Digital distribution is one of the first things you must learn at the start of your journey into music marketing. Some people wrongly believe that it simply consists of sending music to Apple Music and Spotify—but that is not the case. Others assume that it consists of hosting your music on sites such as Youtube, Soundcloud, or Bandcamp. Both of these statements are incorrect.
In this entry we’ll explain what digital distribution is and why you should be doing it.
Digital Distribution: a Definition
What you need to know is that there’s no music career without music distribution. Before we got swept by the virtual world, this was the job of record labels. Now that anything digital is accessible, this kind of distribution has become the center of attention. Just imagine: since 2015 digital sales are more abundant than those from physical mediums. To sum it up, it is the most effective way to reach your potential fans.
Concretely speaking, digital distribution is the means by which you manage and transfer your audios in digital form into platforms that make your tunes more accessible to the public. If we follow this definition, you’ll note that people were correct in saying that digital distribution is getting your music on Apple and Spotify. Even if this is true, this is not all that this distribution is. These are only two examples.
Types of Digital Distribution
There are two main types of digital distribution: downloads and streaming. The first refers to the action of obtaining a copy of the original file; i.e. your tune. The host platform is the one that creates this copy and makes it available to the public. And these people get to own the song and forever save it in their devices. In contrast, the second is the most recent one. Just as downloading, streaming creates a copied file. However, in very simple terms, the listener does not own the file. What they do is they keep reproducing it by getting into the platform of preference.
Why Should I Care?
Remember that music distribution is the tie between your music and your audience. That factor alone is reason enough to care about distribution.
Now, digital distribution can make your journey through music marketing even easier. Modern listeners are all over digital platforms. Therefore, digital distribution is an excellent ally for the emerging artist. One great advantage, in opposition to the traditional methods of distribution (such as CDs and vinyls), is that the files take little to no space when downloaded or streamed. In short, digital distribution is the means by which more people, globally, can consume your tunes by a simple click on the screen.
