A good place to get started is our Beginner’s Guide to Threads for Musicians.

The Twitter/X competitor launched in July 2023, reached 150 million users in April 2024, then 175 million in July before adding 50 million more active users in July alone. By comparison, Twitter/X had more than 600 million monthly users in May, according to owner Elon Musk, but that number seems to be declining.

After a mixed launch, Threads tools for creators are improving.

“Since launch, we’ve been consistently evolving Threads to address the biggest pain points people face, working to get you relevant posts in real-time and empower you to share your best content,” Meta said in a blog post.

What’s new

• new Threads web features include analytics (“insights)
• multiple drafts
• scheduling functions to make it easier to plan content and connect with new and existing audiences

Insight and Drafts are already rolling out, and scheduling is in the testing phase. All features will be available first on the Threads web platform.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.

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Indie Artist’s Guide to Grammy Nominations

by Randi Zimmerman of Symphonic Blog

As you watch the GRAMMYs each year, it seems as though the only people who win are always the Kanye’s and Beyoncé’s of the industry. What you may not know is that there are tons of other winners not shown on tv, most of which are talented independent artists who have been working just as hard as you are now. If you’re a talented musician, it’s not as hard as you think to get nominated for a GRAMMY, and it certainly is possible to win as an independent artist. Want to get yourself on the list on nominees? The Online Entry Process (OEP) for the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards starts on July 17th! Here’s how to get involved…

How To Get Nominated For The 2025 GRAMMYs as an Artist

Being able to flex your GRAMMY win is not only a personal flex, but a major win in the eyes of this competitive industry we call home. Adding this accomplishment to future press releases, EPK’s, and more is a huge selling point that can definitely secure yourself more interest in your work as you move through your career than you would without. — Even now, when the mainstream isn’t always so mainstream and the landscape of this business is continuously changing, the legitimacy and prestige of a GRAMMY will always be impressive.

To be eligible for submission, your release must meet these requirements:

• Release Date // You can now submit recordings released from Sept. 16, 2023 – Aug. 30, 2024 for GRAMMY consideration.
• Length // To be considered for album submission, a recording must contain at least five different trackswith a total playing time of 15 minutes, or a total playing time of 30 minutes with no minimum track amount. Singles have no such requirements.
• Format // A submitted recording must be available for sale either in physical “brick and mortar” stores or online via digital download, or via a recognized streaming platform. A recording must meet the industry minimum standard 16-bit, 44.1 kHz rates. Each submitted song must have proper metadata credits (songwriters, producers, etc.) and International Standard Recording Codes (ISRCs) for each track.
• Original Material // Starting with the 2023 GRAMMYs, an album must contain greater than 75 percent of newly recorded (within five years of the release date), recordings that have not been released prior. Currently the rule is 50 percent.

Are other credited personnel also eligible?

Yes!

For the 2025 GRAMMY ceremony and all ceremonies in the future, all credited artists (including featured artists), songwriters of new material, producers, recording engineers, mixers and mastering engineers are eligible to be nominated and win, at least in the Album Of The Year category. — Previously, all artists, songwriters, producers, recording engineers, mixers and mastering engineers were required to be credited with at least 33 percent or more of playing time. Now they’re eligible as long as they’re credited.

How are entries submitted for the GRAMMYs?

To be submitted for GRAMMY consideration, a recording must be entered by members of the Recording Academy who are either Professional or Voting members. How it works is each member of the Academy has an account on the GRAMMY website they can log in to and submit entries during the submission periods.

——

How does the GRAMMY voting process work?

The GRAMMY voting process consists of two rounds:

ROUND ONE // The Voting Members vote on the entries they believe should receive a nomination in their respective categories. Each specific category only has five slots, which is why even being nominated for a Grammy is a major accomplishment. The nominees have already been selected from a field of dozens of submissions in each category.

FINAL ROUND // Once the nominees in each category are set, the final voting round begins. The Voting Members vote on the nominee in each of their eligible voting categories they believe should win the GRAMMY. The nominee with the most votes wins the award. On the night of the ceremony, the awards for the categories with broader popular appeal are televised. This includes Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Best New Artist and many of the big awards in the more popular genres like pop and hip-hop. — Many more awards are not shown on TV, which tend to be the more niche in which categories many indie artists create.

What about the Latin GRAMMYs?

