Posted on September 8, 2022 | By Barbara Drews

The Ultimate Step By Step Guide To Streaming Platforms For Musicians

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How does one define the ultimate step-by-step guide to streaming?

Streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, Tidal, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music are well-known for paying artists when their music is played. But most of us are unaware of the technicalities behind how those payments really operate, which can occasionally result in misunderstandings.

For the same amount of streams, not all artists will necessarily be paid equally.

Let’s get started by analyzing the key concepts that govern how music artists get compensated through music streaming.

Let’s get right into it!

How To Choose The Best Streaming Platform?

You should choose the music streaming services that will provide you with the ideal listening experience. selecting one that offers you music in a method that enables you to have a special satisfaction.

We have tried to simplify the decision-making process when selecting the top music makers app online in our assessment of the finest streaming services for artists. Using these five standards, we came up with five streaming services for musicians:

Pricing and Subscription Plans

One facet of the business is that most streaming services for artists use a freemium business model. While the essential streaming functions are available without charge, a membership is required to access the premium plans subsequently.

You’ll see that regardless of your choice, you can still take use of the essential elements that guarantee a fantastic streaming experience. When you subscribe to the premium plan, you’ll appreciate the basic plan so much that you’ll want more.

User Experience

Pricing is vital, but usability is as critical. Who wouldn’t want to use a stylish, appealing app to listen to music or podcasts? We need to give users more consideration and importance than mere appearances.

You shouldn’t have any trouble finding your way around despite the fact that it’s a music library. Whatever music streaming service you use, it must provide library sorting options, a navigation bar, a search bar, etc.

Music Discovery

Your musical tastes should be expanded by the distinctiveness that streaming services for musicians provide.

Expert music curators are also engaged, even if the online music makers’ app uses computer algorithms to customize this music to your tastes. In the end, a combination of human judgment and computer algorithms leads to the musical output you’ll like.

Content Library And Variety

Nowadays, streaming services for musicians provide more than simply music. They are growing their selection of audiobooks, podcasts, live radio broadcasts, live streaming, ASMR, and other content.

Streaming applications are well worth the money you spend on a subscription when they provide this diversity. On the app, there’s always something to keep you interested.

That’s not even mentioning the expanding music repertoire on streaming services. The features available on these platforms are inconceivably endless.

Streaming Quality

This often depends on the subscription plan you are on. Free and premium plans differ from one another. Free plans might not go above 128 kbps, but expensive plans might go up to 320 kbps, and HD plans can give up to 9,216 kbps.

The audio quality improves with greater bitrates.

What Music Streaming Services Pay Artists

There are currently several streaming services that provide unrestricted access to a wide variety of musical genres. Even if the quality of these streaming services for artists varies, these are excellent times for fans of music since there is tremendous competition.

In order to provide all the aspiring artists out there who want to make money from their skills some much-needed clarity, today we’re diving into the complex topic of revenue per stream.

Tidal

One of the first players, Tidal actually ruled it like a king.

On Tidal, there is a growing collection of tracks and music videos that will keep you fascinated and entertained. There is a 30-day trial period available if you’re not sure if Tidal can satisfy your music needs.

Depending on what you need, there are four different audio quality levels available, ranging from 96 to 9,214 kbps.

We may also conclude that Tidal has a simple, effective design that makes it easy for you to navigate the app.

Disctopia

With special music-finding tools, a huge content collection, and top-notch audio quality, Disctopia is targeted toward independent music and podcasts. There are roughly five plans: the Agency plan, Free, Basic, Creative, and Creative+.

Along with its expanding music collection, Disctopia is quickly establishing itself as a podcasters’ haven.

Let’s now discuss Disctopia’s slick, lag-free, and vibrant user interface. Even while you’ll adore the UI as it is now, there are constant upgrades being made to the bells and whistles.

Twitch

The purpose of this content is to provide you with more alternatives when it comes to music streaming services. Twitch, a website that allows artists to stream live, is added to the discussion.

As an artist, Twitch enables you to stream live and directly to your audience. No other network lets you develop a personal relationship with your audience the way Twitch does. Your streams may be self-scheduled whenever it’s convenient for you.

In essence, Twitch is a streaming platform that gives you the opportunity to develop into the artist you’ve always wanted to be. 

How Much Do Music Streaming Platforms Pay per Stream?

There are thousands of music streaming services available, from industry heavyweights like Spotify to specialized offerings like Tidal. Because each platform has a different price structure, selling proposition, and user base, the amount of money artists make from each stream varies.

The amount of compensation that streaming services provide to the artists they feature will be covered in this section.

Apple Music

With over 72 million active users in 2020, Apple Music will trail only Spotify as the second-most popular music streaming service in the United States. The business has made it known that its typical compensation per stream is $0.01 in public.

The artists’ pockets do not, however, instantly get that one cent. Like other significant streaming services, Apple Music uses a pro-rated approach that gives music companies a random 52% of the platform’s ad income.

Deezer

By no means the most well-known music streaming service, Deezer boasts more than 14 million monthly users, with half of them paying members.

The business said that its “Pay who you play” user-centric payment system aims to properly compensate artists. As a result, if a subscriber pays and only listens to one artist each month, their whole membership price will be given to that artist (with a minor platform fee reduction).

However, depending on who you talk to, Deezer’s per-stream compensation fluctuates greatly. T-Pain, for instance, previously stated that Deezer pays about $0.0064 for each stream, although other musicians might receive as little as $0.0011. 

Once more, this is dependent on a variety of variables, including location & subscription.

Spotify

Spotify, the most popular music streaming service with over 200 million active users per month, has a rather negative reputation for paying out artists.

Artists can make as low as $0.0033 per stream, according to a 2020 Business Insider report, however, the firm has not yet disclosed specifics regarding its payment structure.

Furthermore, not even all of it gets to go to the artists. Only around 70% of the overall earnings get to the artist directly. The remaining 30% is absorbed by the platform itself.

Now that you’ve learned how much each streaming platform pays its artists, you should be able to pick one that’s in your favor!

At MPT Agency, we will help you get your music heard! We will assist you in building your fanbase via the best music streaming services and guide you in choosing one that is the most efficient for your campaign. To find out what other services can improve your musical career, make sure you check our blog regularly and follow us on Instagram for more music marketing-related updates.


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