As a new recording artist, you’ve probably heard that in order to get your music out to the general public, you’ll need to sign a deal with a distributor. Maybe you have your own website, and you sell your downloads or CDs directly from there. But chances are, you’re not making a lot of sales, and very few people are hearing your music. You may think you can hack it by just selling your music on your own, and you may be thinking, do I really need a distributor to sell my music, and what is a distribution deal anyway?
Before you give up on your music career, consider signing on with a music distributor. It may feel intimidating at first, and you may think that you won’t see much more money, but the truth is, music distributors are crucial to your success as a recording artist and rights owner. So read on to get your music career started! In this article, we will explain what a music distributor can do for you and why you need one.
What is a Music Distributor?
Before we can tell you why you need a music distributor, we need to inform you what a music distributor does. A music distributor is a key player in the process of distributing recorded music to the general public. The distributor ensures that the public has access to recorded music, either through online streaming platforms like Apple Music or Spotify or through physical products such as CDs or records.
A music distributor is like a wholesaler. They license large quantities of sound recordings and distribute them to retail stores, websites, or channels. Most of the time, distributors sign a deal with a record label or directly with an independent artist. Before digital music, distributors would sell only the physical copies of the artist’s music. Now, with most music being digital, distributors deal primarily in digital formats with online music platforms.
What a Music Distributor Does for You
You are no doubt asking, why do you need a music distributor? Why can’t you just sell your music on your own website, or go directly to music stores? Think of it this way: there are millions of people in the world, and even with a website, very few of them will ever come across your music. Plus, while most people now are buying music in digital form, there are still many ways for people to purchase albums. Some people will buy only CDs, buy only vinyl, or buy a mix of both. You could certainly attempt to provide music to consumers in all of those formats, but it will be much easier and less expensive, and time-consuming in the long run to allow a distributor to do that work for you.
Aside from the actual distribution part, music distributors perform essential tasks for labels, artists, and retailers. Some of those things include:
Optimization
A distributor makes sure that the artist’s music is fully optimized. Distributors ensure your music is registered, properly formatted for each type of distribution, and will be delivered to where it is supposed to go.
Royalties
Every artist wants to get their sales royalties. Unfortunately, going on your own can mean that you might not receive proper royalties when your music is played. Music distributors ensure that the artist gets their total royalties from every source, whether it be from streaming, downloads, or placement in an ad or TV show.
Copyright Protection
If someone steals your song halfway around the world, you probably won’t know about it. That’s a lot of money out the window if you’re going it on your own. A music distributor ensures that your music is protected under copyright, and they work to monitor and identify any theft of your music.
A music distributor will deal with all of the nitty-gritty legal details. Unless you have a background in law, the legalities involved with distributing sound recordings and publishing songs can be overwhelming. A distributor will take that load off of your shoulders so you can focus more on making music and less on legal requirements and compliance
Placement
If you’ve always wanted your song on the radio or a TV show, go with a music distributor. Distributors ensure that your music gets the proper placement, whether it be just on a digital streaming platform or on that TV show. They service many more networks and channels than most artists and labels do, and they’ll do the negotiations to get your music where you want it to go.
Music Distribution is for Everyone!
It used to be that, with albums only being in physical form, distributors were a lot pickier about who they worked with, and it was harder to get a deal with a music distributor. Now that music is primarily digital, distributors are more willing to work with rights owners. It’s the only way you’ll get your music distributed on all platforms and most major territories worldwide.
Finding a Distributor
Now that your album is recorded, mixed, and mastered, and you’re ready to get it out, you’ll need to find the best music distribution deal for your works. There are many music distributors out there, so it’s important to do your research to see which one works best for you. Research what fees and other costs distributors may charge. Standard distribution deals available will include set-up fees and submission costs. With these deals, you’ll keep 100% of your royalties, but you’ll pay hefty fees to the distributor (such as $30 per album and $10 per single every year! You may choose to avoid these fees, especially if you be recording and distributing a lot of music as an artist. One global distributor, Sugo Music Group, a respected global music distributor and publisher, allows unlimited submissions charges no fees or set-up costs. They’ve been around for 35 years and have the experience to get your recordings and songs distributed worldwide.