The Latin GRAMMYs are literally the Latin version of our GRAMMYs, so the voting process is the same but with members of the Latin Recording Academy submitting entries, placing those entries into categories, and voting in a nomination round and a final round to award a GRAMMY-winner.

“…but what’re the odds I ACTUALLY get nominated?”

It’s a HUGE and very common misconception that the GRAMMYs are saved for only the biggest household names in the game. With hundreds of categories up for grabs, indies grace the nominee list every year.

Here at Symphonic, we’ve had a couple artists among us get nominated, even win. For example, Catherine Russell was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal in 2019. Stewart Copeland & Ricky Kej’s “Divine Tides” just won a Grammy award for Best New Age Album. Steel Pulse has been nominated 9 times and won Best Reggae Recording for Babylon The Bandit.

In Conclusion…

You have nothing to lose from shooting your shot. Independent artists get nominated and WIN GRAMMYs every year. If you’re working hard every day to improve your craft, put out great music, and consistently shape your artistry, your work deserves to be recognized at the highest level. At the end of the day, whether you win awards or not doesn’t define the quality of your work, but boy does it feel good…

This year, you can submit recordings released from September 16, 2023 – August 30, 2024, for 2025 GRAMMY consideration. Remember, as a member of the Recording Academy, you have the distinct privilege of honoring the best of the best in music this year.

• To do so, log in to your Recording Academy Member account and find the OEP link on your dashboard.

Once logged in, you will be able to access helpful resources including the 67th Category Description and Quick Reference Guide, Basic GRAMMY Guidelines and Definitions, OEP Timetable, as well as Entering Tips that further explain how to successfully make your entries. In the meantime, here are some important dates to keep in mind for GRAMMY consideration:

• Product Eligibility Period: September 16, 2023 – August 30, 2024
• Media Company Registration: July 8, 2024 – August 23, 2024
• Online Entry Period: July 17, 2024 – August 30, 2024
• First Round Voting: October 4, 2024 – October 15, 2024
• 67th GRAMMY Awards Nominations Announcement: November 8, 2024
• Final Round Voting: December 12, 2024 – January 3, 2025
• 67th GRAMMY Awards telecast: February 2, 2025

Good luck!

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New Twitch DJ Program: Everything You Need To Know

by Randi Zimmerman of Symphonic Blog

DJ’s have historically faced significant challenges with streaming online, but Twitch is looking to change that. To do so, they’ve just launched the new Twitch DJ Program. Alongside many other benefits, they’re looking to provide a long-term home for DJs to legally livestream using the vast majority of popular music online. In this post, we’ll give you everything you need to know.

About The New Twitch DJ Program

For years, DJ’s have faced many challenges with live streaming music online. Because of the complex nature of content like this, DJs are often at risk of muted streams, blocked content and takedowns across most services, including on Twitch. To change this, Twitch has partnered with some of the biggest major labels in the game like Sony, Universal and Warner, plus hundreds independent labels to give DJ’s the ability to finally promote and monetize their creativity while compensating musicians who make the music they stream.

By joining this program, you’ll gain access to a catalog of tens of millions of tracks covering the majority of popular music. Plus, you’ll also be eligible for new promotional opportunities through Twitch.

Benefits

1. The Rights to Stream: Stream the vast majority of popular music, in partnership with all the major labels and hundreds of indie labels.
2. Discovery & Promotion: For the first time ever, participating DJs will be eligible for discovery and promotional opportunities across Twitch, including a new DJ Category. DJ badge displays across multiple surfaces around the community.
3. Support from Twitch: First-year subsidies help cover the earnings share difference, a dedicated streamer group to integrate DJs deeper into the Twitch community, and discounts and opportunities with 3rd party partners.

How does it work?

DJs who opt-in will be able to livestream the vast majority of popular music without risk of takedowns, and will qualify for new opportunities on Twitch that they haven’t been able to offer before. With this program, users can access a searchable catalog constantly updated with new releases, which means you’ll be able to view the millions of tracks that are covered to stream as a part of this program as a part of Twitch’s deals with music rights holders. (To view the full catalog of music the program allows you to stream, click here.)

For the first time in Twitch history, they’ll be launching and promoting an official DJ category so Twitch viewers can browse and discover DJs and their communities. (Category launches August 8th, and runs the entire week! Don’t miss it!) In addition, they’ll be launching on-going promotional programs designed to elevate and showcase the diversity of talented DJs across the service which will be announced soon.

How Are The Earnings Split? 

