Digital Music Distribution For Emerging Immersive Artists

Digital music distribution is how artists get their music onto streaming and download platforms like iTunes and Spotify. It is the process of managing and delivering your music in digital form to platforms where listeners can purchase and stream it. Producing and distributing immersive audio can often feel like a difficult task for emerging artists, but many continue to experiment with the new technology and seek to distribute in the highest possible quality.

Understanding Digital Distribution and Formats

The days of poor-sounding MP3s are hopefully behind us as platforms like Apple Music and Amazon continue to embrace immersive audio. There are two ways listeners access music from digital platforms:

• Downloads: A download is a copy of a file provided by a host to a user, meaning a consumer has purchased the music file to store on their own personal device.
• Streaming: When your music is streamed, this means listeners access your music temporarily through another platform but cannot save it to their own device.

That said - how does one distribute their music for consumption on these platforms, allowing listeners to properly experience the music using a 5.1 or Dolby Atmos system?

Key Distribution Services for Independent Musicians

Choosing the right distribution channel can have a significant impact on the profitability, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage of a business. Here are several options available today:

AvidPlay

Avid offers an amazing new system for independent musicians and labels to get music out there, including lossless files and immersive audio formats. By paying one simple monthly fee, you can get your audio released via Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal, as well as a variety of other streaming platforms. AvidPlay lets you keep 100% of your royalties and allows you to distribute Dolby Atmos (ADM BWF) files to get your songs on Apple Music, Amazon HD, and more.

Distrokid

Distrokid is another option for independent musicians, with a similar model to AvidPlay. You can submit immersive music to all the top platforms including Amazon Music HD and Apple Music, all for a very affordable $19.99 per year. The service also offers quick payouts twice weekly, so you don’t have to wait for your royalties.

MusicDigi

MusicDigi is the smart, easy way to get your music on the world’s biggest platforms. With MusicDigi your music is distributed to over 150 platforms all over the world, including social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Digital music distributors (aka aggregators) act as a bridge between the artists and the music outlets and handle the important things like tracking royalties and performance data.

Immersive Audio Album (IAA)

Though not a distribution service per se, Immersive Audio Album is an exciting new outlet for independent artists and labels looking to release 5.1 or Dolby Atmos music. Unlike any of the streaming services, IAA has the ability to provide immersive music in a high-quality lossless format.

Strategic Benefits of Digital Distribution

Digital distribution strategies offer several benefits for entrepreneurs and musicians:

• Lower costs: Digital distribution can reduce the costs of inventory, transportation, warehousing, packaging, and intermediation, resulting in higher margins.
• Wider reach: Digital distribution can expand the potential market size and geographic scope of a business, allowing it to reach customers across the world with minimal barriers or restrictions.
• Greater control: Digital distribution can give the entrepreneurs more control over their brand image, pricing, promotion, and customer relationship.

It’s only a matter of time before every distribution service embraces immersive audio, but at this moment there are a number of intriguing options available to independent musicians who seek to go immersive. Digital distribution is opening doors for musicians of all kinds to get discovered and reach new fans, giving you the freedom to control your brand.

Available Immersive Releases for Reference

• Yellowjackets – Fasten Up (Dolby Atmos)
• Pixies – Trompe Le Monde (Dolby Atmos)
• Symbion Project – TRYPTYCH (5.1 FLAC + Atmos MKV & MP4)
• Birdsong At Morning – Annals of My Glass House (Dolby Atmos MKV + MP4)
• Belal Alkhatib – Mahbob Kalbak (Dolby Atmos MKV)