Songcast has taken some significant strides to improve upon their service offering in an attempt to attract more artists to the platform. Will it be enough to earn your business? Lets find out!
Starts at $5.99/month + Release Costs
Contents
Features
 3.5/5
Unique features like direct to Soundcloud upload but not the strongest offering overall
Price
 3.5/5
Monthly or annual fee as well as costs per release
Ease Of Use
 3.5/5
The site is fairly simplistic in nature and easy to navigate.
Support
 4/5
Very helpful and quick response times.
- Direct to Soundcloud distribution
- Soundcloud Monetization
- Zero commission
- Customer Support
- No ability to select a release date
- Unable to set up pre-orders
- No Payment Splitting
- Fee for removing music
- Annual fees
- Do not obtain mechanical licenses for cover songs
[thrive_leads id=’2538′]
It’s no secret that there are a ton of distribution companies out there and when it comes to deciding which one to go with, you want to be confident that you are doing what is best for your career. With anything, doing your research allows you to make informed decisions and save you from a lot of unnecessary stress.
We have found that the perfect distribution company really doesn’t exist. However, the perfect distribution company for your specific needs as an artist may be attainable to some capacity. Not everyone is looking for all the bells and whistles which is understandable. Some artists require more from a distribution company than others to help further their career.
All of these companies at their core will do one thing for sure and that is distribute your music for you. However, the ones that set themselves apart are the ones who understand the true needs of the artists and follow up their distribution service offering with a number of supporting and relevant features.
In today’s review, we are here to discuss Songcast and see how they stack up in the sea of music distribution.
[bctt tweet=”Fun Fact: Songcast is the only company offering direct to Soundcloud upload distribution”]
Songcast Distribution Review 2023 – What You’ll Learn
- How Songcast compares to other distributors in terms of fees
- If Songcast’s range of features are right for you
- How you can enhance some of the marketing tools you may already be using
Who Is Songcast For?
At the end of the day, Songcast does get the job done and is able to distribute your music. They do a lot of things well but do not exceed expectations in my personal opinion. If you are still heavily focused on Soundcloud and are ok with paying the same as other companies and getting less from a features (that benefit you) standpoint, then by all means.
Fees & Commissions
We know everyone loves the idea of free and when it comes to distributing your music this is no different. The good news is, with Songcast it is completely free to join. Unfortunately, if you are hoping for a zero cost solution to distribute your music, Songcast might not be the right option for you.
When it comes to the fees outside of the free membership, Songcast will charge you a fee of $5.99 per month or $59.90 per year to distribute your music. Keep in mind that this is per account and not based on the individual album or single being released. They do not charge a commission on the royalties of your music which is a plus. In comparison to the costs associated with some of their competitors, Songcast is pretty on par with the competition. However, as you’ll see shortly the fees do not end there.
Songcast does allow for an unlimited amount of artists or tracks on your account for the monthly or yearly fee. However, you will have to pay the initial setup fees for your album or single. This is a one time fee which will set you back $19.99 per album and $9.99 per single.
Adding New Stores
When you look at the consistent changes to how we consume music, being on all of the most popular platforms is very important. What is popular today will most certainly be forgotten tomorrow. With Songcast, you can rest assured that you will be added to any new stores that they take on as a distribution partner at no extra charge.
Takedown Costs
Unlike many of their competitors, Songcast does charge $25 to take down your music from their platform. Meaning a fee for each album being removed that has been live for less than 8 months. If it has been more than 8 months then you do not have to worry about this fee.
Outlets & Release Options
Stores & Platforms
Getting your music in front of your fans in ways that are convenient to them is very important. It is typically best to have your music distributed to as many platforms as possible. Unfortunately, with Songcast, the stores available to you are very minimal as you only get distribution to the major stores. Even then, some of the key players are missed. Interestingly they distribute your music directly to SoundCloud, which makes them the only company from our knowledge to do so.
Speed To Stores
Having your music live in stores as soon as possible seems to be a priority for most artists. We believe this time shouldn’t matter as you should be planned out well in advance. Songcast states that they require 2-3 days to get your music live in stores but I have personally experienced longer wait times to get my music distributed. With that said they are not sending your music to that many stores meaning turn around times can be as quick as they have stated.
Release Dates
One other unfortunate thing with Songcast is the fact that you cannot set a release date in the future. Dates are set to “as soon as possible” and you do not get to decide when they are released. This is unfortunate for those trying to take advantage of marketing a specific release date to their fans.
Pre-Order
Similar to the inability to set release dates, there are no options for implementing a pre-order campaign. While most companies do not offer this option they at least allow you to set your release dates. Hopefully, this changes in the future on the Songcast platform.
General Features
Indie Artist Radio Promotion
If you are looking to further promote your music and tap into some radio play, Songcast does provide an interesting promotional tool for you. If getting your music promoted on networks like Indie Artist Radio, ShoutCast Networks, Tunein Radio, and iTunes Radio is of interest to you then this may be worth checking out. It costs $7.99 per track, per month of play.
