Skip to content
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Tags
  • Popular
  • World
  • Users
  • Groups
Skins
  • Light
  • Brite
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (Darkly)
  • No Skin
Collapse
Brand Logo
  1. Home
  2. Uncategorized
  3. i just mentioned this to a friend who didn’t know about it but in case you are unaware, to get music on a streaming service, artists must pay a distribution service.

i just mentioned this to a friend who didn’t know about it but in case you are unaware, to get music on a streaming service, artists must pay a distribution service.

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Uncategorized
16 Posts 9 Posters 0 Views
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • Joscelyn TranspiringJ Joscelyn Transpiring

    @forestine ooo, haven’t heard of qobuz. Are newer artists putting music on there at all?

    I think that’s my challenge. I listen to things on Bandcamp when I can, and buy albums there, but sometimes I hit a limit on streaming an album or I just can’t get the app to cooperate with apple carplay very well when driving. So would love better options than Spotify!

    forestineF This user is from outside of this forum
    forestineF This user is from outside of this forum
    forestine
    wrote last edited by
    #5

    @JoscelynTransient i have seen several folks talk about putting music up there. i have not done so but it's worth looking into. tidal is supposed to also have an okay payout

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • Joscelyn TranspiringJ Joscelyn Transpiring

      @forestine ooo, haven’t heard of qobuz. Are newer artists putting music on there at all?

      I think that’s my challenge. I listen to things on Bandcamp when I can, and buy albums there, but sometimes I hit a limit on streaming an album or I just can’t get the app to cooperate with apple carplay very well when driving. So would love better options than Spotify!

      briB This user is from outside of this forum
      briB This user is from outside of this forum
      bri
      wrote last edited by
      #6

      @JoscelynTransient @forestine i don’t know how much deviation there is between qobuz’s streaming and their purchase catalogs, but that’s where i always go to buy stuff that isn’t on bandcamp. major label releases (at least, the ones i care about, ymmv of course) are always there, and i know they’re partnered with the big distributors so most stuff ends up there unless an artist has specifically opted out.

      forestineF 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • forestineF forestine

        i'm not going to tell you to go all or nothing but i would really suggest subscribing to a streaming service with a better payout like qobuz. but even if you continue to subscribe, tossing an artist 5 bucks once in awhile will go so much further

        TheMagicalCC This user is from outside of this forum
        TheMagicalCC This user is from outside of this forum
        TheMagicalC
        wrote last edited by
        #7

        @forestine for what it’s worth, I bought the entire Crane Wives discography, which is 8 albums and a single, for $38.25. That’s a bit over 3 months cost of Spotify premium, and gives them more money than if I only listened to them on Spotify for probably my entire life. And I own the music forever, without ads. Owning your entire music collection is achievable.

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • briB bri

          @JoscelynTransient @forestine i don’t know how much deviation there is between qobuz’s streaming and their purchase catalogs, but that’s where i always go to buy stuff that isn’t on bandcamp. major label releases (at least, the ones i care about, ymmv of course) are always there, and i know they’re partnered with the big distributors so most stuff ends up there unless an artist has specifically opted out.

          forestineF This user is from outside of this forum
          forestineF This user is from outside of this forum
          forestine
          wrote last edited by
          #8

          @brhfl @JoscelynTransient i had a friend who was trying to figure out how to put their music on qobuz but opt out of spotify. i might consider that if it's possible

          briB 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • forestineF forestine

            @brhfl @JoscelynTransient i had a friend who was trying to figure out how to put their music on qobuz but opt out of spotify. i might consider that if it's possible

            briB This user is from outside of this forum
            briB This user is from outside of this forum
            bri
            wrote last edited by
            #9

            @forestine @JoscelynTransient i’ve heard distrokid straight up won’t let you opt out of spotify, but i don’t have any personal experience there… i imagine it’d be simpler with a distributor that isn’t captured by spotify though 😬

            Pauxlll KruczynskiP 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • R AodeRelay shared this topic
            • forestineF forestine

              i just mentioned this to a friend who didn’t know about it but in case you are unaware, to get music on a streaming service, artists must pay a distribution service. if they stop paying, the music gets taken down.

              which means that many artists are out there paying and also not making any money because spotify now requires a thousand streams to make a fraction of a penny. spotify's playlists are increasingly filling with ai slop that is preventing people from hearing these artists.

              supporting artists directly through services like bandcamp, faircamp, mirlo, etc, means that they get more money than they would make from thousands and thousands of streams.

              on bandcamp friday, all their fees are waived and the money goes directly to the artist. so for example somebody paid me 6 dollars and all i lost was 37 cents in payment processor fee

              bagahensB This user is from outside of this forum
              bagahensB This user is from outside of this forum
              bagahens
              wrote last edited by
              #10

              @forestine

              I used cdbaby to get my album on streaming services. One time fee of $14.99.

              I don't expect to make money on streaming, it was for customer convenience.

