✨Yet another reason why Decentralized music is the best space for independent artists like me ✨:
One morning I woke up to an unsettling email from my distribuor, "We've been notified by Spotify that they've removed your release due to artificial streaming: 'Never Knew'...We haven't been given any additional information...and have no way to help or appeal Spotify's decision. Sorry for any inconvenience this caused..."
I quickly opened Spotify and sure enough my single "Never Knew" was gone - No clear path for appeal nor an explanation as to what playlist was the culprit.
As an independent artist, I have to use third party playlist curators to promote releases on major streaming platforms. I've only used SubmitHub and Groover, which are supposed to be sanctioned by Spotify because I submit songs for consideration Not for guaranteed placement - spending money just to be heard. But that effort has gotten my music taken down without any information to avoid a possible infringement on these veiled guidelines in the future. I am fortunate that "Never Knew" was also featured on my EP, so it has not been completely removed from the platform, but what does this mean for my singles not apart of a dedicated album? Would they have been erased?
The whole experience would have left me feeling powerless and defeated if I didn't know about #v4vmusic 🙏 Thanks to the #nostr community and #v4v platforms like nostr:nprofile1qqszy58kj62v9fpe98nhuh0q76np4e0r0g0wd44rhth3wphdnyqjfzcpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduq3wamnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwvd6hyun9de6zuenedyq3yamnwvaz7tmwdaehgu3wwccxctnfduyrnr5s independent artists, like me, finally have a space to be heard, to grow and have true autonomy over our art. 💚
https://wavlake.com/track/97e522d3-3a49-42cd-a58e-787e27dcaf3d
Damn sorry to read that, fucking sucks. I nearly had an issue with a release due to YT saying there were uncleared samples of which there were none. Fortunately the argument was at the aggregator level but it still caused me a wasted day fighting the case.
I hope you can pick up some traction on Wavlake or Bandcamp.
I no longer put any work on the other streaming platforms, fuck them.
Best of luck x
Thank you so much! Best of luck to you too. So grateful there are other avenues for us now 🙏
How do you get on with Bandcamp? That’s still by far our best revenue stream.
That's great you are doing well on Bandcamp! I have not gained much traction on there thusfar. Best engagement I've had is through #v4v
Part of the reason we do ok on Bandcamp is I’ve been on the Fediverse (Mastodon mainly) since 2019 and there’s a strong Bandcamp culture there.
I no longer release on Spotify and at gigs I specifically say to the audience if they like what we do and want to support, either buy physical direct from us or buy from Bandcamp. Telling them directly usually brings in a few sales.
Asking people at gigs to visit Spotify is bollocks, if people like you, they can find you. Telling them to use Spotify only creates free advertising for a platform that shows us zero respect!
Also fuck Daniel Elk, he’s not even a real Elk.
