AN UPDATE ON OUR ARTIST PLANS
We started UnitedMasters to make it possible for artists to stay independent. Since we started in 2017, there’s been a seismic shift in the music industry that has made independence not just an option for artists, but the preferred option.
While every independent artist takes a different path to realize their dreams, we’ve learned a few things in the last few years about what it takes to make it independently. One thing is abundantly clear: the path from the bedroom studio to the big stage starts with artists getting their music out on social media. 75% of TikTok users, for example, say they discover new artists through TikTok.
The road to success for independent artists has changed, so we need to change with it. That’s why we’re updating our artist plans to better support every artist at every stage of their independence. DEBUT will now be for artists who want to use social media as a springboard for their music. SELECT will be getting even more features and earning opportunities to help put independent artists on a path to turning their music into their careers. And, PARTNER will be the place for established artists to keep growing without sacrificing their independence.
Here’s what you can expect:
For early stage artists: UnitedMasters DEBUTOur DEBUT plan has historically distributed artists’ music to Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services. These platforms are no longer the only places where artists turn to get their music out there: they head to social media to see if their tracks will find traction and go viral. When you distribute music to social platforms like TikTok, it can be used in users’ videos, which gives it the potential to go viral. Social media is now more than ever the first stop on the road to success for early stage artists.
UnitedMasters artists like Superstar Pride are living proof of the power of social. He distributed his song “Painting Pictures” to TikTok which went viral, helping him find millions of new fans across the world.
To reflect this trend, we’re updating our DEBUT plan to release only to social media platforms. If you’re already on DEBUT, our plan which doesn’t require any upfront membership fees, your past and future music releases will now be distributed only to TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Past and future releases will no longer be distributed to Spotify, Apple Music, or other streaming platforms. Royalties in this plan won’t change: you’ll keep 90% of your earnings, while UnitedMasters keeps a 10% commission.
These changes take effect starting June 15, 2023. If you’re at a stage where you want to be on both social platforms and streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, SELECT is the best plan for you.
For rising artists: UnitedMasters SELECTSELECT is for artists who want music to be their main hustle, not their side hustle. It’s for the ones who are grinding, committed, and ready for what’s next as an independent artist. It’s where you should be if you want to find new fans and get exposure.
You keep 100% of your streaming earnings and distribute your tracks to the same social platforms as DEBUT, plus major streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Pandora, Tidal and 30+ more. You get promotional tools that help you nail your rollouts, like scheduled release dates to plan your music launches around, and MasterLinks to drive your fans to your music on their preferred streaming platforms. You also get priority customer support, so you can release in as little as two business days.
Most of all, artists who choose SELECT get access to thousands of brand & sync opportunities through UnitedMasters with iconic names like the NBA, Bulleit, ESPN, Apple Music, and more. These deals have traditionally only been available to get through major labels. UnitedMasters is able to provide SELECT artists with thousands of breakout brand deals because they’re in our DNA: we own the top Creative Agency in the country, Translation.
SELECT artists like Teria Morada are getting their music synced with Buchanan’s. SELECT artists like Kaylan Arnold are opening for heavy hitters like BigXthaPlug at SXSW. SELECT artists like J. Ivy are taking home GRAMMYⓇ Awards. SELECT artists like Superstar Pride are rising the ranks of the Billboard Hot 100, getting noticed by our team, and getting invited to UnitedMasters PARTNER.
We’re doubling down on our SELECT artists, bringing them even more of what they need to move their music careers forward. This Spring alone we’re rolling out some exciting collabs to help artists thrive, like our new partnership with Snap to get artists paid up to $100K monthly through their creator fund, and upcoming integrations with industry leading promotional tools, like Spotify’s Discovery Mode. You’ll see more updates like these in the coming months as we work to make SELECT the launchpad for independent artists.
For ESTABLISHED ARTISTS: UnitedMasters PARTNER
Becoming a UnitedMasters PARTNER isn’t easy. If you’re invited to PARTNER, it means you’ve done the work. You’ve put in the hours. You’ve gone through the ups and downs, and at the end of the day you focused on what mattered most: making absurdly good music.
Artists like Tobe Nwigwe, EKKSTACY, Kamaiyah, MUSAS, Iman Europe, G-FOE, and many more came up through our platform to become PARTNER artists, and trusted our team to help their careers take off without having to give up their independence. There are limited spaces in PARTNER, where our team gives you the hands-on help you’d expect from a major label without taking ownership of your masters.
SELECT is the proving ground for PARTNER artists. We monitor the tracks, the trajectory, and the momentum of SELECT artists to identify those who we think are ready for all the pressure, excitement, and opportunity that comes with being a PARTNER.
UnitedMasters PARTNER was quietly made known to the public in January, but we’ve been operating it for years to get it right: music release marketing & rollout strategies, dedicated artist relations support, playlist pitching, financial backing, YouTube Content ID, and more. You could be next if you put in the work as a SELECT artist. Here’s what we look for.
Our goal is that these updates will make it easier for artists to find the plan that fits where they’re at, and where they hope to go. Whether your goal is to test the waters on TikTok, to build your independent career and your earnings, or get the backing of a professional team, we’ve got you covered.
