Published on Sep 21, 2024
Artists sign up for digital distribution with dreams of earning money from their music, but before that happens, the music needs to be heard. Often, the music doesn't get heard, and artists end up paying annual fees for distribution while recouping less than zero percent of the cost. Distributors don’t consider it their responsibility to help your music get heard; they distribute your music to stores, and that's it, which is fair. SoundOn changes the game by plugging artists into a network of over 3 million TikTok creators the service will allow you to use your music in TikToks to drive discovery and revenue. It’s free distribution, bundled with free promotion.
There is no cost attached to using SoundOn, no upfront fee, and no backend percentage for revenue generated by Bytedance-owned properties like TikTok and Resso. You only pay 10% of royalties generated by third-party platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. This is significant because your music is likely to earn more from Bytedance-owned properties through SoundOn, so you’ll keep more of the revenue you earn from the places you earn the most.
Some distributors claim to provide data on the performance of your music on TikTok, but that information is likely to be more accurate and detailed coming from the source.
Transparency: Great. Customer support: Ok. Payment: Great. Stores: Great. Features: Great. Longevity: SoundOn hasn't been around that long and has to prove staying power. Fees: Great. Red Flags: TikTok is facing a ban. Track record: Great.
Unlimited distribution with no upfront fee. Revenue share with select platforms.
10% of revenue after the first year from non-Bytedance-owned properties. Keep 100% from TikTok, Resso, and CapCut
Waives all transaction fees
Unlimited Inventory
Yes - Free
Unlimited
Included - Free
Yes, music will not be removed from stores.
No Exclusivity clause.
Average
Included - Keep 100% for the first year, then 90%
Warning - music may be removed, but no ban. Appeal process: You can appeal if you feel the wrong decision has been made, and SoundOn will work with streaming platforms to investigate. Songs can be restored with stream counts and royalties returned. Violators face removal, bans, and fines.
Included + Bring your own
Check the Comparison Charts for the most updated and comprehensive information
New artists who need a jump start to get their music out there should consider using SoundOn. It's free for the first year. You don't pay anything, no upfront fee, and no backend fee. Bytedance created SoundOn to capitalize on the success of TikTok, which it also owns. It's wise to exercise caution when distribution isn't a company's core product because you don't know the level of commitment to the service. The ultimate goal of Bytedance could be to create a marketplace where artists have to pay for the promotion, and this could all be a setup for that. TikTok is actively fighting being banned in the US and has been banned by multiple countries over privacy concerns. SoundOn has a symbiotic relationship with TikTok, where if TikTok gets banned, there's no reason to use SoundOn. Additionally, success on TikTok often doesn't translate to success outside of the platform, so the promotion may not drive more streaming activity. With agreement being non-exclusive with no upfront fee, artists can use SoundOn for TikTok exclusively and another distributor to get music into all other stores.