DistroKid vs SoundCloud For Artists (My Experience)

Summary

In this video, the artist shares their experience transitioning music distribution from SoundCloud for Artists to DistroKid. They explain why they switched, citing DistroKid's full royalty retention as a key factor. The artist also compares the ease of use, pricing, and additional features of both platforms, and provides a guide for transferring music between distributors. They conclude by recommending DistroKid for its 100% royalty payout and additional benefits like promotional tools.

Takeaways

• 🎶 The speaker moved their music distribution from SoundCloud for Artists to DistroKid.
• 📅 They started releasing music in 2022 and initially used SoundCloud for Artists (formerly known as The Post Network).
• 💰 SoundCloud for Artists takes a 20% cut of royalties, which prompted the speaker to explore other platforms.
• 🎧 DistroKid allows artists to keep 100% of their royalties, making it a more attractive option.
• ⚡️ The speaker found DistroKid's upload process quick and straightforward, with fast delivery to streaming platforms.
• 🎛 DistroKid offers Beatport distribution for electronic music for an extra fee, a feature the speaker uses.
• 🔄 Transferring music from SoundCloud for Artists to DistroKid was simple, but some Spotify data like playlist ads and saves were lost.
• 💡 A potential workaround is to leave old music on the previous distributor and release new music on DistroKid, though it requires paying for both services.
• 🚀 DistroKid offers additional promotional tools and customization features like multiple artist names with the Musician Plus plan.
• 📹 SoundCloud for Artists provides useful features like YouTube Content ID and custom label names without extra fees, which may appeal to some artists.

Q & A

Why did the speaker initially choose SoundCloud for Artists as their music distributor?

The speaker initially chose SoundCloud for Artists (formerly known as The Post Network) because they already had a SoundCloud account and it integrated well with streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. It was a convenient option with a flat yearly fee.

What prompted the speaker to switch from SoundCloud for Artists to DistroKid?

The speaker decided to switch after discovering that SoundCloud for Artists takes a 20% cut of the royalties, while DistroKid allows artists to keep 100% of their royalties.

How did the speaker transfer their music from SoundCloud for Artists to DistroKid?

The speaker followed a guide provided by DistroKid on transferring music from another distributor. The process took about a week, and they were able to retain the play counts on Spotify, although some tracking data like playlist adds and saves were lost.

What is one advantage of using DistroKid for electronic music producers?

One advantage is that DistroKid offers the option to distribute music to Beatport, which is particularly useful for electronic music producers. However, this service comes with an extra monthly fee.

What are the speaker's thoughts on the upload process of both SoundCloud for Artists and DistroKid?

The speaker found the upload processes for both distributors to be straightforward and simple. DistroKid's process was particularly fast, with music being delivered to stores quickly.

What are some of the key differences between SoundCloud for Artists and DistroKid mentioned by the speaker?

The main difference is the royalty split: SoundCloud for Artists takes 20%, while DistroKid allows artists to keep 100%. Additionally, SoundCloud for Artists includes YouTube Content ID distribution for free, whereas DistroKid charges extra for it.

What are some of the additional features offered by DistroKid that the speaker mentions?

DistroKid offers features like the ability to upload under multiple artist names and promotional tools to help artists promote their music. The speaker also mentions subscribing to the Musician Plus plan, which allows for unlimited uploads.

What does the speaker suggest for artists who don’t want to go through the process of switching distributors?

The speaker suggests that artists could leave their old music on their current distributor and only release new music on the new distributor. However, this would result in paying membership fees for both services.

What data did the speaker lose during the transfer of music from SoundCloud for Artists to DistroKid?

The speaker lost some tracking data during the transfer, such as playlist adds and saves on Spotify, although the overall play count remained intact.

What is the speaker’s final opinion on both SoundCloud for Artists and DistroKid?

The speaker is a fan of both distributors but prefers DistroKid moving forward because of the 100% royalty retention. They recommend doing personal research to determine which distributor is best for individual needs.