You have recorded a beautiful song and now you’re wondering how to get it out into the world. Look no further. Technology has made it easy to release music without the enormous cost of producing CDs. Did you know that you can now release music digitally and even monetise that process?

A huge number of artists started their careers on what modern technology has given us. Artists like Post Malone started their career on SoundCloud. In 2015 Post Malone uploaded a song titled White Iverson, and the song garnered over 1 million views in a little over a month. Post Malone is now one of the biggest artists in the world.

Local hip hop artist A-Reece has been called, “an internet artist” for his approach of releasing music digitally and he is one of the biggest acts in the country. Of course a lot of their success is also credited to their talent.

Here’s a how to release your own music to follow in the footsteps of these giants:

1. SoundCloud

SoundCloud is an online platform of music lovers where they listen, like, share and upload their own music. SoundCloud is a platform where users are always looking for something new and they respect artists (especially new artists). It is a growth-inducing platform. You first have to create a SoundCloud account as a creator here and you can start uploading. SoundCloud Premier is a way to monetise your music and get paid for your streams.

2. Spotify

Spotify is the most used music streaming platform with 144 million unique subscribers. Upload your music on the platform and a user can stream. Music on Spotify is monetised, artists get paid in royalties. Spotify royalties are specifically distributed from the net revenue collected from ads and Premium subscription fees. Artists are paid monthly.

3. iTunes

This is another platform to release music. Sign up for a TuneCore account to put your music on iTunes. Select the type of release you want to get on iTunes, namely single or album. Upload your music and cover art to put your songs on iTunes. Add music contributors so they get credited when your songs are sold. Your music is sold when it has been approved by TuneCore and artists keep 100% of the revenue.

4. YouTube

This is also another platform that is used by artists to upload their music. Although it is popular for music videos, audio is also uploaded. As an independent artist, you can earn money on YouTube by joining the YouTube Partner Program and using ads to generate revenue. While you focus on making music, YouTube matches ads with your channel and the fans who watch your videos. You can also earn money from YouTube Premium subscriptions.

The final step in the process is marketing yourself to your target audience and the easiest and most effective way of doing that is through social media. Social media is the most cost effective form of marketing. According to backlinko.com 3.9 billion people are actively using social media in the world. Grow your following on social media and start sharing links to your music on all these platforms.

It might take time but with a little effort and commitment you could be releasing your own music and making money from it as well. If this a truly a dream of yours, don’t give up on it! Keep going until you reach the top!

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Tell us: Have you ever released your own music? How did you do it?