Universal music group now owns cd baby and Fuga. I'm a major label artist now.

[M4T]

There's no such thing as indie anymore , ftc should step in.Universal’s Virgin Music Group to buy Downtown Music for $775 million - Music Business Worldwide

 

[BK The Great]

So they own everyone's masters then?

 

[Loud Still Coolin]

 

[Artificial Intelligence]

What about distrokid… I don’t want them being bought out too

 

[Jx2]

There’s still other avenues like distrokid, tunecore, etc

 

[M4T]

What about distrokid… I don’t want them being bought out too

Spotify which is partially owned by the labels owns distrokid. Distrokid artist are "randomly" get botted by playlist companies that Spotify refuses to do anything about and getting the music removed. Royalty rates are paid by market share ,so the labels are buying up all the indie distros to increase their royalties rates.

 

[M4T]

So they own everyone's masters then?

They don't own the masters , but song trust is what most indie artist use to administer their publishing . So UMG now controls the publishing for most indie artist. Fuga is the largest white label indie distributor . They are the backend for most indie distributors . Kanye tried to get a direct deal with them and they said no,so he used one of their white labels and they pulled the album . Shorty after it was announced that Fuga is owned by UMG,how ironic .

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

Spotify which is partially owned by the labels owns distrokid. Distrokid artist are "randomly" get botted by playlist companies that Spotify refuses to do anything about and getting the music removed. Royalty rates are paid by market share ,so the labels are buying up all the indie distros to increase their royalties rates.

I'm pretty sure Spotify was forced to drop label ties many years ago.

 

[Yehuda]

No such thing as an independent artist, that shyt is nothing but marketing.

 

[Crumple]

So they own everyone's masters then?

I don't think so, unless someone can show paperwork. If someone can, please do!

 

[Sackballions]

nikka WE MADE IT

 

[M4T]

I'm pretty sure Spotify was forced to drop label ties many years ago.

Sony and UMG still own a lot of stock officially , and some unofficially threw holding companies. Try finding an unsigned artist on any official Spotify playlist.

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

Sony and UMG still own a lot of stock officially , and some unofficially threw holding companies. Try finding an unsigned artist on any official Spotify playlist.

I see that umg has 3% don't know about Sony. But labels have a collective 18%. Yes they run playlists but that's it.

There has never been another time where an independent artist has this much access to industrial resources without being industry regardless. Thread makes it sound like it's over for independent artist.

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

Spotify which is partially owned by the labels owns distrokid. Distrokid artist are "randomly" get botted by playlist companies that Spotify refuses to do anything about and getting the music removed. Royalty rates are paid by market share ,so the labels are buying up all the indie distros to increase their royalties rates.

Royalty is not paid by market share

 

[M4T]

Royalty is not paid by market share

Yes it is. Every distro has their own rates with DSPs, indies are currently at 50 percent market share and that lowers the rates for the majors.