Soundcloud Repost compared to Distrokid/CDon/BandCamp etc.

[Yonatan]

Just noticed Soundcloud has a new distribution service launched called Repost. What do you think about it? Looks like a winner or sinner?

$30 a year, you get 80% of royalties. Quite a lot included.

Any benefits of using such a widespread service as Soundcloud over others, despite they take 20% of the revenue?

I mean what good is 100% royalties if you only reach out to very few listeners. Has Repost a better potential to also get your works out?

https://www.repostnetwork.com/

[Kalm]

I still stand by the notion of, unless you're popular on SoundCloud, I don't see how it'll be useful. SoundCloud has their own fanbase and really, unless you appeal to them it won't work. Now I may be interested if I gain at least 1,000 followers. . .but im nowhere close

[QVprod]

Cool that they finally did something that makes them slightly worth looking at. that said, at first glance they don't offer any advantages over any other distributer unless you have a massive following.

Bandcamp is not really worth comparing. Different beast altogether. Bandcamp is something worth having in addition to having your music on streaming services.

[Benedict]

100% of nothing is still nothing.

Unless you know that you will have fans on Spotifry that you can't access anywhere else, you are far better NOT going there as it is a waste of your resources. Try it free with something like Amuse but if like most of us, after a few months you realize that a) you get no plays, b) the pay for those plays is so insulting that you would be better using a format that has proven that there are people looking for new & unique material (which is the complete opposite of what Spotifry is about).

That format is Bandcamp + YouTube.

Sure, it takes more work that simply jamming something on DistroBabble but you can actually grow fans (slowly I will admit) over time as the people on Bandcamp are looking for new. They understand that to support an act, they pay. These are people who value music instead of fashion. I have some pretty loyal buyers.

YouTube is proven to be one of the most used formats for finding new music so it is mental not making a presence there. And no those auto-created vids count for nothing. You have to make real vids. They can start as simple as a cover as you track plays but they are unique and can attract people. A video shows your personal style far better than anything else (with the possible exception of good cover art) so use it and use it as well as you can. That might be the ragged first time but it will get better with practice.

[Yonatan]

I still stand by the notion of, unless you're popular on SoundCloud, I don't see how it'll be useful. SoundCloud has their own fanbase and really, unless you appeal to them it won't work. Now I may be interested if I gain at least 1,000 followers. . .but im nowhere close

Good point! Thanks for sharing.
I get impression that many ordinary people have account on SC, and their app. So some potential is surely there. And many podcast creators use SC as well.
Music wise, what is your experience on what kind of music had an upper hand on SC so far?

[Yonatan]

Cool that they finally did something that makes them slightly worth looking at. that said, at first glance they don't offer any advantages over any other distributer unless you have a massive following.

Bandcamp is not really worth comparing. Different beast altogether. Bandcamp is something worth having in addition to having your music on streaming services.

Yes, true, you need a base of followers on SC. But SC seems to be quite handy service to share ones music, at least it's what I have seen so far. So many use it because it is faster than a lot other platforms and the main downside have been the lack of ability to earn anything on it.
So It will be interesting to follow the development..

As for Bandcamp, I agree, it is indeed another fruit in the basket. It has its own nische.

[Yonatan]

100% of nothing is still nothing.

Unless you know that you will have fans on Spotifry that you can't access anywhere else, you are far better NOT going there as it is a waste of your resources. Try it free with something like Amuse but if like most of us, after a few months you realize that a) you get no plays, b) the pay for those plays is so insulting that you would be better using a format that has proven that there are people looking for new & unique material (which is the complete opposite of what Spotifry is about).

That format is Bandcamp + YouTube.

Sure, it takes more work that simply jamming something on DistroBabble but you can actually grow fans (slowly I will admit) over time as the people on Bandcamp are looking for new. They understand that to support an act, they pay. These are people who value music instead of fashion. I have some pretty loyal buyers.

YouTube is proven to be one of the most used formats for finding new music so it is mental not making a presence there. And no those auto-created vids count for nothing. You have to make real vids. They can start as simple as a cover as you track plays but they are unique and can attract people. A video shows your personal style far better than anything else (with the possible exception of good cover art) so use it and use it as well as you can. That might be the ragged first time but it will get better with practice.

