If you’re a musician who’s just starting out and looking to make a name for yourself in the industry, you want to make sure that you’re doing everything that you can to get your music heard by others. One of the most important parts of building a successful career as a musician is ensuring that you have a solid plan for music distribution. By distributing your music, you’ll be able to get your work to reach more people, which will help you to build a strong brand as a musician that people will be sure to recognize. If you’re new to distributing music and you want to make sure that you do it the right way, we’re here to help with a list of some of the most common music distribution mistakes to avoid as a new artist.
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Waiting Until You Have a Label to Distribute Your Music
Many new musicians might feel like the only way to get their music properly distributed is by getting signed to a record label that can do it for them. However, getting signed by a record label takes a lot of hard work and time, meaning that if you’re planning to just get swooped up by a label in order to put out music, you’re going to be waiting awhile. In addition to this, many record labels use streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music to find new unsigned artists that they can bring into the fold.
You might be wondering: “But how can I distribute my music on streaming platforms without a label?” Luckily, there are certain digital music distribution companies that will distribute your songs for you to all popular streaming platforms, as well as apps like Instagram and Spotify. Typically, a music distribution service will charge you a fee per song or album they upload for you or a standard monthly fee in order to upload your music to these sites. Certain music distribution companies may take a small percentage of streaming royalties that you receive. However, there are a number of music distribution companies that allow artists to retain all of the profits that they receive from streaming platforms for their music.
You don’t need to wait to release your music until getting signed by a major label. By utilizing the services of a digital music distribution company, you’ll be able to get your music out to the masses, and just might end up getting noticed by a label in the process too!
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Thinking That Your Songs Aren’t Worthy of Distribution
One of the biggest things that can hold young artists back is a lack of self confidence in themselves. Of course, you want to make sure that the music that you put out is polished and acts as a shining example of the artist that you are. However, if you hide your music away and don’t distribute it simply out of a fear that some people might not like it, then you’re never going to get your career off the ground in the way that you want to.
Instead of letting fear of your music not being perfect keep you from distributing it, lean into your strengths and trust yourself as an artist. Craft the best single or EP that you can and once you’ve honed it in, it’s time to distribute it to the masses! Use a digital music distribution company like the kind we’ve mentioned above, and let people celebrate the work that you’ve created. A sea of critics will always be out there, but so will an even bigger sea of fans ready to cheer you on.
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Not Making Time to Promote Your Music Once It’s Released on Streaming Platforms
Some young artists might think that their music will be automatically promoted once it’s distributed onto a music streaming platform, when actually this is not the case. In order to ensure that as many people as possible hear your music, you’re going to have to take the time to promote it. As such, it’s wise to come up with a promotional plan for your single or album release before it drops. This way, you can build anticipation and garner attention for your music, which will ultimately get more people to listen to it.
In Conclusion
Releasing your music can feel incredibly overwhelming when you’re a young artist who’s just starting out. When it comes to music distribution as a new, independent artist, it’s important to utilize the services of a digital music distribution service, believe in the quality of the music that you produce, and be sure to take the time to promote your work so as many people listen to it as possible. By doing so, you ensure that your music will be heard, and that your career as a musician will continue to grow.