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Originally Posted On: https://musicdigi.com/post/the-indie-musicians-guide-to-digital-distribution
THE INDIE MUSICIAN’S GUIDE TO DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION
In this Beginner’s Guide, we show you step-by-step the process of how to publish music online to all of the online streaming platforms including Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, TIDAL, and much more!
You’ve put in the hard work to make great music, and you’re ready to send your music out to the world via digital distribution. Now, you’re wondering how it all works. From what it is to the tons of benefits it offers, we break down digital distribution so you can get started.
WHAT IS DIGITAL MUSIC DISTRIBUTION?
Digital music distribution is how artists get their music onto streaming and download platforms like iTunes and Spotify. It is the process of managing and delivering your music in digital form to platforms where listeners can purchase and stream it.
HOW DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION WORKS
Unlike physical distribution to traditional brick and mortar stores with records and CDs, with digital distribution, your music is sent in digital format to online platforms where people can stream, download and buy your music. You’ll then earn royalties based on how and where your music was listened to.
THERE ARE TWO WAYS LISTENERS ACCESS MUSIC FROM DIGITAL PLATFORMS:
• Downloads: A download is a copy of a file provided by a host to a user. This means a consumer has purchased the music file to store on their own personal device to listen to, forever.
• Streaming: When your music is streamed, this means listeners access your music temporarily through another platform but cannot save it to their own device.
WHY DO I NEED A MUSIC DISTRIBUTION SERVICE?
To get your music onto download and streaming platforms, you will have to go through a digital music distributor like MusicDigi. Digital music distributors (aka aggregators) act as a bridge between the artists and the music outlets and handles the important things like tracking royalties and performance data, including metadata, which is vital to how artists get paid.
HOW DO I GET MY MUSIC ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS USING MUSICDIGI?
That part’s easy. Create your MusicDigi account to submit your release for distribution. We’ll get your music into all the major digital stores including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Deezer, plus social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
BENEFITS OF DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION
Why distribute your music online?
The many benefits of digital distribution include you not having to invest in production costs (CD, vinyl) or in logistics (transport, storage). With MusicDigi your music is distributed to over 150 platforms all over the world. It’s not expensive and it can bring you a lot more revenue and visibility.
With digital distribution, anyone can stream or download your music from anywhere, anytime, and getting added to playlists can help new fans from all over the world discover your music faster. In addition, artists can earn money for the use of their music in user-generated content across YouTube, as well as sell ringtones online.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With more control in the hands of artists, digital distribution is opening doors for musicians of all kinds to get discovered and reach new fans. It gives you the tools previously only available to major labels, giving you the freedom to control your brand. So when releasing new music, always be sure to have a plan and bring your best.