Some very good reasonings there. Bandcamp might not be overcrowded but as you seem to describe, it leaves it a bit more relaxing place in the shade a hot summer day. Which can be a good thing, that people going there are very dedicated to find some hidden gold. And in combination with Youtube and meeting people in other more genuine ways, it could be a cost effective and potent combo in the long run, especially if one is quite far from the broadway lights anyway. At a certain point, being on other platforms might grow to have its place, but in the beginning, or not a mainstreaming creator, Bandcamp and Youtube sounds like partners in crime. With maybe some selected sound clips on SC just for the sake of convinience.

Can surely understand the sense of paying yearly just to have very few listeners on Spotify.
Maybe not all benefits of being there...a thought worth considering. Throwing up a track by free distributor might be a middle ground, if someone search your name there.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[dioxide]

An issue that's come up recently for me is labels that use third-party services to upload to iTunes, Amazon, Beatport etc. Often these companies are making copyright claims on YouTube and Facebook videos. A friend of mine has been put in the situation where a live set he posted to Youtube was taken down due to copyright infringement, even though the label didn't have the rights to sign away the rights they did when entering into a contact with one of these companies. My friend was then left to submit a copyright claim on his own music. In cases like this the third-party company isn't being challenged when making the initial claim, and my friend is left in the situation where he has to enter into discussions with the third-party and Youtube to prove he is the copyright holder.

So make sure you read the small print when it comes to these contracts and where possible retain all rights.

[Yonatan]

An issue that's come up recently for me is labels that use third-party services to upload to iTunes, Amazon, Beatport etc. Often these companies are making copyright claims on YouTube and Facebook videos. A friend of mine has been put in the situation where a live set he posted to Youtube was taken down due to copyright infringement, even though the label didn't have the rights to sign away the rights they did when entering into a contact with one of these companies. My friend was then left to submit a copyright claim on his own music. In cases like this the third-party company isn't being challenged when making the initial claim, and my friend is left in the situation where he has to enter into discussions with the third-party and Youtube to prove he is the copyright holder.

So make sure you read the small print when it comes to these contracts and where possible retain all rights.

Interesting scenario.
Makes one wonder what the benefits are of being on a label in these times...maybe in some genres it has some weight to it? If they are having loads of contacts etc.

I have seen really fresh artists or singer-songwriters that proudly display that they've now been signed on a label and in the early beginning it looks like a win, but then the very small label and producer, wont do a thing to promote the artists or they might find another artist or band that takes their all attention.

So many artists and bands are stuck on labels that dont really serves them at all, but rather becomes their main road block.
If a great dedicated label, it can be worth it in gold, but too many are not worth cat gold. But this was a side track.

[Oquasec]

Bandcamp and jamendo are nothing like soundcloud.
Distrokid either.
---
Soundcloud is a place to share ideas and stuff or tracks with people

[EdGrip]

I can't speak from a producer side, but as a listener I regularly browse, listen and buy at Bandcamp.

I ONLY interact with SoundCloud when playing embedded audio demos on product pages etc.

Sometimes I have a Spotify subscription, sometimes not.

Not heard of the others.

[NDKay]

In Danger of beeing offtopic, but a question rose in me while reading some posts:

How do you get a feeling from which "website"( Bandcamp, SC, etc.) to "start"?

I mean it was mentioned that you should go by the website you think you would get the most fans of... or listenings.... or putting it together "the most traffic?!".

So are they some indicators like Soundcloud is best for EDM, Bandcamp is best for HipHop,RNB etc. and so on ? (just askin, not implying they are )

Or any other indicators ?


And maybe another offtopic question:

After doing some research in Releasing Music and trying to put down an "easy way" of releasing music i got irritated by the "Content-ID" things.

At first i thought i need (only) distrokid, but after some research i understand that they are "just" the publisher Distributor and NOT the Content-"bodyguards".
So i would definitely need another company to do that for me - right? or not ? .

And while distrokid uses the flatrate approach, none of the "content-companys" do that ? is it everytime like they taking a cut from the royalties ?

Do you know a good comparison article for the content companys ? You can find some articles about the publishing site, but not that much for the content-ID part.

(edit: not to spread the confusing about publisher and distributor, pls correct me if i edited it wrong)

[Benedict]

Each platform can carry any style but you will tend to find there are more people around a certain space than another.