On the official website, they explain they “set aside a portion of earnings generated by your channel to be paid to musicians via the music companies that represent them. These costs will vary across different monetization products. For most streamers, Twitch will be splitting these costs 50/50 with you. While we are prohibited from sharing the exact rates upfront, our subsidy program will make sure that these costs come in gradually over time as we invest more in promoting DJs and attempt to grow overall viewership in this category.”

In Conclusion…

It’s important to note that this program does not support the saving of VODs, Clips, or Highlights., as these require different rights than live streams. To see additional details about the program like what you can and cannot do, check out the full announcement right here. In the meantime, happy streaming! This is big news for DJs on Twitch, and we’re excited to see all the content you guys create with these new features.

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SoundCloud currently hosts 400 million tracks – about 4X more than Spotify and Apple Music – from 40 million artists.

“SoundCloud knows that streaming isn’t enough – for artists or fans,” the platform said in a statement. “We also know the power of fandom, which is why we’re constantly working on improving how artists and fans connect and share through music.”

SoundCloud confirmed to Hypebot that artist merch is “print on demand” and hosted only in the SoundCloud Store, with no upfront costs to artists. The store also offers the Essentials Collection of SoundCloud-branded merchandise.

Wiz Khalifa

SoundCloud Store launches

The SoundCloud Store launches with exclusive merchandise from Wiz Khalifa (above), Denzel Curry, Wolfacejoeyy, Bktherula, and Armani White, and is available in the United States, EU, and Canada.

Subscribing SoundCloud Next Pro Artists can join a waitlist here to participate if they own 100% of their merchandise rights.

Once selected, here’s how it works:

•     Send us your designs
•    We’ll create mock-ups for you
• ‍   We’ll manufacture and sell your merch on the SoundCloud Store
•   We’ll notify your fans
•   We’ll engage with your posts across SoundCloud’s socials
•  You get paid for your merch sales

SoundCloud says they will be opening up the store to more artists and in additional territories.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.

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SXSW 2025 panels worth voting for

Below are the panel titles, descriptions, and links to the SXSW 2025 panels worth voting for from Bandsintown, Rock Paper Scissors, The Orchard, and more.

Fabrice Sergent, the co-founder and managing partner of Bandsintown, is a panelist in two of this year’s top SXSW submissions: one from the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and the other via Artist For Artists.

Small Stages, Big Impact: Saving Indie Stages for Artists

This panel will explore the challenges faced by independent stages and the essential role they play in nurturing new artists and fostering vibrant communities. Hear from industry experts and artists who have first-hand knowledge of supporting these stages. Discover how a national program, Live Independent, is working to elevate cultural havens and ensure a thriving future for live music.

In a world where corporate dominance threatens the diversity of live music, these intimate spaces are crucial for emerging talent to hone their craft and connect with audiences.

Panelists

• Stephen Parker, Executive Director, National Independent Venue Association (NIVA)
• Andre Perry, Board President of NIVA and Executive Director of the Hancher Auditorium and the Office of Performing Arts and Engagement, University of Iowa, National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and University of Iowa
• Fabrice Sergent, Managing Director, Bandsintown
• Kiely Mosiman, Music Agent, Wasserman

The Future of Live Music Experiences

We will go past the surface on groundbreaking changes shaping the future of live music. Industry leaders, tech innovators and prominent artists will discuss the evolving landscape...from the rise of virtual and augmented reality concerts to the integration of AI-driven productions and developments in audience engagement/accessibility. The discussion will cover the sustainability and logistical challenges of these emerging formats, aiming to provide a comprehensive outlook on our industry.

Panelists

• Matthew Reich, Co-Founder, Artist For Artist
• Fabrice Sergent, Managing Partner, Bandsintown
• Mark Barden, Co-Founder/CEO, Sandy Hook Promise
• Jabari Johnson, Founder/CEO, COLORS Worldwide

From The Orchard

The Future Of Hip-Hop Is Global 

This will address the massive influence that Hip-hop has across the global music industry. Hear from label owners, A&R executives, and more on how they are discovering and developing the next generation of Hip-hop artists. Learn about the global fanbase of hip-hop and the way the genre is adapting, influencing a new era of artists, and reaching new audiences beyond the US.

Peek-A-Boo: Children’s Music Is Hiding In Plain Sight

Talk about fans… no fans are quite as dedicated to their favorite musical artists as kids. This session will discuss the nuance of children’s music, the advantages of investing in Children’s music, and the many ways we can learn from this fandom and apply a similar strategy across a variety of independent music genres.

