The Best Streaming Services to Upload Your Music

Sharing your music with the world is no small feat. You’ve likely spent hours perfecting everything from the lyrics to the amount of reverb in the chorus and gotten feedback from countless friends and family members. When it’s time to share it with the general public, however, you might be riddled with anxiety and wondering if people are going to receive your album well or have less-than-stellar feedback about it. While picking the right streaming service won’t change the reception, knowing what each offers will help you monetise effectively and reach the right crowd. 

Why You Should Prioritize Streaming Services

Just like Paysafecard casinos in the UK are popular for their security and convenience, certain streaming services will have the biggest reach, while others will have better artist support or an easier interface to work with. 

Streaming services are the modern gateway to exposure—no record label deals to score or industry gatekeepers to answer to. Independent artists can upload their music, build a fanbase, and capitalise on the discovery algorithm. As these platforms are highly personalised, you have a good chance of being recommended to listeners looking for music like yours. Whenever you’re ready to start uploading, consider what you value most. Is it a genuine connection with fans or a detailed analytics tool that helps you track your metrics?

Top Streaming Services

Let’s take a look at the top streaming services to consider.

Spotify

Spotify is one of two streaming service giants that dominate the industry. Approximately 1 in every 12 people on the planet are active Spotify monthly users, which gives artists ample exposure to listeners in countries all around the world. What’s unique about Spotify compared to Apple Music (the other streaming service giant) is that it fosters a culture of playlist curation and discovery. It generates algorithmic playlists like Discover Weekly, which gives listeners a personalised weekly playlist of tracks based on their preferences and likes.

Artists can take advantage of plenty of promotion tools, such as Spotify Codes, that link to albums, songs, and playlists. Custom artwork can also be posted on social media channels, and artists can even offer special merchandise or offers to their top listeners. Royalties are based on streams, which is beneficial in the long run.

Apple Music

With all of Spotify’s features and draws, how does Apple Music compete? Well, it’s backed by the Apple brand, which most people trust and associate with the latest tech. Along with this, it’s integrated into the Apple ecosystem, which makes access easy for potential listeners. If you’re an artist who prioritises superior sound, Apple is the way to go. With high-quality Dolby Atmos and an emphasis on immersive music experiences, you’ll be able to showcase your music at its best. 

Exclusivity is also important to Apple Music, where artists can offer one-of-a-kind content like early releases and special interviews. Thanks to these features, there’s an emphasis on social engagement with fans, helping them feel involved and part of your musical journey as an artist.

SoundCloud

SoundCloud has always had a reputation as a platform for independent artists and underground music scenes, given its democratic approach to streaming. Its open access and community-driven strategy make it wildly different from other services, blurring the lines between artist and listener. In fact, some of the most popular artists today became popular on SoundCloud, including late rapper Lil Peep, Post Malone, and Lil Uzi Vert, who now has over 27 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

It’s a great starting point if you consider yourself an experimental artist or one in a niche genre and want first-hand interaction with potential fans. The upload process is a lot more straightforward than other services, as you simply upload your tracks like you’d upload a regular file. Listeners can directly make comments using timestamps and like and share your music, which speaks to a much more intimate level of engagement.

YouTube Music

YouTube Music is a much newer service, having been revamped in 2018, just three years after its initial launch. However, Google Play Music, which YouTube Music eventually replaced, had been around since 2011. 

YouTube Music integrates music tracks with community playlists, essentially combining a classic streaming service interface with access to music on YouTube in its familiar format. The platform simply makes it easier for users to listen to playlists, tracks, and videos in one place.

Uploading your music to YouTube is a must, as those without accounts on streaming services typically head to the platform to discover and listen to music in ‘video’ format. With the addition of YouTube Music, you can enjoy a broad reach and provide users with a combination of audio-only formats and music videos, and even produce other supporting content like live streams and Q&A sessions.

Bandcamp

Bandcamp has similarities to SoundCloud in that it puts the artist in the driver’s seat. While it’s not a traditional streaming service per se, it still allows listeners to stream your music. However, it has a stronger focus on making direct sales and supporting independent artists through merchandise purchases. This little ecosystem is perfect if you want to sell your music digitally or physically in the form of CDs, vinyl, or even cassettes. Although music is so digitally driven nowadays, a large portion of the population still enjoys collecting physical albums to feel that tangible connection with artists and their releases.

Users on Bandcamp are constantly discovering new underground music on a platform that actively encourages this. On the home page, they can narrow down music by genres and subgenres, making it easy for them to stumble upon your music and support you more meaningfully. It’s like a digital version of a record store.