Are you an up-and-coming musician? If so, you're probably on the lookout for the best platforms and tools to help market and grow your music. Luckily, there are a number of great resources available to help you get started!
In this post, we'll take a look at some of the top music marketing tools and platforms available to independent artists today. So whether you're just starting out or you're looking for new ways to promote your music, read on for some great tips!
01. Spotify for Artists
Let's start with the basics. Spotify for Artists is certainly one of the most important tools for independent musicians. Claiming your profile is easy and offers a plethora of benefits.
Understand your audience.
The platform provides artists with access to detailed analytics about their listeners including: where they are located, how often they listen, and what type of music they prefer. This information can be used to help artists better understand their audience and make informed decisions about future releases.
Manage your profile.
Spotify for Artists allows you to pin an artist pick, which is any song, album, or playlist you want highlighted on your profile. You can also upload images, create a short bio, share your upcoming concerts, or showcase your merch.
Spotify likes to have an artist-friendly platform, so there is surely more customizations to come for your own profile.
Pitch music to Spotify Editorial Playlists.
Playlist Pitching is a free feature on Spotify for Artists. If a song is scheduled to release more than seven days in advance, you can pitch your song with basic details and information to make it more likely that your song gets placed.
Although this pitching doesn’t guarantee playlist placement, if your song doesn’t get picked, it may still get discovered later.
Additionally, submitting a pitch at least 7 days before release day will get your song on your followers’ Release Radar playlists.
Canvas
Engage listeners with Canvas, a 3-8 second looping video that you can add to each of your tracks on Spotify. This Fullscreen visual is a way to make the listening experience more immersive for those on mobile.
Example canvas visuals can be seen below.
Canvas examples via Spotify
According to research, users who experience a Canvas are more likely to share the track (145% higher on average vs. control group) add the song to their playlists (20% higher) and visit your profile page (9% higher). data via Spotify.
Therefore, with statistical data proving it increases audience engagement, utilizing this tool on Spotify seems like a no-brainer.
To learn all about how to make the best Spotify Canvas, click here.
Marquee
Marquee is a newer feature that can be found under the campaigns tab in Spotify for Artists. Marquee is a full-screen, sponsored recommendation of your new release to Spotify Free and Premium listeners who have shown interest in your music before.
When a listener clicks on a Marquee, they are guided to either your new release, or your "This Is" playlist which features your most played tracks. This is a paid feature in Spotify for Artists.
Pros
Super easy to setup
Advertisement that feels natural and organic
Cons
Very high cost-per-click ($0.50 for U.S. audience)
A pre-existing large number of listeners is needed to run a Marquee campaign
Minimum Budget of $100
Not all artists are eligible as you need a decent sized audience to run a Marquee campaign. If you have under 5,000 monthly listeners, this feature may not be available.
If interested, you can visually learn how to Create a Marquee here.
02. Analytics from Various Other Streaming Platforms (Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Pandora, etc.)
The creation of Spotify for Artists in December of 2013 was ahead of its time, and left other streaming services struggling to catch up. However, recently other streaming platforms have been able to create similar platforms that artists can use to gain greater insight into their music.
Apple Music For Artists
Arguably closest in utility to Spotify for Artists, this platform provides detailed analytics on how your music is performing, so you can see which songs are being streamed the most and identify your biggest fans.
One cool feature is that since Apple owns Shazam, you can see how many people use the listening app to identify your song.
Even if the analytics are lower on other streaming services, it is still valuable to at least claim your profile and customize your page. That way, a listener on each streaming platform will be able to view relevant images and details about you as an artist, and hopefully become a more engaged fan because of this.
03. Tools from your Distributor
Which platform do you distribute your music with? There are plenty of options, and we recommend Distrokid. For less than $20 a year, you can upload your music to all the major music streaming platforms. Click here to get 7% off of Distrokid.
Let's take a quick peek at some of the benefits Distrokid can offer independent artists that release music through their service.