Barcodes
As always a feature that is very common and often overlooked in terms of their importance is barcodes. With Songcast, these are provided for free.
Songcast Podcast
With podcasts growing in popularity, landing your music on some popular podcasts could certainly benefit your career. I am not sure of the popularity of Songcast’s podcast but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have your music broadcasted there.
Facebook Promotion
Social media promotion is a very important aspect of marketing your music. With Songcast you can create a Facebook music page to feature and promote your music. Fans can use this page to learn more about you as an artist and purchase your music. Considering you probably already have a Facebook page or plan on getting one, our understanding is that this free service allows you to amplify your Facebook page with your music offering.
Amazon Disc On Demand
Amazon is another interesting dynamic as more and more people get used to using it and even consuming music with it. Songcast provides you with the opportunity to sell physical copies of your music via Amazon. You make a 35% commission on the sale of your music and get to determine the price you charge.
Ping Artist Account
This is a social network that allows fans to follow their favorite artists. When fans follow your account they are notified of your activity as an artist whether it’s the new music you just put out or other types of music you recommend. This is an interesting feature from Songcast that could help grow your fan base to a degree. My question is, how many of your friends or fans truly turn to Songcast to discover new music or even find your music?
Songcast App
Songcast has its own music streaming service and internet radio platform that you can leverage from your phone. This is different from companies like Amuse who allow you to handle your distribution needs strictly from an app. Something you cannot do, through the Songcast app.
iTunes Widgets
This is essentially a media player for your uploaded music that you can embed on your website. You do have a website correct? This previews your music and provides a link for your fans to buy your music from as well.
Cover Songs
Like most distribution platforms you can submit cover songs on Songcast but will have to get the permission to do so on your own. Unfortunately, Songcast does not help you obtain mechanical licenses.
Soundcloud Monetization
This feature specifically helps distribute your music to Soundcloud, and Songcast helps to monetize your releases for you. Songcast seems to have a strong relationship with Soundcloud as they even allow you to upload your music directly to the platform as previously mentioned.
Analytics & Reporting
Songcast does provide iTunes daily stats, trending reports, monthly sales reports, royalties, and accounting information. In order to access Spotify and Apple Music daily stats, you will need to pay a one-time setup fee of $13.99. I personally do not like the fact that you have to pay for your stats considering that this is very uncommon in comparison to other companies.
Artist Payout
Getting paid is always fun and in order to do so with Songcast you will need to have a PayPal account. Without one, you will not be able to withdraw your funds from the platform. Your funds become available on the 20th of every month and you can use your balances to cover the cost of distribution services if you prefer.
Payment Splitting
Presently it is our understanding that Songcast does not allow you the option of payment splitting. Although some companies might allow you to set this up manually if you contact them and deal with them directly.
Ease of Use
The Songcast platform is very easy to use and straightforward. With that said, the upload process is not as in-depth as some other companies processes but at the end of the day, it gets the job done.
Customer Support
Contact with Songcast is via email and they respond within 48 hours. You can also submit questions directly on their site as a Songcast artist, however, no live chat is provided.
Songcast Alternatives
Spinnup
Songtradr
Distrokid
Final Verdict
Songcast is an interesting platform and I must give them a lot of praise as they have made a ton of strides to improve upon their service offering compared to what it was a few years ago. I personally have had to deal with there support on a couple of occasions and even though the situation itself was quite frustrating, they were very helpful and understanding throughout the situation. With that said I still believe that Songcast comes up short in a lot of areas.
When I look at the features they are offering artists, they certainly sound great on the surface but when you dig deeper you begin to realize that it would be difficult for most artists to really benefit from them. Even when the larger distributors attempt to offer promotional features that are situated on their own platforms, you need to consider how your fans and music lovers, in general, consume music. Is someone going to run to Songcast to listen to your music on their streaming app or radio networks? Or are they running to Spotify and iTunes?
This isn’t to knock Songcast because CD Baby and other companies offer similar things. However, in conjunction with these types of services, CD Baby also has other features that are more beneficial to artists like admin publishing. With that said It is hard to steer you in Songcasts direction given the other options out there at the moment but if just getting your music live and distributed is your main focus then Songcast can certainly assist you.
Check Out Songcast Here
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
[thrive_leads id=’2538′]
Kevin is the founder of Music With Flavor, which joined Whipped Cream Sounds in 2023. He is a seasoned musician turned industry expert. His passion for music goes beyond melodies; he delves deep into the intricate world of music marketing, striving to unearth the most effective strategies for indie musicians. However, Music With Flavor isn’t just about Kevin’s knowledge; it’s a network of industry experts handpicked to provide the most trusted advice. Kevin’s role is to pose the right questions, not just answer them, as he and his team tirelessly research trends, connect with artists, and gather valuable insights.
