One of the great things about CD Baby is, they offer a wide range of services that musicians would need all in one place. Because they have been around for so long, they’ve become a very reputable and trusted company that is committed to helping independent musicians thrive. As of 2019, CD Baby is under the ownership of AVL Digital Group.ĬD Baby is considered pioneers of the independent music revolution and has become the largest global digital distributor of independent music. In 2008, Sivers sold CD Baby to Disc Makers because he wanted to focus on new ventures to benefit musicians. The founder, Derek Sivers was a musician himself who created the website to sell his own CDs and later the music of local bands and friends.

Understanding the contents of this post should help you make a more informed choice in which digital distribution company to use.įounded in 1998, CD Baby originally started as an online CD store. I do talk about music royalties in this blog so if you’re not sure what mechanical licenses or songwriter royalties are, you can read my music royalties simplified blog.

The amount of time it takes for your release to be received by these digital outlets and register into their system should vary the same, regardless of which distribution company you go with. Some of them will take a commission from your revenues, but you still retain 100% ownership of your music. Music distribution companies work directly with these various digital outlets so they can get your music into stores and streaming services. None of these companies are record labels, so they don’t take ownership of any of your releases. I only include affiliate links for services I personally use and support. This means I receive a small commission if you sign up for a paid service using my links, but at no extra cost to you. I just want to address a couple of quick points.ĭisclaimer: This blog contains affiliate links. In this blog, I will go into detail of 3 popular options to help you decide which one may be best for you as an independent artist. There are a bunch of music distribution companies you can go with to make your music accessible all around the world, but there are pros and cons with each of them. Finding the right company that makes sense for you can be a challenge. The good news is, getting your music into digital music stores and streaming services as an independent artist couldn’t be any easier. Looking to get your songs in places like Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play and Amazon Music? You should, because as of 2020, music streaming now makes up 83 percent of the U.S. Be aware that parts may be outdated like the comparison graphic. I’m currently in the process of updating and adding new information to be accurate as of 2023. Last Updated 3/5/23: It was announced in 2022 that TuneCore was shifting their pricing structure to a subscription model, similar to DistroKid’s flat annual fee to released unlimited music.

Landr vs tunecore