From Rock Paper Scissors

A New Age of Independence: Modernized Artist Services

The steady growth of the DIY and independent side of the recorded music market, with indies having accounted for a groundbreaking 50% of the total revenue generated in 2023 on Spotify, calls for a discussion of what models and services are available to this group of artists.

This session will focus on the emergence of alternative models for independent and DIY artists, who have a diverse range of ideas about what success looks like. The panelists are industry experts who have an intimate knowledge of these ideas and how new models can productively respond to independent artists’ needs.

Artists in Games – What Works?

Gaming has 3.5B global players and intense loyalty and fandom. Can music artists break in games? Can artists develop new fans? Do these fans engage outside of the game? What does in-game monetization look like for artists beyond the sync license — virtual merch, emotes, and? We are entering an era of creativity and convergence of tech around music experiences, games, and virtual worlds. We need an equal amount of innovation in how artists and gaming engage fans together, and build successful practices to all artists. Join us and learn from key players who are deep in music and gaming.

Scrubbing the System: Music Data Management Today

In today’s music industry, data is king. It must be accurate, updated and consistent. Historically, data management has been another way the industry favors recorded music over publishing, with DSPs relying on labels to submit backend data. To protect all parties involved and ensure accurate compensation, we must foster open dialogue addressing our data management challenges. We will discuss how to treat data meticulously, hold rights holders accountable, and set responsibilities that achieve results for all. We plan for a music business journalist to moderate, and speakers from a DSP & label.

Music Tech Meetup – RPS (Jade)

Music Tech Meetup where we bring together innovative minds in music and technology for a roundtable. Let’s share why we got into the space, B2B tips on how to succeed in making partnerships, and discuss how to attract great talent to your company.

Forge New Connections: Reimagining Artist Management in a Fragmented World

The media landscape is fractured, audiences are diverse. How can artists adapt and forge lasting connections? Join Ross Michaels from Park Ave Artists, the forward-thinking agency redefining artist careers, and GRAMMY-nominated artist/producer Alissia (known for her work with Mary J. Blige, Bruno Mars, and more) for a fireside chat exploring innovative artist management strategies. Learn how to create space for artists beyond traditional channels, build engaged fanbases, and leverage technology & unexpected partnerships to forge unforgettable connections with audiences.

Rethinking the Tune: Ethical Compensation Models for the AI-Powered Music Industry

The music industry is undergoing a sonic revolution. AI is rapidly transforming music creation, distribution, and consumption. While exciting, this shift raises a crucial question: how can we ensure artists are ethically compensated in this evolving landscape?Join the Head of Audio for Kits.AI, Kyle Billings, for a thought-provoking presentation that will explore ethical AI-based compensation models for artists in the music industry. Delve into the current challenges and discover innovative solutions that empower artists and ensure they are fairly rewarded for their creativity.

From Local to Global: Navigating Emerging Markets

Audiomack Co-Founder and CMO David Ponte will sit down with a global artist TBD to discuss the ins and outs of breaking as a global musician. The wide-ranging discussion will be a mixture of personal anecdotes and actionable tips for musicians from smaller market areas or countries looking to find their audience – and their true fans – no matter where in the world they reside.

How to make your tech work for you and your music career 

For indie artists, tech and its trends can feel like an overwhelming headwind, forcing musicians into panic mode or the fetal position. Yet technology can be mastered, and the more you know, the better you can use these tools to your advantage. To do this, artists need to think like a Chief Technical Officer (CTO).

Audiosalad CEO Iain Catling will show musicians how they can embrace the role of CTO in their careers, taking charge of their tech stack just as they do the tools used to create their art. Young labels will also learn how best to support their emerging artists.

The Future of Monetization in Music (Is Not Streaming)

For too long creators have wrongly assumed that their best avenue for sustainable monetization is through streaming royalties. That couldn’t be more wrong.

Our panel of experts will explore the vast opportunities creators have to monetize their work outside of uploading to DSPs and waiting for meager royalty returns. There is an entire ecosystem of monetization possibilities before the distribution phase, a fact that is often overlooked and underused.

Attendees will leave equipped with practical insights to transform their approach to monetization through new forms of creation and collaboration.

