Alternative models of distribtuion
With
Katie MeluaHow services like Ditto Music let you distribute your tracks to streaming platforms and stores without signing to a label.
What's in the course
40 lessons (2h 33m) · 1 free
01. Getting started, open mics and unpaid gigs
2:52
02. Becoming local heroes and booking tours
6:12
03. Getting creative about gigs
3:44
04. Stagecraft – Jeremy from Everything Everything
2:21
05. Capitalising on your audience
4:50
06. Engaging Direct to Fan
7:41
07. Knowing your online audience and using data effectively
7:25
Lesson transcript
Ditto Music Upload Process Guide
At Ditto Music, we have an online portal that effectively guides you through the upload stages step by step. Here's what to expect:
Stage One: Artwork Upload
- Artwork Requirements: Your artwork needs to be 1500 by 1500 pixels, including:
- Artist name
- Release title
- Release Date: You'll need to provide a release date, which we advise to be a minimum of two weeks from the point of upload. This allows enough time for your content to reach the stores.
Barcode Provision
- We will provide you with a barcode, so you don't have to obtain one yourself.
Stage Two: Track Upload
- On the next page, you will be requested to upload the individual tracks for your release, whether it's a:
- Single
- EP
- Album
- If you don't already have ISRC codes, we will provide them for you.
Questions About Your Tracks
- You will be asked certain questions regarding your individual tracks, such as:
- Are there featured artists?
- Is it explicit content?
Store Selection
- As you progress through our system, you'll be prompted to select which stores you want to distribute to. Options include:
- Individual packages just for streaming sites
- Dance packages for dance artists
- A comprehensive package that includes all stores and streaming sites
Quick Go Live with iTunes
- We can get your music live on iTunes within approximately four hours, sometimes even quicker, thanks to our service called iTunes Express.
- Other digital retailers, like Spotify and Amazon, typically take about 7 to 10 working days to go live.
Business Model
- Our business model is completely service-based. We provide a service in exchange for a fee and do not take any percentage of your royalties.
Pricing:
- Single Distribution: £6 plus VAT
- Album Distribution: £20 plus VAT
- Yearly Subscription: £49 per year
- This option allows you to release as much music as you wish within that timescale every year.
Comparison with Other Models
- Other business models may not charge an upfront fee but take a percentage of your royalties. This typically ranges from 5% to 15%, depending on where the artist is in their career and the amount of work involved on the company's side at that point.
40 lessons
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Katie Melua is one of the UK's most successful recording artists, with more than 11 million albums sold worldwide and a string of multi-platinum releases. Born Ketevan Melua in Kutaisi, Georgia, in 1984, she moved with her family to Belfast as a child and later studied at the BRIT School in London, where she was discovered by songwriter and producer Mike Batt.
Her debut album 'Call Off the Search' (2003), released when she was 19, spent six weeks at No. 1 in the UK and went six-times platinum, driven by the hit single 'The Closest Thing to Crazy'. Its follow-up 'Piece by Piece' (2005) topped charts across Europe and featured her signature song 'Nine Million Bicycles'. In 2006 she earned a place in the Guinness World Records book by playing the deepest underwater concert ever staged, 303 metres below sea level on a North Sea gas platform.
A remarkable run of top-ten albums followed — 'Pictures' (2007), the William Orbit-produced 'The House' (2010), 'Secret Symphony' (2012) and 'Ketevan' (2013) — as Melua refined a sound that moves effortlessly between jazz, folk and classic pop songwriting. 'In Winter' (2016), recorded in Georgia with the Gori Women's Choir and produced by Melua herself, revealed a new depth to her artistry.
Her recent work is her most personal: 'Album No. 8' (2020) and 'Love & Money' (2023) drew some of the strongest reviews of her career, and 'Live at the Royal Albert Hall' (2024) celebrated two decades at the top of British music. She remains a captivating live performer, touring extensively across Europe and beyond.
