In the first half of 2024, tracks within TuneCore Accelerator gained over 3 billion track discoveries* and experienced nearly 10 billion new streams, fueling music discovery and supporting audience development.
NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- TuneCore, the leading independent development partner for self-releasing artists—owned by Believe, one of the world's leading digital music companies—has released the second edition of the TuneCore Accelerator Report, showcasing the increased streaming, revenue and fanbase growth self-releasing artists have experienced as a result of the company's TuneCore Accelerator platform.
Launched in 2023, TuneCore Accelerator is the powerhouse platform that helps independent artists find new audiences and propel fan discovery at each phase of development. This first of its kind platform provides access to promotional and marketing programs designed with clear objectives to help today's artists: drive the discovery of their music, build their audience, and promote deeper fan engagement. TuneCore Accelerator consists of four development plans specifically customized to serve artists at different stages of their careers:
- START: Early stage of development (tracks garnering <1,000 streams per year)—Enables artists to find their first listeners
- AMPLIFY: Emerging stage of development (tracks garnering 1K - 9,999 streams per year)—Builds artist discovery and listener engagement
- BREAK: Accelerating stage of development (tracks garnering 10K - 99,999 streams per year)—Levels up artists to break and accelerate their fan exposure
- MAXIMIZE: Top stage of development (tracks garnering 100K - 1M+ streams per year)—Optimizes catalogs of artists whose tracks already have significant audience reach and streams to deepen fandom while also maximizing exposure and catalog value
Andreea Gleeson, CEO, TuneCore, commented, "Throughout TuneCore's years operating as a digital distribution platform, the industry has been constantly evolving, both providing new opportunities and creating new challenges for artists to get their music heard. It is apparent now more than ever that self-releasing artists—especially those in the early stages of their careers—need more from TuneCore than just distribution; they need access to programs that can help get their music in front of the right audiences to lay the foundation for long-term career growth. With TuneCore Accelerator, we are providing artists with unparalleled access to marketing and promotional opportunities that fuel streaming growth, support audience development, and ultimately help artists make more money."
TuneCore Accelerator sits at the center of TuneCore's pivot from an automated distribution service for independent artists to an audience growth and development platform specializing in helping artists in the early stages of their careers lay the foundation for sustainable, long-term growth. The continued expansion of TuneCore Accelerator includes multiple new marketing programs, DSP partner pilots, and access to Believe Group's proprietary catalog optimizer tool which selects an artist's tracks with the highest potential for growth to be included in promotional opportunities during each phase of development.
Key findings from the second TuneCore Accelerator Report include:
- In the first half of 2024, TuneCore Accelerator contributed to more than 3 billion track discoveries* for artists in the program.
- Tracks within TuneCore Accelerator gained over 3 billion new discoveries* and experienced nearly 10 billion new streams, fueling music discovery and supporting audience development.
- More than 250,000 independent artists around the world have signed up for TuneCore Accelerator.
- In the first half of 2024, tracks from nearly 85,000 artists were selected by TuneCore Accelerator's proprietary catalog optimization technology to be included in one or more of TuneCore Accelerator's audience development programs, with almost 30,000 of those artists participating in the program for the first time.
- In the same period, 1 out of 12 artists within TuneCore Accelerator moved to a higher segment level and, on average, more than doubled their monthly royalty earnings compared to the first half of 2023.
- Artists starting out in the "Start" and "Amplify" levels increased their earnings 5x and 3x on average, respectively, in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
- TuneCore Accelerator is driving triple digit growth for both frontline releases and back catalog.
- TuneCore Accelerator's catalog optimization tools helped significantly increase the value and exposure of artists' catalog releases, with tracks released more than 18 months prior to inclusion within the program accruing an average 338% increase in streams** in the first half of 2024 compared to their baseline average prior to inclusion in the program.
- TuneCore Accelerator is fueling streaming growth for artists around the world.
- In the first half of 2024, the US showed a streaming growth rate of 33% for tracks within TuneCore Accelerator compared to the same period in 2023. Internationally, West & East Africa, Eastern Europe, LATAM, and Southeast Asia showed the most significant growth, posting 91%, 86%, 68%, and 55% year-over-year streaming growth rates, respectively, for tracks within TuneCore Accelerator.**
Case studies:
Baby Smoove
Detroit rapper Baby Smoove began releasing with TuneCore as an independent artist in 2017, quickly making waves with his debut full-length project, Riding With the Goat, before skyrocketing to fame in the wake of his 2018 RIAA Gold certified track "Losing My Mind." His prolific output and rapidly-growing fanbase has attracted media attention from Pitchfork, Billboard, The FADER & more, and gave rise to collaborations with high-profile artists including Lil Yachty. In the first half of 2024, Baby Smoove's tracks within TuneCore Accelerator gained more than 20 million streams. TuneCore Accelerator also helped Baby Smoove reach new audiences internationally, with the rapper more than doubling his share of streams coming from India.