Share your Story: Why I got into Music Tech 

Take a breath from the panels and meetings to connect with people who share your passion! Join veterans and newbies from all walks of the industry as they journey through their story of working at the convergence of Music and Tech. Hear what trials and tribulations peers faced to get to where they are and how far the industry has come. Meet and connect with potential partners, co-founders, investors, and advisors who will help you take your business to the next level all in a supportive and facilitated environment.

Harnessing the Healing Power of Music in Modern Medicine

Discover the transformative role of music in contemporary healthcare at this enlightening panel. With advancements in streaming technology and AI, accessing therapeutic music has never been easier, offering personalized recommendations and curated playlists tailored to individual preferences and needs.

Join leading experts who are pioneering the integration of music into medical practice. They will share real-world applications and explore the future of music as a vital component of healthcare, enhancing mental well-being, pain management, and overall quality of life.

Navigating the Digital Soundscape: Safeguarding Gen Alpha’s Music Journey

As Gen Alpha dives into the digital world, their interaction with music is evolving faster than ever before.

Our panel explores the dynamics of music consumption among young people, examining the impact of current safety measures such as age-gating on their access to music.

Are these safeguards inadvertently restricting their musical exploration and creativity?

We delve into how children are discovering, purchasing, and interacting with music amidst stringent online safety protocols.

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“Facebook jail’ refers to having the ability to post and interact limited or locked following a violation. Last year, Facebook added more warnings before penalties and now, it is possible to remove these warnings.

Facebook warning removal

When a creator inadvertently or deliberately violates Facebook and Meta’s Community Standards for the first time, they will be offered the chance to complete in-app educational training about the policy they violated.

Upon completion, the warning will be removed from their record, and they can repeat the process if they avoid another violation for a year.

However, if they violate a policy again within the year, they will receive another warning, which will no longer be removable. If repeated, it could lead to a downgrading of the account and, eventually, a permanent lockout.

This week, Facebook warning removal became available to creators using Professional Mode. It will be rolled out broadly in the coming months.

Learn more about Facebook Warning removal here.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.

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According to a post on Instagram‘s creators account, the combined measurement will roll out in the coming weeks.

Views are the primary metric for Instagram content

“Historically, we’ve shown different metrics for Reels vs. other posts, but we want to evolve this so it’s easier to understand how your content is doing regardless of the format,” according to Instagram chief Adam Mosseri. As he explains in this video, Views are different than Reach because the same person can view the same content multiple times.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.

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How Generative AI Music startups are redefining the Creative Process

by Daigo Kusunoki, Founder and CEO of SOUNDRAW

Generative AI music companies are transforming the creative industry by seamlessly integrating advanced technology into entertainment platforms and visual design software, delivering time-saving, streamlined, and enhanced creative processes.

Streamlining Music Creation Within Creative Suites

By allowing users to generate tracks directly within their creative suites, Gen-AI music companies drastically reduce the time required to create custom music. This seamless integration means that creators no longer need to switch between different applications or search for external music sources. Instead, they can compose, edit, and fine-tune tracks within the same environment where they are designing visuals or editing videos. This efficiency boost allows for a more cohesive and fluid creative process, enabling artists to focus on their core work without unnecessary interruptions.

Expanding Access to Royalty-Free AI Music

Gen-AI music companies democratize music production by providing access to high-quality, royalty-free AI-generated music. This accessibility ensures that creators of all skill levels can produce professional-grade tracks without the need for extensive musical training or expensive software. The availability of fine-tuned, royalty-free music simplifies the legal and financial hang-ups of using catalog music in projects. Sync licensing is tricky and the process of obtaining permissions from the rightsholders and the proper licenses can be a long one.

Solving the Problem of Oversaturated Music Catalogs

Any creator who has added music to a project has probably found themselves sifting through thousands of tracks in a purgatory of oversaturated catalogs. With built-in production software, this issue is effectively resolved. Gen-AI music tools can generate custom tracks tailored to the specific needs and moods of a project, eliminating the need to browse through endless options. This personalization ensures a perfect match for the project’s requirements and tone, enhancing the overall quality and impact of the final product.

Bypassing the Need for Pre-Licensed Music

Traditionally, entertainment and visual design companies have had to pre-license music for their users, adding an extra layer of complexity to the creative process. Artist-centric Gen-AI music companies with musicians on staff offer a solution by using ethically trained AI models to generate music on demand. This approach negates the need for pre-licensing and clearance, streamlining the workflow for both creators and companies. The result is a more efficient and flexible system where music can be created and used without legal or logistical hurdles.

