Apple Music is one of the most popular music streaming services, with over 90 million songs in its catalog. For independent artists and labels, getting your music added to Apple Music can help expose your songs to a massive potential audience. But how exactly do you go about getting your music on Apple Music?
Submit Your Music Directly to Apple
The most straightforward way for artists and labels to get music added to Apple Music is to submit it directly to Apple through their Independent Artists program. Here’s a quick overview of how it works:
- You’ll need to create an Apple Music account if you don’t already have one.
- Agree to Apple’s terms and conditions for using their platform.
- Upload your music via iTunes or Apple Music For Artists. Make sure your metadata like song titles, artist name etc. are properly filled out.
- Your music will go through an approval process that checks for copyright, quality and other factors.
- Once approved, your music gets added to the Apple Music catalog. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
The main requirements are that you own or control the copyrights to the music, and have the legal rights to distribute it. Your recordings should also meet certain technical standards for quality.
Benefits of Direct Submission
- Simple and straightforward process.
- Maximizes visibility – your music will appear across Apple Music, available to all users.
- You retain full ownership of your copyrights.
- No fees or revenue shares for simply having your music distributed.
Downsides of Direct Submission
- No advance access or preferential treatment compared to major label releases.
- You handle all the marketing and promotion.
- No editorial pitching to get featured in key playlists.
For many independent artists, direct submission is the easiest way to get music onto Apple Music. But you’ll need to drive your own audience to find and listen to your music.
Use an Aggregator or Distributor
Another option is to use an aggregator or distributor to get your music onto Apple Music and other streaming platforms.
Aggregators or distributors act as middlemen that deliver music to digital services on behalf of rights holders. Some top options include:
- CD Baby
- Tunecore
- Distrokid
- EmuBands
- Ditto Music
The process of using an aggregator generally involves:
- Creating an account with the aggregator.
- Uploading your finished music and providing the required details.
- The aggregator encodes your music and delivers it to Apple Music and other DSPs (digital service providers).
- After review by the DSPs, your music gets added to the platforms.
- You keep a percentage of the streaming royalties, with the aggregator taking a cut for their fees.
Benefits of Using an Aggregator
- Gets your music onto multiple streaming platforms at once.
- Aggregators handle all the technical aspects like metadata formatting and encoding.
- Many aggregators provide guidance on releasing and marketing your music.
- Access to analytics for streaming numbers, revenue, etc.
Downsides of Using an Aggregator
- Annual and/or per release fees to use their service.
- They take a percentage of your royalties, typically 10-15%.
- Less control compared to direct distribution.
- Your release may not be prioritized for key playlists.
Aggregators provide convenience but take a cut of your earnings. They also offer less ability to pitch your music directly to Apple Music’s curation team.
Use a Record Label
Getting signed to a record label is another pathway to getting your music on Apple Music and positioned for success.
The major record labels like Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Music Group have direct partnerships with Apple Music that give their artists prime access.
Here are some key advantages of being on a label:
- Bigger budgets for recording, promotion and marketing.
- Professional expertise and industry connections.
- Opportunity to get featured playlists and premium positioning.
- Global scale and infrastructure.
The downside is that labels take a significant cut of your earnings, and you have less control over your career compared to being independent.
An alternative is partnering with an indie label, which provides infrastructure while allowing you to retain more creative control and ownership. But you’ll get less hand-holding and promotional muscle compared to major labels.
Leverage Relationships with Curators
At Apple Music, human editors and curators work hand-in-hand with algorithms to program their “For You” recommendations and flagship playlists like A-List Pop, Today’s Hits, New Music Daily, etc.
Building relationships with key Apple Music curators can help get your music heard by the right people who have influence over what gets featured.
Some tips for getting on the radar of curators:
- Identify relevant playlists for your genre and follow the curators on social media.
- Get written coverage on blogs and media outlets the curators pay attention to.
- Ask other artists for intros to curators they’ve worked with.
- Pitch directly by sharing your music and its story. Be polite and brief.
- Build your audience and social proof so curators can see listeners responding well to your music.
While not guaranteed, establishing relationships with the right curators can immensely help you get your music discovered by new audiences on Apple Music.
Use a Music Promotion Company
A growing number of music marketing companies provide expert services to help independent artists get their music on DSPs like Apple Music and positioned for discovery.
They offer packages that can include:
- Getting your release distributed to Apple Music and other DSPs.
- Pitching your music directly to high-level playlists curators.
- Providing guidance on metadata optimization.
- Advising on best release strategy.
- Organizing a promo campaign with blogger and media outreach.
- Boosting your social media presence and online discovery.
While services don’t come cheap, they essentially act like your own label team to get your music heard by industry gatekeepers and new fans.
