By Dwight Brown
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind of TuneCore artists to suffer
the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune—or to prosper…
Streaming is about as controversial as climate change. It’s easy to take a side, but does your side support the facts or what artists are actually experiencing?
Fellow TuneCore artists explore the subject and reveal how they make it work for them, or ignore it all together.
Streaming is a ways to a means:
Docwatson – AKA Jacob Malish, CEO, Reflection Music Group
“We offer music through YouTube and streaming. It brings in more revenue. Sure not selling a record vs. streaming is not the greatest. But, the best way to approach this, in my opinion, is put music wherever we can to hit our listeners where they are, to help with our discovery and find ways to create more revenue.”
There are concerns about the loss of download sales, but…:
Lisa, Owner, Trouble In Mind Records
“It is a concern but it’s sort of a catch 22 right? You want people to hear it (music). However, the devaluing of music is sort of gut wrenching and constantly on our minds.”
Streaming, in some cases, can open doors:
Mark Orr, Founder, LAB Records
“There’s no doubt in my mind that there is a small reduction in download sales – but nowhere near enough to consider not delivering to streaming services. For the primary demographic for our artists (15-24) Spotify is growing quickly as their main way to listen to and discover new music.”
A live-and-let-live streaming strategy works for some artists:
Jonathan Pardo, Free Association Management
“It all flows from different sources. Our general philosophy is give the people what they want, when they want it, in whatever form they want it in.”
Streaming can lead to exposure:
Mike Clemenza, Managing Director and Co-Founder, B3SCI Records
“Streaming breaks artists if you get the right people on board. Ideally you build the profile of the project and its overall brand, making for an equitable asset that will translate to sales. Streaming services, PROs and consumers will soon catch up to making streaming experiences more equitable for content owners.”
To stream or not to stream? Artists have to figure that out for themselves. And for most, it’s a work in progress.
Read:
10 Reasons Why Every Artist Should Be On Spotify
The State of the Music Industry According to TuneCore Artists
Upload your music today, if you’re a TuneCore artist.
If you’re not a TuneCore artist yet, join the TuneCore Artist community today.