Enhancing Game Development with Generative AI

The integration of generative AI into game development software takes audio design to a whole new level. Creating dynamic scores for in-game events, generating sound effects, and enhancing the overall realism of virtual worlds can be a languishing, time-consuming process. Built-in AI capabilities allow game designers to automatically produce high-quality audio content, adapting in real-time to gameplay scenarios. This not only accelerates the development process but also ensures that the audio experience is immersive and engaging, enhancing the player’s overall experience.

Generative AI companies are doing more than just enhancing the current creative landscape; they are fundamentally transforming it. By integrating cutting-edge AI into entertainment platforms and visual design software, these companies push the boundaries of efficiency, flexibility, and creative output by users. The ability to generate custom tracks on demand and streamline entire creative workflows in one platform empowers artists to spend more time on the complex, human elements of their projects. As this technology continues to evolve, we can anticipate more innovative applications and integrations that further democratize high-quality content creation across all mediums.

About Daigo Kusunoki

Daigo is Founder and CEO of SOUNDRAW, a Tokyo-based AI-music generator for content creators and artists. With a passion for music ignited during his student years, Daigo clinched national dance championship titles twice. Post-graduation, his love for music and movement propelled him into the tech world as an entrepreneur and innovator. In 2016, he created the wearable musical device, SoundMoovz, which became an immediate hit and sold more that 400,000 units across 17 countries in just under 18 months.

After his success with music and wearable tech, Daigo turned his sights on artificial intelligence and founded his next venture, SOUNDRAW Inc.—an AI music generation and composition service. Daigo’s passion for music and craft is the driving force behind SOUNDRAW as he looks to bring the power of music to the creator community around the world and support emerging artists with tools to help them unleash their musical potential.

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(Hypebot) — Unlock the secrets to boosting your streams with this Musician’s Guide To Spotify Countdown Pages. Learn how this powerful tool can amplify your music release strategy and keep your fans engaged.

Musician’s Guide To Spotify Countdown Pages

by Chris Robley of Reverbnation Blog

Spotify has added something pretty huge to your music promo toolkit.

They’re going big with Countdown Pages, which Spotify describes as “your ultimate pre-release destination.” 

Here are the most important things you should know:

 

To help you build hype for an upcoming release, Spotify has combined the following features on one page:

• Pre-saves
• A preview of the tracklist
• A timer counting down to launch
• Clips to give fans a closer look
• Merch offers
• Fan notifications when your music goes live

In Spotify’s words, this tool will “close the gap between where music is teased and where it’s actually streamed.”

Simplifying the waterfall release

One of the most interesting aspects of Countdown Pages is… they’re dynamic.

So Countdown Pages streamline the distribution mechanics of a waterfall release, which is where you once had to “grow” an album over time by first releasing a single, then a new single bundled with the older song, then a third single along with the previous two tracks, and so forth.

It’s not rocket science, but managing waterfall releases in that manner was one extra stress during a season where you really should save your mental space and time for effective music promotion. Not busy-work.

Now you can drop new singles, merch items, and Clips over a longer duration and use the same destination — the Countdown Page — to boost engagement and pre-saves.

No more 3rd-party pre-saves?

Countdown Pages bring together many elements of Spotify’s on-platform promo in a more coordinated way. But they also could eliminate the need for artists to use 3rd-party pre-save tools and smartlinks?

I say “could” because you may have a large segment of fans who prefer different music platforms to Spotify, and you don’t want to ostracize them from your release promo just because Spotify made your life simpler on their platform.

But as much as I warn musicians that “your fans aren’t ALL on Spotify,” let’s be realistic: I know a huge percentage of you are STILL only gonna post links to Spotify.

So fine. If you’re that kinda artist, by all means, just use Spotify’s Countdown Page and forget about smartlinks and pre-saves.

Except if you have a small fanbase. Or when you’re launching a single. Or when doing a “split right” collaborative release.

Because…

Who is eligible to use Countdown Pages?

Countdown Pages are only available for albums released under one artist name. Spotify said they’d like to expand beyond that in the future. But currently you can only use Countdown Pages if you have:

• more than 5k monthly listeners (based on 28-day streaming history)
• an upcoming album
• distributed that music to Spotify with a future release date

HERE’S HOW TO CHECK IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE:

1. Log into Spotify for Artists
2. Go to Audience then Segments
3. Click Active audience to see how many active listeners you have

What kind of artists should use Spotify’s Countdown Pages?

