Releasing music on the world’s most popular music streaming platform, Spotify, is a great way to get your music heard by millions of people from around the world. But is it free?
The answer is yes and no. It comes down to which route you decide to take.
DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Release
If you are an independent artist, not signed to any record label, you can opt for what is known as a DIY release. This means that you will be responsible for all aspects of releasing your music on Spotify.
You will need to have your songs mastered and registered with a digital distributor such as CD Baby or Tunecore in order for them to be available on Spotify. The cost of doing this will depend on the distributor but usually ranges from $9-$50 per song. Once you have completed this step, there are no further costs involved in releasing your music and it will be available on Spotify within a few days.
Record Label Release
If you are signed to a record label then they will take care of all the details involved in releasing your music on Spotify including mastering, registering and distributing it. However, there may be costs involved in signing up with a label depending on how much control they want over your career and how much money they are prepared to invest in promoting your music.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, whether it’s free or not depends entirely on which route you decide to take when releasing your music on Spotify. DIY releases are usually free apart from the initial outlay for mastering and registering with a digital distributor whereas signing with a record label may incur some additional costs depending on the contract that is agreed upon.