              Sales happened direct or on bandcamp.

              forestineF 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • bagahensB bagahens

                @forestine

                I used cdbaby to get my album on streaming services. One time fee of $14.99.

                I don't expect to make money on streaming, it was for customer convenience.

                Sales happened direct or on bandcamp.

                forestineF This user is from outside of this forum
                forestineF This user is from outside of this forum
                forestine
                wrote last edited by
                #11

                @bagahens that's good to know. i will add that

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • forestineF forestine

                  i'm not going to tell you to go all or nothing but i would really suggest subscribing to a streaming service with a better payout like qobuz. but even if you continue to subscribe, tossing an artist 5 bucks once in awhile will go so much further

                  forestineF This user is from outside of this forum
                  forestineF This user is from outside of this forum
                  forestine
                  wrote last edited by
                  #12

                  Distrokid, the most common service, says

                  "If you don't renew your subscription to DistroKid, your music will be removed from services. DistroKid subscriptions are billed annually on the date you first signed up and paid for the subscription.

                  To prevent your releases from being removed for this reason, you can opt any upload into DistroKid's optional Leave a Legacy album extra." which is an extra service

                  reviews also say that people's music was taken down for various reasons and also that it can take months for the music to appear on the services in the first place

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • briB bri

                    @forestine also the distribution service that folks are likely to know if they only know of one is partially owned by spotify and really seems to prioritize that partnership — the worst possible one for artists — from what i’ve heard.

                    Anne DelongA This user is from outside of this forum
                    Anne DelongA This user is from outside of this forum
                    Anne Delong
                    wrote last edited by
                    #13

                    @brhfl @forestine

                    I paid CD Baby to distribute my CD, but they've never asked for any more money. I've ALMOST made my distribution fee back....but I've actually made some money with Bandcamp.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • briB bri

                      @forestine @JoscelynTransient i’ve heard distrokid straight up won’t let you opt out of spotify, but i don’t have any personal experience there… i imagine it’d be simpler with a distributor that isn’t captured by spotify though 😬

                      Pauxlll KruczynskiP This user is from outside of this forum
                      Pauxlll KruczynskiP This user is from outside of this forum
                      Pauxlll Kruczynski
                      wrote last edited by
                      #14

                      @brhfl @forestine @JoscelynTransient this isn’t true about Spotify. You can opt out of any service. I haven’t seen any restrictions yet around that.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • forestineF forestine

                        i just mentioned this to a friend who didn’t know about it but in case you are unaware, to get music on a streaming service, artists must pay a distribution service. if they stop paying, the music gets taken down.

                        which means that many artists are out there paying and also not making any money because spotify now requires a thousand streams to make a fraction of a penny. spotify's playlists are increasingly filling with ai slop that is preventing people from hearing these artists.

                        supporting artists directly through services like bandcamp, faircamp, mirlo, etc, means that they get more money than they would make from thousands and thousands of streams.

                        on bandcamp friday, all their fees are waived and the money goes directly to the artist. so for example somebody paid me 6 dollars and all i lost was 37 cents in payment processor fee

                        prexP This user is from outside of this forum
                        prexP This user is from outside of this forum
                        prex
                        wrote last edited by
                        #15

                        @forestine can't quote so i'll just leave here the list of bandcamp fridays for this year, in case anyone would like to save the dates

                        https://blog.bandcamp.com/2025/12/03/bandcamp-fridays-return-in-2026-with-more-opportunities-to-support-independent-music/

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • forestineF forestine

                          i just mentioned this to a friend who didn’t know about it but in case you are unaware, to get music on a streaming service, artists must pay a distribution service. if they stop paying, the music gets taken down.

                          which means that many artists are out there paying and also not making any money because spotify now requires a thousand streams to make a fraction of a penny. spotify's playlists are increasingly filling with ai slop that is preventing people from hearing these artists.

                          supporting artists directly through services like bandcamp, faircamp, mirlo, etc, means that they get more money than they would make from thousands and thousands of streams.

                          on bandcamp friday, all their fees are waived and the money goes directly to the artist. so for example somebody paid me 6 dollars and all i lost was 37 cents in payment processor fee

                          P.J. MeischS This user is from outside of this forum
                          P.J. MeischS This user is from outside of this forum
                          P.J. Meisch
                          wrote last edited by
                          #16

                          @forestine @jlink When i find some interesting on bandcamp I put it on my wishlist and then buy it on the next bandcamp Friday

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • R ActivityRelay shared this topic
                          Reply
                          • Reply as topic
                          Log in to reply
                          • Oldest to Newest
                          • Newest to Oldest
                          • Most Votes


                          • Login

                          • Don't have an account? Register

                          • Login or register to search.
                          Powered by NodeBB Contributors
                          • First post
                            Last post
                          0
                          • Categories
                          • Recent
                          • Tags
                          • Popular
                          • World
                          • Users
                          • Groups