MBW’s Stats of the Week is a series in which we highlight a data point worthy of the global music industry’s attention. This week’s statistics are powered by music data analytics company Chartmetric.
Believe’s DIY distribution platform TuneCore, a well-known player in the global DIY music distribution field, revealed on Monday (June 10) that self-released artists earn more than $4 billion Since its establishment in 2006, it has been through its platform.
TuneCore’s latest payment figures come just a year and a half after the company announced (in December 2022) that it had surpassed that milestone. US$3 billion The income earned by self-publishing artists from uploading music through their platform.
This means that since December 2022, TuneCore has paid out approximately $1 billion.
According to estimates released by MIDiA Research in March, the entire “artist direct” (i.e., self-publishing artists) sector generates US$1.8 billion last year.
On average it is US$150 million According to MIDiA’s estimated numbers for the “artist direct” segment, the number generated by self-publishing artists each month in 2023.
TuneCore said its $4 billion spending figure was “boosted” by parent company Believe’s direct deals with digital service providers and streaming platforms, as well as TuneCore’s newly expanded TuneCore Publishing product and TuneCore Accelerator program.
TuneCore first began offering publishing management services in 2012 and said in April that it has since paid more than $125 million Post income to independent songwriters.
In January, TuneCore reported that more than 80,000 Independent artists participate in the TuneCore Accelerator marketing program across multiple DSPs.
“Independent artists are at the forefront of musical innovation, both as pioneers of experimentation and as trailblazers forging new paths to success in the music industry.”
Andrea Gleeson, TuneCore
Commenting on today’s news, TuneCore CEO Andreea Gleeson said: “It’s been less than a year and a half since we announced that TuneCore artists have earned over $3 billion, and our thriving community of self-published artists have already earned another $1 billion.
“Independent artists are at the forefront of musical innovation, both as pioneers of experimentation and as trailblazers forging new paths to success in the music industry.
“Whether an artist is recording and releasing their first song through TuneCore or selling in international stadiums, we are proud to provide artists with a distribution and career platform that allows them to make more money and empower them Focus on making music that moves us.
TuneCore charges artists a fixed annual fee to upload their music to DSPs such as Spotify and pays these artists 100% of the music royalties.
In addition to the new spending figures, TuneCore also revealed that 77% of new artists and labels joining the platform in 2024 will come from outside the United States.
India is one of TuneCore’s three largest markets in the world and the company’s fastest-growing emerging market.
The company quotes Delhi-based folk-electronic duo Tech Panda and Kenzani as saying they “sculpted[d] An unconventional path to success” from TuneCore.
Tech Panda and Kenzani have released over a hundred singles and achieved success on Spotify India charts.
They were appointed to record official Hindi performances by Post Malone and Swami Lee sunflower For Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Photo credit: Paul David Martin
“This moment in independent music is so important around the world.”
Kenzani
Kenzani said, “When I started making music, it was just for fun, but I gained so much appreciation from it that before I knew it, I was putting all my energy and time into the music and started pursuing it professionally.
“This journey has been rich, exciting, challenging, frustrating at times, but incredibly rewarding and absolutely life-changing. This moment in independent music is so important around the world because in Over the past five years, independent artists have made huge strides in music and they are driving the growth of our industry.
TuneCore also cited Mexican-American rapper and singer Snow Tha Product as a “hugely successful” TuneCore artist.
Over the course of her career, Snow Tha Product has been nominated for a Latin Grammy Award, an MTV VMA Award, and more, performed multiple sold-out U.S. tours, and entered the top ten of the Billboard Heatseekers Album Chart. TuneCore said Snow Tha Product has established itself as an “example of independent success.”
“Artists in the streaming age bring new and exciting challenges every day and redefine what it means to be an independent artist,” said Snow Tha Product.
“We have complete control over the art and back-end music decisions, and new technologies added to the creative process have changed the game. With streaming services, social media, and digital publishers like TuneCore, independent artists can now keep control and benefit financially from our work.
Elsewhere, TuneCore’s international artist roster also includes Mexican indie rock band Odisseo, which the platform says has “cultivated a large regional fan base and is continuing to grow and find new audiences”.
In the first quarter after launching TuneCore Accelerator, Odisseo’s overall streaming growth increased by 58%, and the number of streams of its songs magnet An increase of nearly 94.
Photo credit: Eddie Espinosa
“We are very proud to be part of this wave of independent artists, not just in Mexico or Latin America, but around the world.”
Juan Pablo Lopez and Daniel Leone, “Odisseo”
Odisseo members Juan Pablo Lopez (vocals) and Daniel Leon (guitar) said: “When we first started making money from our music, we were very excited because we had been making music for so many years. Investing, when you start, making money is like traveling to the other side and it’s like, “Now this is actually a job and I can dedicate the rest of my life to it. “
“We are very proud to be part of this wave of independent artists, not just in Mexico or Latin America, but around the world. Thanks to the times we live in now, we realize we can make a living from music through independent efforts.
“TuneCore’s commitment to supporting independent artists has always been core to its mission, and this milestone reflects those unwavering efforts.”
Lyle Cohen, YouTube
Commenting on TuneCore’s announcement, YouTube Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen said: “TuneCore’s commitment to supporting independent artists has always been at the core of its mission, and this milestone reflects those unwavering efforts.
“TuneCore has never been afraid to embrace innovation and continue to drive higher standards in our business.
“We are honored to work with them to ensure their independent artists find a global audience on YouTube. Congratulations on this incredible achievement.
“At Apple, we believe music has value and artists at every level should be paid – this belief is the backbone of everything we do and the partners we work with. We applaud Tunecore for its commitment to making this possible for so many independent artists One goal.
Oliver Shuther, Apple Music
Oliver Schusser, vice president of Apple Music and Beats, added: “At Apple, we believe music has value and artists at every level should be paid — a belief that is the backbone of everything we do, right down to our partners.
“We applaud Tunecore’s commitment to making this possible for so many independent artists.”
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