The rise of Services that provide video or music content over the internet for people to watch or listen to immediately., , and the availability of new and effective tools and services for music The process of delivering sound recordings to DSPs and physical retailers. and marketing has created new opportunities for Not affiliated with any other entity or company. Anyone who contributes to creating or performing a musical work, a live performance, or a sound recording. to connect directly with their audience and build a loyal fan base.
What is DIY Music Distribution?
DIY distribution is when an independent Releasing music without the support of a record label In the context of music, a solo performer or group of performers who perform a musical work live or recorded. uses a distribution service to release their sound recordings to physical music stores and Digital Service Provider: an online platform that provides streaming or download services to consumers.. These distributors may also collect Money paid for the right to use a musical work, performance or sound recording, typically but not always in the form of recurring payments from the sound recordings being bought or streamed and pay those royalties back to the creators. Some distributors offer services in just one or both physical and Formats that store music in computer-readable files using binary code, such as WAV, MP3, and FLAC..
Digital DIY Distribution
Many self-releasing artists will manage their distribution solely through a digital A company or service that delivers music to digital streaming platforms and physical retail stores., sometimes known as an A type of distributor that only distributes sound recordings to online stores and streaming platforms., to distribute sound recordings to be streamed or downloaded via DSPs.
Visit our topic, The Music Industry Ecosystem, to learn more about distributors.
How does DIY digital distribution work?
A self-releasing artist will select a digital distributor online and sign up for their services. Artists from anywhere in the world can use these services, although some platforms have an application process and only allow select artists onto their service. The digital distributor will charge a flat fee or take a percentage of the royalties earned from the sound recordings they distribute.
The artist submits their sound recording files, Artwork used for commercial release of music., and Data that describes other data, for example, information that describes creators, other rights holders, musical works, and sound recordings. to the distributor via their platform. There are no sound quality requirements that distributors insist on. It is up to the creator to ensure the best quality sound recording is uploaded.
The distributor collects metadata and The ownership of rights in a song under copyright law information from the artist, some of which may be required by particular DSPs. They will then assign an International Standard Recording code: a unique identifier for sound recordings. and Universal Product Code: a barcode used to track sales and distribution of products; for example, each product (single, EP, or album) is given a UPC. or European Article Number: A retail barcode used to track sales of products. to all sound recordings that are distributed.
The sound recordings are then uploaded to DSPs on the artist’s behalf. Distributors can upload the sound recordings to a variety of DSPs.
Once available on the DSPs, distributors will supply statistical Information provided by DSPs on the total number of streams and location of the listeners. to artists so they can know how their sound recordings are performing and in which countries and cities their listeners are based.
The distributor will provide distribution Documents that give creators and other rights holders information about usage, earnings, and payments. and pay any royalties to the A person or company that has Intellectual Property Rights in a musical work, performance or sound recording of the sound recordings. Most services do this on a monthly basis. Visit our topic, Getting Credited and Paid, to learn more about this.
In certain cases, distributors may offer additional marketing services, such as The streaming equivalent of pre-orders, a link that enables new music to be automatically added to the user's library the day it is released. and A method to encourage people to listen to a song by having that song on popular playlists..
There are many digital distributors for creators to choose from, and each will have different features, pricing, and terms. So, it’s best for self-releasing artists to research and find the best service for them. But as an example, some global DIY distributors include:
Distrokid
Tunecore
CD Baby
Amuse
Landr
Ditto
Click here to contact us and request to add your company to this list.
Physical DIY Distribution
When we talk about physical distribution, we’re referring to the distribution of physical Tangible items such as CDs, vinyl records, and cassettes. like CDs, cassette tapes, and vinyl records.
How does DIY physical distribution work?
A self-releasing artist will find a physical distributor and either sign up for their service online or contact them to place an order.
Creating physical products may require some up-front planning and investment, anticipating how many physical copies might sell. In some cases, the distributor will need to be paid in advance for those copies.
The artist will upload all their release assets, such as sound recording files, cover art and metadata to the distributor to manufacture the physical products
Once manufactured, the physical products may be sent directly to the creator to sell online or at live shows. Alternatively, the distributor may offer a service to allow the artist’s fans to purchase the physical products directly, which means they will take care of sending out the products.
Media on demand – in some markets, your physical products can be produced and sent to the customer on demand without the need to produce advance stock.
Image credit: Nils Emil Nylander