Online music distributors are a great resource when trying to get your music into the market and make money from its sales. Music distribution companies charge you for their services. They may offer to provide a certain level of service, such as getting X number of albums in Y number of stores, and may offer you access to particular additional services. A musician considering distributing music online should try to understand how these companies work and what different services they offer. Most of these companies offer similar service packages, however there are often hidden perks or flaws in regard to what you can get out of them. The list below explain four of the most well known online music distributors with their own written statements. This list was capped at four, although there are a large number of other distributors that may have similar services and abilities.
The following information is taken from the companies websites to help explain what they have to offer.
CD Baby describes themselves as, “the largest online music distribution company for independent music. They offer a host of artist services including physical and digital distribution, warehousing and shipping of CDs, DVDs, and vinyl, affordable web-hosting and design, download cards, disc duplication, and more.”
ReverbNation describes themselves with the following statement, “Since 2006, ReverbNation has helped millions of emerging Artists build their careers. We’ve connected Artists to venues, festivals, brands, publishers, labels, and the fans themselves. ReverbNation’s mission puts Artists First. Our powerful career management and online marketing tools, combined with rapidly growing A&R capabilities and broad industry relationships offer emerging Artists from around the world access to the global music industry.”
Tunecore’s website states, “You don’t need a label to share your music with the world. TuneCore makes it easy to get your music into iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and 150+ digital store partners. You keep 100% of your rights and 100% of the money you earn. It’s free to create an account and get started,” in regard to their service.
Ditto’s website states,”We’re musicians that have faced the challenge you face. That’s why we now take a personal and professional interest in making it easier for you to get your music heard and bought. We distribute your music to the world’s leading digital platforms – the download stores that mean business and sales. We help you setup your own label the way you want.”
Summary Chart
Although differing statements in regard to what their company is and does, each of these four companies offers very similar services. We decided to break this down into a chart so you can see what each company offers compared to the others and ultimately choose which best fits your needs.
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