How to Get Your Music on Spotify (And Why You Should!)

When it comes to streaming services, there are plenty of options these days. There’s no shortage of users and subscribers on these platforms — according to Statista, 71% of internet users listen to music online on a monthly basis. That’s why your music career needs a plan for getting your songs in front of as many of these people as possible.

Spotify is one of the best streaming services for musicians with an independent music career because it has so many users. It’s the go-to source for new music discovery for millions of people. But how do you get your songs onto Spotify? It’s easier than you'd think. Here are some helpful tips on how to get your music on Spotify, along with other similar platforms.

What is Spotify?

Spotify is a music streaming service that lets you listen to music and podcasts for free, or on a paid subscription. There are plenty of ways to get your music on the platform - from uploading your music to using a distributor or partnering with one of their record label partners.

For musicians, one of the best parts about Spotify is that you can earn money with your music on their platform. But it’s important to understand how the process works, how long it takes, and how you can get your music on the platform as quickly as possible.

Why Is Getting Music on Spotify Important?

Spotify is one of the best ways to get your music out to the masses. The platform hosts over 100 million users and generates billions of dollars in revenue every year. By getting your music on Spotify, you’re not only reaching new listeners, but you’re building your brand and increasing awareness of your music. If you don’t you’re missing a huge opportunity for exposure. For any artist, succeeding on Spotify can mean the difference between having a successful music career and being able to quit your job to focus on music full-time, or being another musician who didn’t have the right tools to succeed.

3 Simple Steps to Get Your Music on Spotify

1) Choose a music distributor 

Distributors are companies that help artists get their music on streaming services like Spotify. Distributors also help artists get their music to other streaming services, like Apple Music and Google Play. They can be expensive, so it’s important to do your research before you sign up.

Some of the best distributors are Symphonic, Distrokid, Landr, and CDBaby. There are many though, with pros and cons to each. This is a great article to help you choose the best one for you.

2) Prepare your audio files and artwork

Once you have signed up, you can begin uploading songs. Some distributors have specific requirements for digital music files. It is important to upload the highest quality, lossless file/s of your music, regardless of the distribution. They’ll make this easy, though. Just follow their prompts and recommendations during the upload.

As for your cover art, it must meet certain specifications to conform with Spotify's and the distributor’s standards. Abiding by them will prevent a delay in the release of your music. Usually, your art should be of high quality, in a 1:1 aspect ratio, or a perfect square (like a record cover or CD case), but you should also carefully examine your distributor's guidelines to ensure that everything is in order.

If you don’t know where to start, Canva has some great album art templates. You can also pay someone to do it for you on Fiverr.

3) Clean up your Metadata

Your distributor will ask you a number of questions about your music. It's fortunate that these fields are simple to fill out.

The first thing is naming your song(s) — you’ll need to include the names of each track on an EP or album if you’re distributing a single tracks on Spotify. When you distribute multiple tracks, you’ll have an EP or album rather than a single track. Take care not to mistake the terms EP, album, and single.

Some distributions will inquire if the track is an instrumental version, a live version, or a studio version, as well as whether it is an original, a remix, or a cover. If your song contains explicit lyrics, you must state that as well. You must also inform them of featured artists and other contributors to the track, as well as its recording date, if it differs from its release date. When selecting your music's style or genre from a list provided by the distribution, be prepared to invest a bit of time if your music is of an unusual variety. The categorization supported by each distribution is diverse, so you’ll want to make sure you make the correct genre choice.

In order to identify and connect royalties to your track, you must add an ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) if the track/s has/have previously been released. Distributors will often handle this for you. And you can see all of this data in your Spotify for Artists account.

How Long Does It Take To Get Music on Spotify?

This will vary by distributor, but in general, it takes 2-5 business days. Check out what RouteNote, Tunecore, and Distrokid, and have to say about this.

Given the wait time, it’s good to get ahead of the curve with your releases. We recommend having your song uploaded to your distributor at least two weeks in advance of wanting to release it. The peace of mind is worth it.

After Your Music Is on Spotify, Promote It With Influencers

Getting your music on Spotify is an important step, but it’s not enough on its own. You need to promote your music and drive traffic to your profile so that Spotify’s algorithm can find you and feature you to a larger audience.

The best way to do this is by partnering with influencers. Using a platform like SpaceLoud, you can find relevant influencers who have large followings and work with them to promote your songs. TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat influencers are best for this, and SpaceLoud has thousands of them.

Leveraging this marketing strategy will drive new listeners to your music on Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, or whatever service you choose. The extra push can dramatically increase the number of plays your music gets, and can also help you earn a higher royalty rate. Music promotion is a crucial part of every successful release, it’s worth doing it right.

Level Up Your Career With Spotify

Getting your music on Spotify is a great way to make sure that the whole world has access to your music. For all artists, getting on Spotify is essential to growing your fan base, getting discovered, and making money off of your music.

While uploading music to Spotify is easy, that’s just the beginning. Music promotion is essential to growing your following and career. You’ll need a strong strategy for long-term success.

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