Soundcloud is more EDM, Spotifry is Pop, Bandcamp is Indie in general but has strong niches in Metal, pure Electronic Music (Berlin School etc) and even some post-Classical/Piano.

CD Baby, Distrokid, Amuse etc are Aggregators and not places in their own right (CD baby was a place but they closed that down). You use one of those to get into Spotifry, Play Store etc.

Do your homework and see where you would go to find the music that you listen to - assuming you would listen to your music - and start there.

Understand that random finds from fans are rare so do your grass-roots promo. Which IS NOT dump & run post anywhere you lay your hat. Build relationships with people one-by-one. Avoid YouTube and building a brand/story for yourself at your peril. Nameless/faceless artists rarely do well. So calling yourself Shizzmaster 69 and never showing your face is almost always a losing strategy compared to calling yourself Neil Kay and letting us see who you are so we can relate. That still applies if you are 70 years old and uglier than Susan Boyle (Susan used for a very deliberate reason).

Also know that other musicians can be supporters, but rarely are. Most only want to shove their shizz, not build anything so hoping they will share, or otherwise support you from a post in a forum/group is naive. I wish that were otherwise but 20+ years in forums etc has taught me that whilst there are few, most will not do anything except criticize you to make themselves feel better (about their unwise choices).

If you have an Album then Bandcamp is the easiest way to start. Back that with YouTube. If only starting with a Single then YouTube. And work on that E.P./Album as that says you have something to say more than random words.

https://benedictroffmarsh.com/2018/03/0 ... d-in-them/
https://benedictroffmarsh.com/2015/07/1 ... r-digital/

[Yonatan]

Many good points here. As mentioned, not all royalties are collected by all distributors.
I read one might need a so called publisher to collect from different sources, like youtube.
Some distributors may offer this service with extra fee or included in the price.

Spotify has had a testing period with letting some artists try to upload directly onto Spotify without any distributor.

But the benefit with external distributors, is to get uploads on several streaming services, like Deezer, Tidal and asian platforms as well. We all know the artist and bands being "Big in Japan"...but getting no love from where they come from.

It is really a jungle for an independent producer/artist.

My main purpose with creating this thread was to get users to elaborate how they reason and their own experience of sharing their works and what seem to work and not work for them.

I have hitherto just shared some on SC now and then, and have an empty account on Bandcamp, but also considering any ways for payed streaming in a bit more dedicated approach.

So when SC now released their new service, it is interesting to hear some speculation from Reason users.

It probably is like when choosing a DAW, you can use several to get best part of them all, or you could stick to one that serves you the most, the one that makes you produce music.
In distribution world, it seem to be so that nr 1 is to use whatever suites your workflow.

On youtube, the so called music manager coaches, all focus on how to build a "fanbase".
If nobody interesed or cannot find your works, the distributor onto x amount of streaming platforms, wont help or do anything automatically. As said, few in todays algoritms, just accidently stumble across your music by chance. It surely can happen but then you need to be added on important playlists and to get on a playlist, you often need to already have a dedicated following.

So, the release of SC new service, made me think if that platform might be better designed to make people grow their listeners and ability to get random new listeners?

[NDKay]

I read some articles on your website benedict. Thank you for giving "your inside" about that whole Aspect of releasing! There are a ton of good points to think (and decide) about "beeing an Artist" or better said "what kind of artist" as a whole.
Also many (sad) confirmations about the industry itself.

There are some thinks i would like to "talk" about, like the "show your face and/or (use) real name" example :
I think everybody could think of an artist you dont know the name of ( even maybe you know the artists name, it isnt the one standing on "Covers" for that matter - example Lady Gaga, you can search her real name! ) or you even dont know how they look ( just thinkin of Daft Punk! ). And besides them i can think of some others as well, even some mixed up versions like using the real name, but wearing a mask.

And I am not trying to say you wrote something wrong, for me it comes down to how good and/or how authentic its made (Just think of "B-Movies" - for understanding matters. ... or confusing ones ? XD ).
From my pov youre definitely right with the - dj shizzy dizzy, or was it mc shazzly mah whazzly ? - Point ... and you are also trying to differentiate that a bit with the " your Story" Point.... but with that, even Shizzy Dizzy can be a good option, IF you have a great "Story 4 dat". Haha

I mean if you have a nickname - and by that i mean some really personal one -, that maybe describes "You" better, why not choose that one ? But of course put it in the "right context" ! ( .... just thinkin of me beeing (wanabe) Daft Punk or Deadmau5 - with a cardboard box over the head ).