The case to use Countdown Pages is pretty strong.

Spotify claims that on average, nearly 70% of listeners who used the on-platform pre-save option went on to stream the album in its first week.

AND EARLY TESTIMONIALS SHOW HOW EFFECTIVE COUNTDOWN PAGES CAN BE:

Countdown Pages generated 6X more pre-saves than our off-platform buy link for several artists on our roster. The tool has been instrumental in helping to reach our chart goals.

—Emily Puterbaugh – GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF STREAMING & DIGITAL SALES, SECRETLY GROUP

Keep in mind though, these stats often apply to spotlight artists and prestige labels who get to test-drive the tools before a massive rollout. But it’s also true that platforms often reward creators who adopt new features. Because increasing your visibility builds awareness for their tools too.

SO MY SIMPLE RECOMMENDATION IS:

If you meet the minimum listener criteria, use Countdown Pages! 

Even if you’re a debut artist. If nothing else, it’ll help you organize your promo materials, motivate you to create vertical video content that supports the release, and keep you on schedule.

And if you do already have 5k+ monthly listeners, a Countdown Page might be just the thing to reach them again where they already are (on Spotify!), get them excited, and create an easy pathway for them to return to your album once it’s live.

How to make the most of your Spotify launch with Countdown Pages

First, obviously, you’ll need to create a Countdown Page.

Then there are some additional steps you should take to get the most from your Spotify Countdown Page prior to your release date.

THESE INCLUDE:

• Pitch your upcoming music to Spotify’s editorial team
• Set aside a day or two to batch-record a bunch of vertical video for Clips
• Create Canvas video for each track
• Add new merch items
• Pin your Countdown Page to the top of your profile using Artist’s Pick

For more info and inspiration, check out these Countdown Pages examples!

 

The post Musician’s Guide to Spotify Countdown Pages appeared first on CelebrityAccess.

by Randi Zimmerman of Symphonic Blog

Whether or not you’re eligible to collect publishing royalties is an important topic many artists overlook until it’s too late. Not collecting these royalties can have a major effect on not only your revenue, but also your professional growth and credibility as an artist. In this post, we’ll give you everything you need to know about who is and isn’t eligible to collect publishing royalties and why it’s crucial to know.

Here’s the rundown…

Publishing royalties are earned whenever a song is played on the radio, streamed online, performed live, used in a TV show, movie, commercial, or sold as a physical or digital copy. These ensure that the proper creators are compensated for their work and creative contributions, and are typically collected and distributed by Collective Management Organizations (CMOs) such as performing rights organizations (PROs) like ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, or mechanical collectives such as the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC).

Publishing royalties are primarily reserved for the songwriters and their publishers who have legal ownership of the composition. Not being eligible to collect publishing royalties affects your income, getting proper recognition for your work, control over how your work is used, investment opportunities and more.

That’s why it’s so important to understand whether or not you are eligible to collect these royalties or not, ensuring the right person gets credit, rights, and proper payment for their efforts.

Who is not eligible to collect publishing royalties?

1. Session Musicians and Producers // Unless they have a co-writing credit, session musicians and producers who perform or contribute to the recording of a song do not earn publishing royalties. Their compensation typically comes in the form of upfront fees or producer points (a percentage of revenue from the recording), but not from publishing royalties.
2. Performers of Cover Songs // Artists who perform and record cover versions of existing songs do not receive publishing royalties from those recordings. The original songwriters and publishers retain the rights to the publishing royalties, while the cover artist may earn royalties from their specific recording.
3. Labels and Distributors // Record labels and music distributors, while they may earn royalties from sales, streaming, and other revenue streams related to recordings, do not collect publishing royalties unless they have a specific publishing arm or agreements that include songwriting credits.
4. Non-Writing Band Members // In a band, only the members who contribute to the songwriting process are eligible to collect publishing royalties. Band members who do not have a hand in writing the songs will not receive a share of the publishing income.
5. Music Supervisors and Managers // While these professionals play crucial roles in the promotion and placement of music, they do not collect publishing royalties unless they have specific agreements that include songwriting or publishing shares.

To wrap things up…

Please keep in mind that publishing royalties are generated by the use of the underlying musical composition, not the sound recording. Unless someone contributed or purchased the rights to the composition, then they do not have the right to collect publishing royalties.

The post Are You Eligible To Collect Music Publishing Royalties? appeared first on CelebrityAccess.