Getting your music onto paid streaming platforms such as Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, TIDAL, etc. is easier than you might expect. Many streaming platforms that monetize uploads are aggregators of data. Being an aggregator means that these platforms collect music and data and organize it for their users. They don’t allow users to upload music directly to their platform the way that SoundCloud or Bandcamp do. So where do these streaming platforms get the music and data from? The answer is from distribution companies. How do you get your music on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music? You have to work with a distribution company. Want to read more helpful insights like this? Check out all of our free artist resources.
There are many different distribution companies to choose from, but we recommend three for new, independent artists. The three services we recommend are Distrokid, Tunecore, and United Masters. We recommend these services because they are easy to use and get music onto streaming platforms quickly. They have good customer support and offer strong products. We have not had great experiences with smaller distribution companies such as Amuse and IndieFlow. In a recent article, we discussed the benefits of Distrokid, Tunecore, and United Masters, and shared insights to help make a choice between these three companies.
Getting your music uploaded onto streaming platforms that monetize your music is straightforward. Distribution companies such as Distrokid can even get your music onto platforms in as little as 1-2 days. Sometimes, we’ve seen Distrokid get music onto iTunes and Apple Music in under 24 hours. With Spotify being the most used digital streaming platform, many artists prioritize it as the platform they want to grow on. One reason we’re such big fans of Distrokid is that they get access to many features Spotify offers artists, such as Canvases, before other distributors, because they are partially owned by Spotify themselves. Want to sign up for Distrokid? Click here to use our referral link and save 7%. We earn a small referral for services purchased through the referral links in this article. Want more tips like these to help you navigate the music industry more confidently and successfully? Check out all of our free artist resources.