fbpx

How to Upload Your Music to Spotify? The Pros and Cons for Musicians

Think back to when you were a kid, dreaming of making music for the rest of your life.

Dreams like this were more elusive before the rise of YouTube and online music streaming apps. Now, artists can get their music in front of millions of people without a record deal.

And this digital music revolution isn’t slowing down.

Easily, the most famous music streaming app of the bunch is Spotify – boasting an impressive 180 million users, it’s even credited with launching the career of Grammy Award-winning artist Lorde.

Could you be an upload away from turning your dream into a reality? Is Spotify the right platform for you and your music?

Also, this article is for musician’s, not for music fans uploading their music collection for listening purposes.

How to directly upload your music to Spotify

Spotify had an attempt at making it easy for artists to upload their music quickly. The idea was you didn’t have to go through music distributors, like Label Grid, and instead, you could upload to Spotify directly.

Unfortunately, as of July 2019, Spotify discontinued direct access. 

Spotify stated: 

“Almost a year ago, we started to beta test a feature that lets independent artists upload their music directly to Spotify. Today, we notified participating artists about our decision to close the beta program, along with how we can help them migrate their music to other distributors over the next month.”

> Please refer to this link for the full press release.

Regardless, there’s plenty of distributors that allow direct upload to Spotify, so you are not out of luck. 

How to upload music to Spotify, the pros and cons of Spotify, and how to get the most from this platform:

There are many ways to distribute your music. The most common way is through the internet, but other options such as physical distribution or even direct sales through independent record stores are also available. This article will focus on how you can get your music distributed by a digital music distributor.

What is a Digital Music Distributor?

An online music distributor is a company that provides services for independent artists, musicians and record labels who want to sell their music digitally.

In short, the distributor takes your music files and distributes them to online stores and streaming platforms, such as Spotify. 

Choosing a music distributor

Depending on the type of music you wish to distribute, e.g. rock, punk, dance music, hip hop, metal etc., it’s always wise to do your research before applying for digital music distribution.

Many distributors will offer different skillsets, such as providing advice about playlisting, pitching, strategy, and some will go as far as submitting to Spotify and Apple Music for playlist consideration on your behalf.

If you are looking for a distributor that offers more than just digital distribution:

I recommend checking out Label Grid, which provides a whole music management tool kit. Symphonic, which also provides a synchronisation arm. Or Cygnus Music – they have a solid team to help you grow. All companies have a fantastic team who can help you with everything from marketing, playlisting and providing solid advice. 

Here’s a list of some (not all!) music distributors to get you started. 

Amuse

AWAL

Believe Music

CD Baby

Cygnus Music

DistroKid

Ditto Music

Fresh Tunes

FUGA

Horus Music

InGrooves

Label Engine

Label Grid

Label Worx

LANDR

MondoTunes

OneRPM

RouteNote

Soundrop

Stem Music

Symphonic

Triple Vision

Tunecore

Creating your Spotify for Artists profile 

Once your music is distributed to Spotify, you can create a Spotify for Artists profile, and you can’t do this before your music is on their platform.

Spotify can be a powerful marketing tool, so this is an excellent opportunity to flex those branding muscles.

Is your current band photo looking a little dated? This would be a good time to update everything from your photos to your official bio.

Spotify gives you 1500 characters to tell your story. You can also include links to your website, music magazine features, and your merch store. Don’t hesitate to talk about the artists, events, and stories that inspire your music.

These little details can help people connect with your music. Keep building that connection by including your own Spotify playlist. This is a great way to show love to fellow artists and give fans another way to get to know you better.

If you want to submit music for playlist consideration directly to Spotify, it must be unreleased (as in, on Spotify and before the release date) music and done via Spotify for Artists. Plan accordingly and make sure your release date is no less than a week away before submitting.

How to Upload Your Music to Spotify? The Pros and Cons for Musicians

Syncing Up with Spotify

Once you’ve registered for Spotify and set up your artist profile, look at Spotify’s partnerships with other digital services.