Or lets go another line, maybe you have some "name" in mind "nobody" knows of, which you think describes ( or is )"You" the most ?

Again, thank you for that much information !!! Well appreciated !

---------------------------


I edited my post because yeah, im confused myself about all the bureaucracy(sh*t) that "releasing" comes with. Publishing - Distributing - Contentsaving - Marketing(sneazing:Bullsh*t, sorry i have an allergy with that) - collecting societys - "Fan Support" (iuu) - and so on.

The "benefit´s of having a distributor" like yonatan mentioned were the inital ones for me to "use" distrokid! Why go down all the "hassle" with every shop? But like above there is so(ooo) much more to think of. Adding to that ( a bit retrospective in 2020) - EVERY fan "is or can be" on youtube.

He also mentioned the intention of talking about what works and what not and putting it down here, so after getting a bit back into research and my head "turning and flippin some things" - it spit an idea(route) i would kindly ask you to tell me where i´m wrong or what i´m missing (thinkin of there is something, but no clue WHat!?) !?

0. Get yourself "Artist" Ready ! your "aka" , your Cover(-series?), your Story, your Website, your BASE !

1.Screw all that itunes and whatnot for the start , even distrokid! Cause like already told, beeing everywhere while "nobody" is "searching" you makes no sense. ( Or does it ? ) From my XP everybody is or can be on youtube - so thats the place to BE. (wait, read to the end before starting to upload! )

2. Get yourself a good contract with a "Content-Bodyguard" ( Whatever that means , here i need more information myself !!!)

3. Get connected with some ( as many as possible tbh) "Channelmakers" which post links and videos of new tracks in your genre and try to arrange with them a reposting of your videos. ( Normally that should be a win win, they getting more views and you more attention, but what do i know?)

4. Get a smooth way to sell your tracks on (or over) your website. ( and a donation Button, too? ) Yeah, thats said easier than done.

5. Get your Tracks "youtube-Ready" and put a link to your website where they can buy it ( or donate for it) in the description.

6. Hope that all the "work" you have done will lead to "something" !


... of course, when it starts to work and you have enough fans which are asking for other shops - reconsider the 1. Step. ( or even dont, cuz until "here" - it worked )


And some more information for my 2. Step would be welcome, too !

[QVprod]

I don't believe their advertised promotion is for just anyone. They can't possibly assign a marketing rep to ever Soundcloud user. But if you happen to be doing well, they'll support you. Building a fanbase will require the same effort no matter what platforms you release music on, so the idea of not releasing on Spotify and other streaming services doesn't make sense to me.

Building up on Youtube is good idea, but the average person doesn't buy music these days. only your super fans/supporters will. Most people stream. Bandcamp requires a listener to use their platform to listen to your music or separately download to a computer and transfer to their phone, the most likely listening device. If there are too many steps involved with a listener who's discovering your music, they're not going to listen. So having Bandcamp as your only option is not a good idea. Makes sense to put your music in places where those potential fans are already listening to music. This way if they find you on Youtube, they can easily then find you on their preferred music platform. Have a Bandcamp for the people who might want to buy or tip you as an additional option. Besides, as inexpensive as it is to be on streaming services, there's no excuse for not being on them.

As far as Soundcloud, it got really popular among artists initially because it was not as easy, or affordable to get on iTunes at one point. It became the defacto place to release music for independent artists because it was the only option for a lot of people. It's still a great place for artists to use for music that they don't completely own, such as with rappers or singers using beats they don't have rights to as well as DJ's recording their sets. Some big artists use it for unreleased or bonus tracks. With this new replay service, it finally makes Soundcloud lucrative (they almost went out of business), and a competitive option as an aggregator. They essentially want to function similar to a record label. Again though, every platform requires building a fanbase. Very few will randomly come across your music without any effort from you. People who are already big on Soundcloud will benefit the most from the Repost service. Otherwise, I'm not sure it's a better option for someone with no following than Distrokid. If your intent is to specifically build a Soundcloud following though, then it may be a great option.

[Benedict]

I started answering here but not only did the response get longer than ppl like to see in these places but relied on some images that didn't want to display here.

Here is my response: https://benedictroffmarsh.com/2020/06/0 ... -the-rise/