How are you sharing your music in 2024?

[enroe]

In hindsight, I don’t think I worded my OP very clearly. What I’m really looking for is not so much an answer that says “just do this and you’ll be fine”, but rather looking for a discussion of what other people are doing going into 2024, what you like/dislike about it, etc. and I can use that to give me more options to look into. Really, I’m looking for less about me, and more about you guys and what has been working for you in recent years. For example, I was just poking around the web and found LANDR, which I’ve heard of, but never paid attention to since I haven’t bothered looking into any of this in the past 6-7 years. HTH.

Mmh, looking at what other people are doing can also be quite
confusing and misleading. Because everyone has a different story, a
different development, and usually a completely different goal. You can
see that well here.

TLDR: looking for options to distribute my music as I get back into it more seriously, so what are you using and recommending these days?

Oh, I should also clarify that the bolded part simply means “more seriously” with making my music available again, not making a move at a future in music. I’m 56, have a career that I love (scientist), and music is simply one of my hobbies.

When I read your lines like that, I get the impression that you are at a
point where you have to ask yourself WHAT you want. So what do YOU
actually want?

1. Do you want to continue to look and walk around here and there
on the internet as before... at LANDR and many, many others

2. Do YOU want to present your music as completely unique music for
those who might like it - and give the interested listeners a nice
experience?

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In case (1) you are simply fidgeting - just like before - without focusing
through the net. And post here, sometimes here ...

In case (2) you ask yourself: What exactly do I want to achieve in this
world - I'm now 56?

[harryupbabble]

i used to upload my stuff at soundcloud
but the sound of my stuff sounded different there, altered
so i quit soundcloud and fogot my password months later

youtube doesn't mess up my stuff's audio
so that's the only place i upload to now

youtube once offered me "partnership"
they said one of my videos got over 25,000 views
they said that as a partner i could make money
as a partner, youtube gets to put adverts on my songs, and stuff

i just ignored youtube's offer of partnership
i was just learning to make songs at the time, about a decade ago
still am, being a professional slacker, a lazy but free guy

once i really know how to make good songs (if ever),
i might end up being a youtube "partner"
and be prolific and maybe make an extra living
and make scrabble secondary instead of primary
but i doubt it

my songs sucks balls at the moment

[mjolnir]

i decided to quit sharing my music.
it just doesn't bring me any joy and it's just extra work.

back in the early 2000s people would actually download my tunes to keep a permanent copy.
that felt nice.
these days people just seem to want to stream and then forget the artist(s).
i'd rather count downloads than plays. i got a few plays but no downloads and that hurts.
so i just quit uploading and deleted my soundcloud page.

the main person who i'm trying to impress is myself anyhow.
even people i play my music to in person don't really understand it and aren't really into those genres.
they're just being polite: "oh, you have a soundcloud? let me hear it!"

that doesn't mean that they can relate to your stuff at all.

[enroe]

i just ignored youtube's offer of partnership ...

I decided to quit sharing my music.

So yes ...

... the internet as a whole is a kind of giant marketplace
where the individual artist can easily get lost. There are
many participants and a huge hustle and bustle. In the
process, the individual gets lost. No matter how loudly
they shout, they are not heard.

But that's normal: almost everyone is shouting loudly, it's loud,
which means there are many, many platforms with all kinds
of musicians, many, many websites with all kinds of music
and the strangest inventions - a tangle of influences and
things.

Nevertheless, there is one place that has prevailed, and
which almost all market participants who are only there for
a short time visit. And that is Spotify!

In the past, A&R managers at major labels decided who
would be promoted and introduced to a wider audience.
Today, this function is taken over by Spotify's click selection
feature. And so, tens of thousands of uploads per day (!) vie
for the attention of Spotify visitors.

To get noticed in the past, musicians or bands had to put
together a demo package that would catch the attention of
an A&R manager. Today, musicians and bands have to use
all sorts of tricks to get noticed on Spotify.

--------> Is that even possible?

Answer: In principle, yes. In daily practice: no.

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What does this mean for the individual artist today?

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Well, we can read that in the individual posts here: Some are
withdrawing completely from the internet marketplace. Others
are seeking specific niches. Then, on top of that, AI is
emerging—and this AI is creative in its own right and will
flood the web with mainstream, appealing songs.

Therefore, there can really only be one tip for the true
musician and artist: "Stay true to yourself - do your thing!"
And present your art or your songs somewhere online. This
could be a platform like Soundcloud, or it could be your own,
self-designed website.

This way, you're at least connected to the internet
marketplace. Those who want to find you will find you. But
you don't have to chase attention and clicks, you don't have
to be a slave to the noisy marketplace. Instead, you can
concentrate entirely on your art and your songs.

[harryupbabble]

it`s hard to concentrate
the cat is always demanding to be fed

there`s people telling me i should be hated
as if i am doctor mengella
like i can even pass the first year of doctor school
i can`t

okay maybe i can
but first i have to consume a gallon of turmeric spice everyday
to reverse the possible alzheimer`s that i may be having
i can`t afford to have alzheimer`s
i don`t have a caring japanese wife to take care of me

i wasn`t even an extra in any of gene hackman`s movies
i think i may have been sperm at the time
those guys made big money, right?
the extras i mean
not the sperms