Create pre save links to build hype around scheduled releases
With hyperfollow you can easily have pages that have your music, videos, social media links, and more—for free.
Submit timed, karaoke-style lyrics for your songs
Create Promo Cards, Canvas visuals, and various other video templates for social media
Social Phone Number: Utilize text messaging to contact fans
Playlist Spotlight & Wheel of Playlist promotion features
04. Social Media platforms
In today's music industry, social media is more important than ever for up-and-coming artists. Not only does it provide a way to connect with fans and promote new music, but it can also be a valuable tool for networking and building industry connections. Some of the best social media platforms for musicians include Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
Twitter is a great way to connect with other artists and music industry professionals, as well as to share news and updates about your career.
Instagram is perfect for sharing photos and videos from your latest performances or upcoming music.
TikTok is great for reaching new fans and building a tight-knit community of music enthusiasts. To learn more about TikTok marketing, click here.
Snapchat is a social network that provides a unique way to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at your life and work, and further grow a music community.
Each social network has its own unique features, but all the social media sites offer various great ways for musicians to reach new audiences and grow their careers or music business.
Build a strong social media presence by posting often, interacting with other users, and posting across all social media networks. For example, video content on your own website should be also posted on Instagram Stories, Snapchat stories, uploaded as YouTube videos, and maybe even one or two platforms more!
Not only that, but being active on social media sites can help to book shows, build relationships with other industry professionals, and generate income through online sales. In a world where technology is constantly evolving, a social media platform is a powerful tool that can be used to help musicians succeed.
05. iSpyTunes
There are plenty of resources for independent artists. Here at iSpyTunes, we can help with your music marketing or management needs.
As experts in music marketing, we can help establish effective digital marketing strategies specific to your releases.
Or, our music marketing blog designed for independent artists can help steer you in the right direction with the most powerful marketing tools, tips, and tricks for musicians and bands.
Our platform for musicians also allows artists to connect and collaborate online in real time. Here is a breakdown of some pros & cons about iSpyTunes.
Pros
Submit a song for free to iSpyTunes
Blog, Playlisting, Paid Ads, Email Marketing, Instagram feature, YouTube feature, and other features on other social media channels are all potential benefits!
Custom Campaigns
We work with you to establish the best possible music promotion for the style of your music. Whether you are looking to set up music promotion social media ads or another way to market music online, we can adjust!
Constantly sharing the latest Music Business Tips & Tricks
Our powerful blog designed for independent musicians. Create your account today for free and stay up-to-date with all the best information for an artist, ranging from growing your streams with music promotion to identifying and managing opportunities!
Cons
Some advanced features are paid
Ultimately, we made the iSpyTunes website for musicians to advance themselves in their music career. Not many marketing agencies or marketing platforms are built like us, giving musicians top-of-the-line insight into the music industry with elite tips and quick feedback.
Check out all the music promotion services we have to offer and browse our website today!
06. Artist.Tools
Artist.Tools is a platform that offers valuable insight and information surrounding top playlists. It has music marketing tools such as playlist quality indicators and one-click personalized messaging with playlist curators.
Artist.Tools also offers keyword data and growth analytics for Spotify playlists. Spot fraudulent playlists from a mile away and avoid running any botted music promotion. Learn all the main benefits of using Artist.Tools with the below graphic.
For a limited time, you can explore all that the Artist.Tools platform has to offer for 10% off of the monthly price! Click here to learn more about this awesome platform! Or, click here to take 10% off!
Conclusion
Making a name for yourself as an indie musician is no easy task. You need to be talented, creative, and persistent in order to get your music heard. But even then, you're up against a lot of competition. Using the platforms discussed, you can increase the chances of having your music discovered.
Most music promotion sites tend to be relatively newer and usually have mixed reviews. However, the music promotion companies that have the music promotion services discussed in this article are all inexpensive, with plenty of free features and offers as well!
We will continue to update this list with the best platforms for musicians, so be sure to bookmark this page. Or, create an account on our website and stay up-to-date with our weekly blog posts designed for musicians and bands.
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