easily.

DISTROKID

Distro-kid operates in the same manner as Tunecore but has a much wider audience of artists and bands being distributed through them. But for an annual fee that is way better than the mentioned above. An artist has much less money to pay out for what could potentially make no money in return, so for the small fee its a win win situation for the artist, as they get their music on all the major sites and if they dont recoup that fee then its no real loss as your music is still out there.

They offer small add ons to for extra costs but these are optional but could benefit your income if you get lucky. They distribute to TikTok also which is a benefit to any musician these days. So if you want to release more than the odd track and keep your costs down, then Distro Kid is a far better choice than Tune Core as the annual fee is the pulling power behind these guys as a leading distribution company.

The lowdown on DISTROKID

Annual fee is only $19.99 for unlimited uploads

You keep your royalties

Anyone can sign up both artists & labels

Royalty splitting options for bands etc

There are several other companies such as CD Baby and others who offer similar services and identical services as those mentions above. I feel that these 4 here are the most relevant ones in the industry to date.

It is worth exploring your options before deciding which one to sign up for. If you intend on just a hobby then consider Tunecore, but if you want to release albums then Distrokid and Amuse are your options. if you want to seriously run a label then Label-Worx is your best bet. Good luck.