Everything You Need to Know About Music Distribution

1. Everything You Need to Know About Music Distribution

2. Music distribution is the music industry's way of making recorded music available to consumers. It is a central aspect of their business model and allows you to buy most music in stores or download or stream it online.

3. The mechanics of music distribution have changed dramatically since the advent of the Internet, with mixed results for artists. Let's see how this field traditionally operated and how it continues to change in the digital age.

4. What is music distribution? • Aside from the musicians themselves, there are many actors involved in taking music from its point of creation to where it can be heard. Producers, engineers, record labels, promoters, agents, and publicists all play a role. Distributors are also an important piece of this puzzle. • Music distribution makes recorded music available to the public. Through a system of contracts and payments, distributors grant record stores, online download platforms, and streaming services the rights to buy and resell an artist's music.

5. How Music Distribution Works • Traditionally, distribution companies sign deals with record labels, which entitles them to sell the label's products. The dealer takes a portion of the proceeds from each unit sold and then pays the tag the remaining balance. • Most distributors expect record labels to provide them with finished, ready-to-market products, but sometimes distributors offer manufacturing and distribution (M&D) offerings for Indie artists. With this setup, the distributor pays the costs of making an album up front and keeps all proceeds from the album sales until the initial investment is paid off.

6. For much of the 20th century, music streaming companies were the links between record labels and retail outlets, which included exclusive music stores, large retailers such as Walmart and Best Buy, and bookstores. • Record labels signed (and still do) contracts with musical artists. They oversaw the recording, marketing, and promotion of music. Consumers bought their favorite music on vinyl records, cassettes and CDs. In most cases, it was the record companies that paid to make these products. To get copies of albums into the hands of fans, the record companies signed deals with distribution companies who, in turn, signed deals with retail stores to sell the albums.

7. How music distribution has changed • The download brought radical changes to the music industry in the early 21st century. Before the crackdown, fans downloaded millions of tracks from a wide range of artists free of charge through companies like Napster. • Although consumers now pay to legally download music from outlets like iTunes and Amazon, sales of CDs and cassette tapes have plummeted and the music industry has lost billions of dollars. Since 2015, subscription services like Pandora and Spotify have helped the industry rebound and begin creating a new model for music industry distribution and revenue.

8. With hundreds of music distribution companies closing down, only a few remain affiliated with the biggest record labels. Although there are hundreds of independent record labels, Sony, Universal Music Group, and Warner own the largest music aggregator companies. Whether you buy music from a local record store, download it from Amazon, or stream it on Spotify, one of these companies is likely responsible for making it possible.

9. DIY distribution • There have always been musicians who prefer to work in the industry and find their own ways to get their music out. As many artists have protested the inequalities of the streaming model and its growing dominance, many of them are bypassing labels and distributing their music themselves. Chance the Rapper made history in 2017 when he became the first musician to win a Grammy or Indie Record Label without selling physical copies of his music. Even iTunes and Spotify offer artists a way to distribute their music directly through their platforms.

10. The future of music distribution • There is still a role for music distributor in the digital age, even in the face of radical industry changes. After all, not all record labels and musicians want to take on the task of distributing their own work. For this reason, the remaining music distributors still work closely with record labels to bring music to fans. Some retail stores continue to sell physical copies of albums on vinyl, CD, or cassette. They also distribute music to digital download media, although these companies also offer distribution agreements directly to artists. • Digital music is going nowhere, and its reshaping of the music industry will likely continue for years to come. As more artists find ways to independently release their music, the place of distribution in the mix is ​​likely to continue to evolve as well.

11. About Us • DistroSongs aims to simplify the music distribution process to help artists and labels focus on what they do best. Distrosongs is constantly creating new features and distribution plans. When you create more music, DistroSongs will find more simple opportunities. • Website - https://www.distrosongs.com/