Where Can I Upload My Music for Free?

The Peak 10 Digital Platforms to Upload, Share, and Promote Your Music

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The internet has forever changed the mural of the music industry. This is mutual knowledge to artists who've utilized effective digital technologies such as file sharing and digital marketing via an endless number of social media channels. While all of this may seem like painfully obvious data, the fact remains that many musicians even so struggle with choosing the right online platforms to upload, share, and promote their music.

The neverending list of offerings can be overwhelming, only it is essential to accept a clear-cut agreement of how to tackle these three questions:

1. Which communities are the nigh popular amongst your target audience?
2. Why are they powerful (i.e., what are their capabilities)?
3. What are the appropriate circumstances for you to put them into action?

With these inquiries in listen, I've created a list of the top 10 digital music platforms that artists need to know like the back of their easily (or instruments, for that matter). If you lot get a master at navigating all of the below selections, the likelihood of your music reaching a substantial audience skyrockets and, more than chiefly, so does your chances of developing a defended fanbase.

1. SoundCloud

Founded in 2007, SoundCloud remains every bit one of the globe's top audio distribution platforms and attracts over 175 meg monthly unique visitors. From a costless-streaming perspective, SoundCloud has been a longstanding giant, and that won't change anytime shortly. Heralded for its sociability/shareability features, a wide majority of both established major artists and rising talent turn to SoundCloud to upload their music.

The "news feed" style of the homepage, repost/favorite/playlist options, and followers/group communities play a huge part in expanding the reach of SoundCloud's massive library. Then while there are enough of folks who take advantage of the system in attempts of growing a big (but generally imaginary) following, SoundCloud is a get-to option in giving fans the opportunity to stream your latest single for free.

[8 Simple Steps to Maximize Your SoundCloud Exposure]

2. Audiomack

Non too far behind SoundCloud, Audiomack is on the rise equally a fan-friendly streaming platform. Different its analogue, which has a central focus on play counts when evaluating engagement, Audiomack allows artists to measure out the reach of their music with its variety of trend-based rankings. The exact number of plays per day/week/calendar month are readily bachelor, and the "what's trending" homepage makes it like shooting fish in a barrel for music consumers to know what songs and albums are worthy of their valuable time. Betwixt the less stringent copyright policies and piece of cake-to-assimilate analytics, Audiomack is a well-positioned platform and a wise choice for contained artists who want total visibility into the marketing efforts of their new album.

three. iTunes

Anybody who has listened to music this century is aware of the monster that is iTunes. If you're a member of the select grouping of consumers who truly believe in financially supporting the work of their favorite artists, iTunes is your music mecca. The platform continues to evolve with Apple constantly innovating as a technological giant (see Apple Music), and although streaming is the current king of music intake, music libraries of longtime iTunes users are nevertheless seeing enough of action.

If you lot're an independent musician who wants to provide fans with the option of buying their music, uploading to iTunes is yet the principal method of doing then. Don't expect to strike gilded, but the brand name recognition alone is plenty to win some fans over.

4. Spotify

Over the past several years, Spotify has worked its manner into becoming an extremely powerful digital music service and is a king in the music streaming business. The massive library of music from major artists has fabricated Spotify an attractive pick, and while gratuitous users are burdened with frequent advertisements, premium users enjoy ad-free as well as offline/mobile app listening.

Despite the number of overnice features offered past Spotify, I don't believe the platform is currently a necessity for independent musicians. Sure, you may look official past having your well-received album uploaded, merely from a streaming betoken of view, you're meliorate going off with SoundCloud or Audiomack as an up-and-comer. Past doing so, you ultimately provide fans with easier access to your music and salvage yourself a few headaches at the same time.

[6 Easy Steps to Streaming Success on Spotify]

5. YouTube

If y'all're a rising artist, you lot should be putting quality time and endeavor into the creation of professionally crafted music videos. And when it comes time to share your visuals with the globe, y'all upload them on YouTube. The video-sharing home of the internet has made a huge deviation for indie artists who sometimes rise to national acclamation non necessarily on the strength of a song, but on the visuals which breathe new life into the record. Between its ease of use and insightful measurement tools, YouTube is a principal platform that garners undivided attending from the more professionally minded segment of rising artists.

[25 Ways to Optimize Your YouTube Channel]

6. Bandcamp

Bandcamp is perchance the most interesting selection from this list of music platforms. The website is certainly geared toward contained musicians, merely it tends to attract more of a niche following of both artists and fans. Equally a platform that promotes free streaming as well as fiscal support of the artist, Bandcamp has an all-in-ane adequacy which tin prove to be useful for musicians who want to put all of their eggs in one handbasket. In that location are plenty of successful artists who have finer promoted their fabric on Bandcamp, but be wary, because if your music doesn't resonate with a particular demographic, it can get lost in the mix.

[How to Brand Your Bandcamp Page as Effective as Possible]

7. Vimeo

We've already established that YouTube is the major role player in the world of music videos. Vimeo, yet, is a runner-upwardly and has its ain specialties for artists who shoot a variety of visual content. When musicians take a more diversified route with videos, such every bit documentaries and behind-the-scenes footage, information technology'south not a bad idea to experiment with Vimeo due to its well-versed creative community. By no means is it smart to transfer all of your videos from your YouTube account to Vimeo, simply don't be afraid to try it out as y'all continue to grow your fanbase.

[How Vimeo'southward Copyright Match System Affects Your Music]

viii. Tidal

While still young in its existence, Tidal has been making headlines in the earth of music streaming over the by several months. The platform prides itself on offer loftier-quality audio/video for its users, and with a big group of superstar artists co-signing the services, many fans are jumping on the moving ridge. While many in the industry feel that Tidal is just a self-centered attempt for major label artists to receive better profit margins on their streams, indie artists should yet follow every movement from Tidal as information technology continues to grow (particularly Tidal Rising and Tidal Discovery). Don't brand Tidal your summit priority correct at present, but requite the platform some time earlier deciding whether to test the waters with the service.

9. Google Play

Even though Google Play receives less attending, it'southward not wise to ignore the music service of one of the world's most powerful companies. If you desire your entire fanbase to have the ability to financially support your music, it'south of import to ensure that you accept a presence on Google Play. There are plenty of Android mobile telephone users who rely on Google Play equally opposed to iTunes, so if yous want all your tracks covered, don't get out them out of the mix.

ten. Personal website

Despite all of these qualified music platforms, all serious musicians need a personal website that prominently displays their latest and greatest music. You'll nearly likely be using one of the aforementioned selections to upload your tracks, but having your music on each of these nine platforms and not on your own website is a recipe for disaster. Every bit a ascent artist, it'south smart to have your music centralized in a few prominent places as opposed to throwing a dozen different links at fans and press. And out of all these options, maintaining a sharp, upward-to-engagement website is perhaps the about vital. When you beginning to depict bigger and more influential figures to your catalog, rest assured that your website will be one of their commencement visits.

[6 Crucial Website Tips for Freelance Musicians]

Eric Bernsen is a marketing/public relations professional person and music journalist who specializes in the genre of hip-hop. Y'all tin can observe more than of his work at HITPmusic.com (where he is an editor/writer) equally well equally HipHop-N-More.com, where he contributes album reviews. Follow Eric on Twitter @ebernsen.

Topics: Music Business 101, Marketing & Promotion

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Source: https://blog.sonicbids.com/the-top-10-digital-platforms-to-upload-share-and-promote-your-music

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