If you're a budding artist with big dreams, you can kickstart your journey by choosing to upload your music to Spotify.
Spotify stands as one of the world's largest music streaming platforms. It's an excellent platform for showcasing your talent, connecting with a large audience, and even turning your passion into profit.
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In this guide, we will show you how to upload music to Spotify, so you can make your tracks accessible to a global audience.
How to upload music to Spotify
To upload music to Spotify, you must register with a distributor service such as DistroKid or CD Baby. These companies take care of the licensing and distribution process, ensuring your music is made available on Spotify and other streaming services.
DistroKid, CD Baby, EmuBands, Record Union, Vydia, Amuse, and ONErpm are Spotify's preferred distributors because they meet the platform's strict criteria for quality metadata and robust anti-infringement measures.
You can see the full list of Spotify's preferred and recommended distributors here. Keep in mind that many of these services have associated fees or commissions. Since each distributor offers distinct features and pricing structures, do a little research before picking one.
How to upload music to Spotify for free
To upload music to Spotify for free, you can register with free distributor services like Amuse and RouteNote. However, it is important to note that these free services come with trade-offs in terms of revenue sharing and limitations on your music releases.
For instance, the free plan of RouteNote allows unlimited uploads but they would take 15% of the money you get from Spotify. Amuse, on the other hand, allows you to retain 100% of your royalties but limits you to releasing only one track per month.
For artists planning to take their music careers seriously and expecting to upload music frequently, a paid distributor service might offer better long-term financial sustainability and greater flexibility.
FAQ
Is it free to upload music to Spotify?
Absolutely, uploading your music to Spotify is completely free. However, it's important to note that you'll typically require a music distributor to upload your music to Spotify, which might involve a minimal subscription cost.
How to earn money on Spotify?
You can earn money on Spotify by uploading your music to the platform. Spotify compensates its artists with royalties for each stream of their song once it reaches a specified minimum play count.
How much does Spotify pay per stream?
As of 2023, Spotify pays artists between $0.003 - $0.005 per stream on average. That works out as an approximate revenue split of 70/30, meaning 70% of the revenue generated per stream goes to the artist or rights holders, while Spotify retains 30%.