Baby Smoove commented, "TuneCore has given me the opportunity to experience being a fully independent artist, able to create my own path and control the direction I want to take my music in. TuneCore pays 100% to the artist and I'm proud to show other artists that you can do it independently."
Meg Smith
Brooklyn-based alt-pop artist Meg Smith came to TuneCore as a self-releasing artist in 2016 and, in less than a decade, has established herself as one of music's most exciting rising stars. In the last two years alone, through TuneCore Accelerator, Smith's music has been featured on nearly 100 editorial playlists across DSPs, drawing attention from media outlets including Rolling Stone, SPIN, Wonderland Magazine & more. In 2024, she took home the Pop award at the Hollywood Independent Music Awards for her song "jesus christ in a mini skirt" and was named one of Spotify's "Pop Rising" Artists to Watch in 2024. Tracks on Meg Smith's recent EP, emotional affair, have accrued over 2 million total streams since release, with more than half of those streams gained as a direct result of TuneCore Accelerator. TuneCore Accelerator also increased Smith's exposure overseas, more than doubling her share of streams coming from both the UK and Australia/New Zealand.
Smith commented, "TuneCore has played an integral part in my growth as an artist. They've supported every release with the care & hard work that every artist deserves. Not to mention the countless times they've gone above & beyond to help grow my brand with press, event invites, & marketing opportunities."
International Artist Growth:
Success within TuneCore Accelerator continues to reach beyond any one region, with artists from all over the world growing their audiences and significantly increasing their streams.
- Lizzie Berchie - United Kingdom: Tracks from the London-based neo-soul singer, songwriter and producer's EP Am I An Adult Yet? have gained nearly 800,000 streams through TuneCore Accelerator
- Shannon - Martinique: The Martiniquais Shatta/dancehall artist's recent single "Ou wont" has gained more than 380,000 streams since its release, with nearly a quarter of those streams attributed to TuneCore Accelerator
- Lelosa - Germany: The German hip-hop phenom's recent single "Yappa Yappa" has gained more than 100,000 streams through TuneCore Accelerator
The full TuneCore Accelerator Report can be found HERE.
*Total number of times TuneCore Accelerator program was the source for a listener to discover a track
**Streaming growth across DSP platforms where TuneCore Accelerator is actively running programs
About Believe:
Believe is one of the world's leading digital music companies. Believe's mission is to develop independent artists and labels in the digital world by providing them the solutions they need to grow their audience at each stage of their career and development. Believe's passionate team of digital music experts around the world leverages the Group's global technology platform to advise artists and labels, distribute and promote their music. Its 2,020 employees in more than 50 countries aim to support independent artists and labels with a unique digital expertise, respect, fairness and transparency. Believe offers its various solutions through a portfolio of brands including Believe, TuneCore, Nuclear Blast, Naïve, Groove Attack, AllPoints, Ishtar and Byond. Believe is listed on compartment B of the regulated market of Euronext Paris (Ticker: BLV, ISIN: FR0014003FE9). www.believe.com
About TuneCore:
TuneCore is the leading independent development partner for self-releasing artists to build audiences and careers – with technology and services across distribution, publishing administration, and a range of promotional services. TuneCore Music Distribution services help artists, labels, and managers sell their music through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, Tencent, and more than 150 download and streaming stores worldwide, while retaining 100 percent of their rights for a low annual flat fee. TuneCore Music Publishing Administration assists songwriters by administering their compositions through licensing, registration, worldwide royalty collections, and placement opportunities in film, TV, commercials, video games, and more. The TuneCore Artist Services portal offers a suite of tools and services that enable artists to promote their craft, connect with fans, and get their music heard. TuneCore, part of Believe, is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with offices in Los Angeles and Nashville, and operates globally through local teams based in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, South Africa, India, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore across 5 continents. www.tunecore.com
Media Contact
John Graffo, TuneCore, 1 6782066668, [email protected], www.tunecore.com
Maria Ho-Burge, TuneCore, 1 9179294888, [email protected], www.tunecore.com
SOURCE TuneCore
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