Use Data and Analytics
There are tools you can use to analyze data and metrics around your Apple Music presence. This allows making data-driven decisions to optimize your music’s positioning.
For example, analytics services like Chartmetric and Soundcharts provide info on:
- Your daily and monthly streams on Apple Music.
- Which playlists your songs are featured on.
- How your songs rank on Apple Music charts.
- Listener demographics and behavior.
Analytics identify where you’re gaining traction so you can double down on what’s working. You can also see where your music is missing out so you can shift promotional strategies accordingly.
Consider Exclusives
One way smaller artists can get Apple’s attention is by offering exclusives. This means making your new music available only on Apple Music for a limited time upon release, before going wide to other platforms.
Apple Music has a history of coveting exclusives, especially for hip-hop. High-profile examples include:
- Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” album in 2016.
- Chance the Rapper’s “Coloring Book” in 2016.
- Future’s “HNDRXX” album in 2017.
Exclusives are risky as you limit your initial audience reach. But they can be a powerful bargaining chip to get marketing support, premium playlist placement and more editorial love from Apple Music.
Optimize Your Metadata
Ensuring your metadata is properly filled out improves your chances of getting discovered. Metadata refers to all the textual information about your music including:
- Song titles
- Artist name
- Album name
- Genre
- Featured artists
- Composers
- ISRC codes
- Label name
- Release date
- Songwriter names
Complete, consistent metadata makes your music more discoverable in searches and algorithms. It also helps Apple Music categorize your music accurately for recommendations.
Tips for Optimizing Metadata
- Include detailed information for all metadata fields.
- Put keywords in titles and descriptions that fans would search for.
- Check spellings carefully to avoid errors.
- Be consistent across all tracks on an album or EP.
- Classify the primary genre accurately.
High-quality metadata improves your chances of popping up at the right times for Apple Music users.
Conclusion
Getting your music on Apple Music as an independent artist can involve various strategies:
- Direct submission through their Independent Artist program.
- Distributing through an aggregator.
- Working with a record label.
- Leveraging relationships with curators.
- Engaging a music marketing company.
- Analyzing data and metrics.
- Offering exclusives.
- Optimizing your metadata.
The best approach depends on your budget, connections, and career stage. A combination of smart distribution, promotion, data analysis and relationship building gives you the optimal chance of getting your music discovered by listeners on the massive Apple Music platform.
With persistence and the right strategy, you can build an audience on one of today’s top music streaming services. Approach Apple Music not simply as a destination to dump your music, but as an integral partner to spread your art to passionate music fans worldwide.
| Distribution Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Direct to Apple | Simple, retain full control and ownership | No preferential treatment, handle all promotion yourself |
| Aggregator | Gets you on multiple platforms, provide analytics | Take a revenue cut, less control over positioning |
| Record Label | Infrastructure, marketing budget, industry access | Less creative control, share revenue |
This table summarizes some of the key pros and cons of different distribution methods for getting your music onto Apple Music as discussed in the article.
Direct submission gives you full control but requires handling everything yourself. Aggregators are convenient but take a cut. Labels provide power but at the cost of creative control.
There are always trade-offs to consider based on your specific needs and priorities as an artist when choosing how to get your music out to the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I submit my music to Apple Music myself?
Yes, Apple Music accepts direct submissions from independent artists through its Independent Artist Program. You’ll need to create an Apple Music account, meet eligibility requirements, and upload your music via iTunes or Apple Music for Artists.
What are the main benefits of using a distributor/aggregator?
Distributors and aggregators simplify getting your music onto multiple platforms simultaneously. They handle the technical aspects of delivery and provide useful data analytics. Many also give guidance on releasing and marketing your music.
How can I pitch my music directly to Apple Music’s editorial team?
You can reach out directly to key Apple Music playlist curators on social media or by email to share your new music. Building relationships with the editorial team improves your chance of getting considered for influential playlists.
Should I offer Apple Music an exclusive on my next release?
Exclusives can be very powerful in capturing Apple’s attention and gaining their marketing support. But you temporarily limit your audience reach. Evaluate if an exclusive makes sense based on where you’re at in your career.
What types of metadata should I focus on optimizing?
Ensure all textual details like song titles, artist names, genre classification, featured artists, ISRC codes, release dates, and songwriter names are properly filled out. This improves your music’s discoverability.
Summary
Getting added to Apple Music as an independent artist involves a multi-pronged approach:
- Leveraging distribution methods like direct submission, aggregators, and labels
- Building relationships with curators and editors
- Promoting your music through marketing campaigns
- Analyzing streaming data and metrics
- Optimizing metadata
- Considering exclusives
Combine multiple strategies tailored to your specific needs and resources. With persistence and smart decision-making, you can build an audience on one of today’s premier music streaming platforms.