SOUND ON SOUND

[CS70]

Thanks for that info! CDBaby specify the requirement for 16 Bit, their system will automatically convert 24 bit 44.1 if you upload a WAV in that. Any degradation is the issue here really

Under the somewhat safe assumption that they are neither insane nor utterly incompetent, the conversion will automatically dither and so no degradation to speak of.

There's very little value in having a master at 24 bit.. maybe if the track contains samples from Cage's 3'44 and a close mic-ed space shuttle launch, taken from the launch pad. Then perhaps yes.

[jpalmer]

It depends where you're coming from regarding a listening audience. If you've already got a substantial fanbase then aim for the platforms they're already actively using (ask them). If you don't have a targeted audience then probably aim for Bandcamp. You should have a presence there anyway but the way their charts/recommendations/promotion works is good for building up an audience and fanbase, especially if you're a niche genre. Bandcamp listeners (in my experience) also tend to be quite a respectful bunch and value the artists they like.

I don't make what you'd call 'decent' money (more like beer money) but I'm not really doing as much as I could be. My Bandcamp page tells me I've earned about $4,500 over about 4 years. My Distrokid page tells me they've paid me about $7,000 since I've been with them (about 6 years) so year by year it's roughly been the same for me.

I would definitely recommend Distrokid over anything like Tunecore etc. If you're doing physical releases then it's probably different (I don't). Once you've paid Distrokid their annual $20 fee, you can release unlimited releases to all the major stores.

So I pay Distrokid $36 a year (for a musician plus account) and make maybe $1,000 a year. After that it's mainly just a case of Paypal taking their cut at payout time (which is the same for most of the sites including Bandcamp and most others).

A quick look at my Bandcamp stats says approx $4,500 total sales of which I've kept $3,500 with Bandcamp taking $650 and Paypal taking $250 (approx).

[Hazer]

Thanks for this detailed rundown!

[RichardT]

It depends where you're coming from regarding a listening audience. If you've already got a substantial fanbase then aim for the platforms they're already actively using (ask them). If you don't have a targeted audience then probably aim for Bandcamp. You should have a presence there anyway but the way their charts/recommendations/promotion works is good for building up an audience and fanbase, especially if you're a niche genre. Bandcamp listeners (in my experience) also tend to be quite a respectful bunch and value the artists they like.

I don't make what you'd call 'decent' money (more like beer money) but I'm not really doing as much as I could be. My Bandcamp page tells me I've earned about $4,500 over about 4 years. My Distrokid page tells me they've paid me about $7,000 since I've been with them (about 6 years) so year by year it's roughly been the same for me.

I would definitely recommend Distrokid over anything like Tunecore etc. If you're doing physical releases then it's probably different (I don't). Once you've paid Distrokid their annual $20 fee, you can release unlimited releases to all the major stores.

So I pay Distrokid $36 a year (for a musician plus account) and make maybe $1,000 a year. After that it's mainly just a case of Paypal taking their cut at payout time (which is the same for most of the sites including Bandcamp and most others).

A quick look at my Bandcamp stats says approx $4,500 total sales of which I've kept $3,500 with Bandcamp taking $650 and Paypal taking $250 (approx).

Those are good figures for nowadays! I’m aiming for figures in that kind of ballpark and I’d be very happy to reach them in a couple of years.