Music is a global business, but many in the industry do not realize how the amount of untapped potential that exists in other markets.
You don’t have to reinvent the music business to succeed. Sometimes, all you need to get ahead is an understanding of where the industry is going. Andrew Spalter did just that when he realized there were countless American artists with no knowledge of the Chinese marketplace. He soon launched East Goes Global, which he appears on Inside Music today to discuss.
Many artists use third-party companies to place their music on streaming services. Those companies often promote ‘global distribution’ with enticing messaging about getting an artist’s music onto dozens of streaming platforms, many of which the artist has likely never heard of before. What many fail to realize is that this messaging is often a thinly veiled lie. Music distribution services may get you into other markets, but it won’t get you everywhere. At least, not yet.
China’s music scene is booming right now. The most popular streaming service, QQMusic, has more than 800 million users. That figure makes the service more than three times as popular as Spotify, but the vast majority of American musicians have no idea QQMusic even exists. In fact, services such as Tunecore and Distrokid did not service music to the streaming platform until October 2019.
Spalter’s hope with East Goes Global is to help artists of all sizes understand the international music marketplace. On this episode of Inside Music, Spalter shares tips and tricks for making a global impact without (necessarily) needing to leave your hometown. His advice will put more money into your pocket while raising the potential for global popularity that, until very recently, was out of reach for most American musicians.
