Spotify and Apple Music for Artists

 

 

 

Spotify for Artists is a platform primarily for artists (what’s in a name?) and secondly for artist representatives such as labels, aggregators and management, where you can manage your Spotify artist profile, access the pitching tool, look at your streaming data and other activities, such as playlists, ads and followers. By logging in to your Spotify for Artists account you automatically become a ‘verified’ artist.  

 

 

Accessing your Spotify for Artists account is easy. Go to https://artists.spotify.com/. If you have not been here before, click on "Get Access" and follow through the various steps. That should be it. It is handy to use the same e-mail address that you're using in your communications with us (which should also be your Content Editor account e-mail). If signing up on Spotify for Artists somehow fails, do not hesitate to let us know at support@the-source.eu.

 

 

Here you can see and analyse your streaming data on Spotify. Most of this will speak for itself, but if you have any questions, you can always ask us. There might also be some terms you don't understand, but most of them will be explained in the interface. For instance: go to your ‘Audience’ tab and you will see terms such as "algorithmic playlists". To find out what that means, simply change tabs as shown on the screenshot below:

 

 

 

 

Spotify provides artists with a pitching tool, which allows you to promote your tracks to playlist curators, offering you a chance to end up on an official Spotify-curated playlist. The tool only allows for pitching of unreleased (i.e. already delivered to Spotify by us, but not 'live' on the platform yet) music only. Only one unreleased track per artist can be pitched at any time. As soon as the pitched track (or release) goes live, another unreleased track from that artist can be pitched.

 

You can find the pitching tool by following the steps portrayed in the images below:

 

 

 

 

If you need some tips and pointers for pitching, you can download this document: Release Rollout.

 

 

Also make sure your artist profile is completely up to date, with recent photos and artwork and current playlists highlighted. Make sure you have a nice header and profile picture, update your bio regularly, fill your gallery with nice pics and link all of your social media!

 

 

Apple Music offers a way to couple a single artist to an (or more) Apple ID(s), which will create an artist profile on Apple Music and iTunes. The account can be claimed by artists or their managers, but Apple prefers it remains in the hands of the artist (which prevents issues if the artist switches label or management). Label reps can also gain access to the account, but need permission from an admin (artist or manager).

 

To claim your acocunt, go to https://artists.apple.com/ and sign up using an Apple ID.

If you don't already have an Apple ID specifically as an artist, you can create one at https://appleid.apple.com/. Avoid using an existing Apple ID from from a consumer purchase or account, or an earlier professional account. Signing up is easy enough and involves some steps, including two-factor authentication.

 

Once you're in, you can set your profile preferences by clicking on your ID in the top right corner and there are sections for Support, Resources and a FAQ.

 

Now, to claim an artist profile, click on Request Artist Acces on the previous page:

 

 

Then search for the relevant artist name (yourself or the artist you represent). Note: as a manager or label rep, you can claim multiple artists.

 

And select a random album to verify that you chose the correct artist.

 

 

Then enter all of the requested info, such as your contact info, your role (which is critical - choose the correct one; artist, manager or label rep). It is alo critical to link the correct (artist's) Twitter and/or Facebook pages/profiles. Leave distribution contact empty (this is The Source) and enter the info for management and label contacts only if necessary.

Also write a short text in the Notes section, a short bio about you as the artist and/or some descriptors of your relationship with the artist.

 

 

 

Now click Submit.

 

You will receive a confirmation e-mail and you request for verification is being processed.

 

Done!