These Digital Services include:

  • CD Baby
  • Songkick
  • Ticketmaster
  • AXS
  • Eventbrite
  • Merchbar
  • Distrokid
  • Emo Bands

If you sell music, concert tickets, and merchandise through any of these services, connect your accounts to make them appear on your Spotify page. This is a quick and easy form of cross-promotion.

Syncing your CD Baby, Emo Bands, and Distrokid accounts will also verify your Spotify page, making you a verified artist on Spotify (blue check and all!).

Is Spotify Free for Artists?

One of the first questions artists ask is whether or not Spotify is free.

The good news is, yes! Spotify does not charge. However, keep in mind that the music distributor you use will likely charge a fee or commission.

Spotify also allows artists to promote merchandise without a fee.

How Much Can You Earn Through Spotify?

This is where Spotify receives its biggest criticism. In recent years, the streaming service has received significant scrutiny over its revenue model for artists.

Despite nearly a million streams per minute, Spotify only pays out $0.006 to $0.0084 per stream. Worse, this revenue is paid directly to the music holder, and this means the royalties are often split between artists, writers, music producers, and their record labels.

This makes it much harder for new artists to earn a living from Spotify.

While Taylor Swift may be one of the most prominent artists globally, she too took up the cause against Spotify when she pulled nearly all her music from the platform in 2014. Swift called out the platform for directly cutting into paid album sales.

Even though Spotify claims that working musicians can make up to $425,000 in monthly royalties, Swift’s claims further shed light on potential problems with the service.

Top Takeaways

Is Spotify the right platform for you?

Here’s a recap of the top takeaways of Spotify:

  • 180 million users and almost a million streams per minute
  • Create your own branded artist page
  • Tell your story, sell your albums, and promote your merch
  • Get your music on Spotify through your music distributor of choice
  • See which music trends best with built-in analytics
  • Spotify is free, but your music distributors will charge a fee
  • Artists can only earn $0.006 to $0.0084 per stream

Spotify is part of a special club of music streaming services for both fans and artists. Other services include Apple Music, Google Play, Amazon Prime Music, SoundCloud, and Pandora.

Start Making a Name for Yourself

Feel music stardom within your grasp?

If you’re ready to try your luck and upload music to Spotify, bookmark this guide right now and get to work on your Spotify presence!

But remember, Spotify is just one piece of the promotion puzzle. If you really want to get your music out there, start building your robust list of industry contacts now or talk to an expert who can help.

Take your record label to the next level with email marketing.

Bring your email list to the next level with our exclusive email marketing tool for record labels. Easily import your contacts and deliver your hottest promos directly to top DJs, journalists, and industry professionals.

Whilst you're here, we have more to read.

Road to Fame: Efficient Ways to Promote Your Own Music

Promoting your own music can be a daunting task, especially if you’re just starting out. But, if you have a plan in place and an understanding of the various tools and techniques available, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience. There are many effective ways to promote your music, from…

The Top Advantages of Repurposing Any Podcast Content

Repurposing your podcast content is a great way to spread your message and reach additional listeners. You have already invested time and energy in creating quality content, so why not make the most of it? Repurposed content can be a powerful tool to help your podcast brand grow and build…

7 Strategies to Create a Buzz Around Your Music

When it comes to creating a buzz around your music, the music industry can be quite intimidating and overwhelming. But never fear! If you’re an artist and wondering how to market your music independently, we’re here to provide you with seven simple strategies to create a buzz and get your…

How to Release Your Single and Promote It Effectively

Releasing a single can be a daunting task for any artist. Whether an independent musician or a signed artist, you should take key steps to ensure your single is successful.  Promoting your song is crucial to releasing music, as it can help ensure your single reaches the right audience.  Here…

How to Effectively Promote and Market Your Music in 2024

To effectively market their music, sell their records and band merch online, and do the whole nine yards, musicians need to understand how to use social networking sites. Here are techniques you can employ in 2024 on how to market your album:  Put Together A Press Release For Your Album…

How to Build A Powerful Brand in the Music Business

Nowadays, it takes more than just talent and catchy songs to succeed in the music industry.  Modern artists must spend a lot of time and effort developing their brands to stand out in a crowded field. The definition and development of personal brands are covered in the following text. If…