As a music producer, a problem you will likely face at the beginning of your music journey is simply getting your craft out to the world. There are many ways you can do this online. However, choosing the right path might be challenging, as the steps aren’t always direct.
To help you easily navigate this phase of your life, this article will introduce the different ways you can sell music or beats online. It will introduce you to three famous music producers, their genres, and how they have built empires selling music online. It will then discuss different ways of selling music online, and draft out a
Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre is an American music producer, rapper, and sound engineer known as the CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats by Dre. The iconic music producer has been instrumental in how Eminem, 50 Cent, and Kendrick Lamar made their name. According to Creephills, he is currently the richest music producer in the world.
Genre/style
Dr. Dre is a rapper, DJ, and music producer. His genre of music is
How Dr. Dre sells his music
Now to the most important part. Dr. Dre is currently one of the richest music producers globally, being worth about $820m. How was he able to achieve this huge figure? One is that a huge percentage of that net worth comes from selling Beats to Apple. Nevertheless, the remaining is still a huge chunk of money he got by selling his music and beat.
Dr. Dre sells his music majorly by using his website. However, to drive traffic to his websites, he uses music streaming applications such as Apple Music, Spotify and SoundCloud. These streaming services do not allow the selling of music, and their returns are low. However, they have a wide audience through which Dr. Dre connects to the world. Dr. Dre’s music is also available on online music selling platforms such as iTunes and Amazon Music.
MNEK
MNEK, whose real name is Uzoechi Osisioma Emenike, is a
Genre/style
MNEK is an experienced music producer with exceptional music production capabilities. He produces pop music. However, it is noticeable that R&B, electro, and
How MNEK sells music
Like Dr. Dre, MNEK also has a website linked to many online music download stores. However, to improve his strategy, he incorporated the online music streaming services and download services together. Therefore, you will be able to see a “listen now” and a “buy now” option.
Sylvia Massy
The music production world might seem a little
Genre/style
Sylvia Massy is a huge figure in alternative music. She has a playful style of recording and can fearlessly create any beat she wants. She has collaborated with famous musicians and music producers like Prince,
How Sylvia Sells her music
Sylvia, like Dr. Dre, also sells her music using her website. However, unlike the others, Sylvia also deals with other items such as artworks, vinyl, and books. She is also available to teach people the art of music production.
How to Sell Music Online
Getting to know the above famous music producers would serve as an inspiration and opens you to a learning curve. However, what is inspiration without us completing it by showing you the different ways to sell music online.
There are two major ways by which you sell your music online. You can make use of your website. However, if you don’t have a website, you can use online streaming stores such as iTunes and Amazon Music. Below is a detailed explanation of how to use both methods.
Using your website to sell music online
A website is an ideal place to sell music online as it gives you a space where you have control. Website designing, maintenance, and music uploading might seem like work, which it is. However, using a website to sell music online has its advantages. Below are two reasons why you should consider using a website:
- Make more money. A small con of using streaming platforms is that they take a little commission of whatever you are selling. However, when you sell via your website, you will make more money as your fans will buy directly from your website without losing a small percentage to the commission.
- You own the data you collect. Streaming sites collect data of the people who buy your music. However, when you direct them to your sites, you get to own the data and emails of your customers. With the email and data collected, you can easily get into the market and sell your music to your fanbase.
Sell your music via online music stores
Having a website to sell your music is ideal enough. However, to reach a larger audience, you will need a sound marketing strategy. Consequently, this can take a toll on your capital and effort.
To sell music, the other effective way is by selling via online music stores. Online music stores such as iTunes, Amazon, etc., are already established and have a large audience. Consequently, you can reach many people. Below are a few stores that you could consider.
- Music download sites. Another effective way to sell your music is using online retailers such as iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play. Online retailers embody trust, compatibility, and accessibility. Therefore, it will be easy for your fanbase to access and buy your music. You can also link your download link to your website. However, when using music download sites, you must know that marketing your music is important so that fans can easily locate your music.
- Online streaming platforms. The common way to listen to music in the 21st century is via streaming platforms. However, these methods are not an ideal way to sell your music. This is because the amount artists make is small. Nevertheless, you should not ignore using streaming platforms as they are important for music promotion. For example, if your song could make it to a Spotify or Apple Music Playlist, you already have worthwhile recognition. Consequently, if
well-utilized, it can lead to an increase in sales. You could also link the streaming platform to your website to direct people to buy your music after listening.
How to Setup a Strategy on Selling Music Online
Selling your music online does not mean dumping the file on your website or online music stores. Doing this is synonymous with not making or making little sales. To get the best out of any of the two methods you choose, you must create a strategy to sell your music online. Below are a few steps to take to develop a strategy for selling music online.
Step 1. Engage your fans
The first thing you have to do is to engage your fans. Yes, you already have music to sell, or you have a demo in mind. However, you have to first prepare people for your music. You can use video snippets, teasers, etc., to give people a snippet of what is going to be released to them.
Do some research on the market and platform you want to use to sell your music online. Also, be sure to use some promotional ideas that feature your new songs. For example, you can add video snippets and teasers and promote the video snippet using social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Step 2. Pre-orders
To prepare your album for release, some weeks before release, you should have a
It is better to use your website for
Step 3. Music Release
On the readiness of your album or single, release it to the people that
It is important to use online stores and streaming services for releases. However, you should make the music available on your website. You should then make sure that your website’s homepage is constantly being updated. It should also contain a link to buy or listen on any streaming or downloading platform.
Step 4. Do a Follow-up
After releasing your album, you have to make sure your music stays on your fan’s minds. There are many ways to do this. Below are a few methods to try out.
- Schedule posts and newsletters that will drive traffic to your site and encourage sales.
- Celebrate milestones. For example, you can celebrate a month or two months’ release.
- Offer discount codes to your catalog of music.
Final Thoughts
Selling your beat or music online can be a challenging step to take as a newbie in the entertainment industry. You have to worry about which platform to use and how to engage in the act. To make it easy, this article talks about selling music online. It introduces three famous music producers that sell music online. Aside from providing some inspiration in learning about these names, learning about producers in the field today also can help you gain familiarity with the different steps to sell your music online. By reading our article, we hope you have been given the necessary information to put your voice or craft out into the world more easily.
