CHANGES
Facebook Launches Independent Artist Program ; Partners with DistroKid & TuneCore
With the launch of its new Independent Artist Program , Facebook says it ’ s making it easier for independent artists and creators to share their music across its namesake social media platform , as well as Instagram . To do this , Facebook has partnered with digital distribution services DistroKid and TuneCore as its preferred independent distribution partners .
Through TuneCore and DistroKid , independent artists will be able to distribute music on Facebook and Instagram for free . Artists who currently use TuneCore or DistroKid can distribute their music everywhere Facebook offers a music library , free of charge , including in Stories and Reels . This allows artists to get paid when their music is used to create content across Facebook and Instagram products .
An additional benefit of the program is the access to data and insights offered by TuneCore and DistroKid to all artists who distribute their music through the Independent Artist Program .
“ These days we are seeing a leveling of the playing field as discovery is happening via social media and no longer solely dependent on industry executives and DJs handpicking hits ,” says Andreea Gleeson , co-head and chief revenue officer at TuneCore . “ With the popularity of short-form videos , Facebook Stories and Instagram Reels are two important platforms on which fans are finding songs and artists , with careers being made when songs go viral .”
MusiCounts Launches Music Industry Careers Learning Hub for High School Students
Canadian music education charity MusiCounts has launched the Learn TRACK Program , which is made possible by a donation from the RBC Foundation through the RBC Emerging Artists Project . The MusiCounts Learn TRACK Program provides an online learning hub that exposes high school students to the scope of career possibilities in the music industry , beyond performance .
Now available is a series of free , on-demand video resources created by a range of music industry professionals in career areas , including the artist team , live music , and music dissemination , and monetization . The program aims to spark curiosity about music industry career possibilities and to break down barriers to entering the industry that young people may face . The videos can be accessed at musicounts . ca / en / programs / musicounts-learn .
Each industry professional presents several videos exploring and explaining their career area , including what a typical day looks like , how they got started in their role , and what young people should know about their particular career area . The videos can be accessed at musicounts . ca / en / programs / musicounts-learn .
Icebox Music Plans All-CanCon Music Streaming Service to Better Pay Indie Artists
Rick Levine , the founder of ICEBOX Music and a music business professor at the Trebas Institute , has announced that ICEBOX Music is in the process of creating a new streaming service called MapleStream that aims to feature only Canadian music and prioritize fair payments for artists .
“ We are looking to attract artists of all genres and their music to create a unique , nationwide , Canadian-only streaming platform where indie and emerging Canadian artists are revealed and celebrated ,” Levine says in his appeal to artists and others around Canada ’ s music industry . “ The goal is to monetize our music fairly . I ’ m not saying it ’ s going to be easy , I ’ m saying it ’ s going to be worth it !”
To help create and launch the endeavour , ICEBOX Music is building an eight-week crowdfunding campaign to raise $ 50,000 for the startup .
To aid its content efforts , ICEBOX Music is using the Featured Artists page on its website , offering exposure to artists in exchange for permission to use their music . Levine says the music is being curated for quality of production , musicianship , and great live performances .
For more information , contact Levine at rick @ iceboxmusic . ca or go to www . iceboxmusic . ca .
16 CANADIAN MUSICIAN