The pros and cons of releasing music on Spotify

  • Here are some of the benefits of releasing music on Spotify:
  • Wide reach. Spotify has over 406 million active users in 184 markets, making it one of the most popular music streaming platforms in the world. This means that your music has the potential to be heard by a large audience.
  • Fair royalties. Spotify pays artists royalties based on the number of streams their music receives. The average payout per stream is around $0.003, but this can vary depending on factors such as the popularity of the song and the subscription tier of the listener.
  • Promotional opportunities. Spotify offers a variety of promotional opportunities for artists, such as its editorial playlists and its "Radar" program for new artists. These opportunities can help you to get your music heard by more people.
  • Data insights. Spotify provides artists with data insights about their music, such as how many streams it has received, where it is being played, and who is listening to it. This data can be helpful for understanding your audience and making decisions about your music career.
  • Ease of use. It is relatively easy to release music on Spotify. You can do it yourself through Spotify for Artists, or you can work with a distributor.

Overall, releasing music on Spotify can be a great way to get your music heard by a large audience and to build a career as an artist.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind when releasing music on Spotify:

  • Promote your music. Don't just release your music and hope for the best. You need to promote it on social media, your website, and other channels.
  • Get your music on playlists. Getting your music on Spotify playlists is a great way to get it heard by more people. You can submit your music to Spotify's editorial playlists, or you can create your own playlists and promote them.
  • Be patient. It takes time to build a following on Spotify. Don't expect to become an overnight success. Just keep releasing good music and promoting it, and eventually you will start to see results.

Here are some of the disadvantages of releasing music on Spotify:

  • Low payout per stream. As mentioned earlier, the average payout per stream on Spotify is around $0.003. This means that you would need to get a lot of streams in order to make a significant amount of money.
  • Competition. There is a lot of competition on Spotify. There are millions of songs on the platform, and it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd.
  • Royalties are not paid immediately. Spotify pays artists royalties quarterly, which means that you will not receive payment for your streams until 3 months after they have occurred.
  • Spotify can remove your music at any time. Spotify has the right to remove your music from its platform at any time, for any reason. This means that you could lose access to your audience and your earnings if Spotify decides to remove your music.

Overall, the decision of whether or not to release music on Spotify is a personal one. There are both advantages and disadvantages to consider. If you are serious about building a career as an artist, then releasing music on Spotify can be a good way to get your music heard by a large audience. However, you should be aware of the low payout per stream and the high level of competition before you make a decision.

Here are some tips for maximizing your chances of success on Spotify:

  • Release high-quality music. This is the most important factor in getting your music heard on Spotify. Make sure your songs are well-produced and sonically appealing.
  • Promote your music. Don't just release your music and hope for the best. You need to promote it on social media, your website, and other channels.
  • Get your music on playlists. Getting your music on Spotify playlists is a great way to get it heard by more people. You can submit your music to Spotify's editorial playlists, or you can create your own playlists and promote them.
  • Be patient. It takes time to build a following on Spotify. Don't expect to become an overnight success. Just keep releasing good music and promoting it, and eventually you will start to see results.

Leave a comment