Bypass: Music Industry News for Independent Artists

Thursday edition - 2 min read

Deezer Fights Back Against the AI Invasion

What's Up

Wow… a streaming platform that actually cares. Deezer has been tracking AI-generated music since the beginning of this year. As of September, 30,000 AI tracks are being uploaded daily. That's 28% of all uploads, up from just 10% in January.

So What

Deezer is the ONLY platform that tags 100% of AI-generated content and removes these tracks from the algorithm. That tells you all you need to hear (looking at you, Spotify). If you’re planning to join the Spotify exodus, Deezer might be your best bet.

Now What

Add Deezer to your distribution, if you haven’t already. It’s definitely the only platform that protects human artists. Going forward, consider working with platforms that are fighting for you, not against you.

[Full story at Digital Music News]

Why These Indies Can Afford to Leave Spotify

Who Did It

Young Widows just joined the growing list of indies ditching Spotify completely. So far, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Xiu Xiu, Deerhoof, Hotline TNT and now Young Widows are protesting Daniel Ek’s $700+ million investment in military AI company Helsing. But how can they afford to do this?

How They Did It

They know not to depend on one platform, especially Spotify. Think Bandcamp, vinyl sales, live shows, and direct fan relationships. Young Widows weren’t afraid to ask their fans for support. As they put it, “if you truly value an artist, buy their records, go to their shows, and support them directly.”

How You Can Too

Start building multiple streams of income: create a strong Bandcamp presence, develop live performance income, and invest in physical merch. Basic stuff, but these artists proved it works.

[Full Story at Digital Music News]

TikTok Europe Hits 200M Monthly Users

What's Up

TikTok just reminded us why it is the king of music discovery. They announced they’ve reached a significant milestone: over 200 million monthly users in Europe – and that’s nothing to scoff at.

So What

Europe is a huge continent, and according to TikTok, roughly one in four citizens in the region use the app monthly. That’s an untapped opportunity if I ever saw one. Your songs can reach multiple countries in the region simultaneously.

Now What

Set up TikTok for Artists. You’ll get an idea of which European country vibes with your music. If people from Spain are listening to your songs more than anyone else, try to figure out why and appeal to that.

[Read more on MusicBusiness Worldwide]