'Having my first release be through UnitedMasters, I got a crash course on how to successfully release something and also how to market it to brands, which I didn’t even know was a possibility with my first song.'
AMIRA UNPLUGGED
148.4K FOLLOWERS
Take off with PARTNER
Dedicated artist relations support
Elevate your creative output and cut through the noise with the help of industry pros on our team.
Personalized marketing campaign
Get seen with bespoke marketing campaigns including editorial playlist pitching, digital marketing, creative strategies, experiential moments, and more.
Custom distribution strategy
Work with our team to grow your fans and streams across distribution channels. Plus, claim your music on YouTube with Content ID.
Brand & sync pitching
Increase your discoverability and unlock unparalleled earning opportunities with hand-picked brand collabs.
Fund your future with advances
Access funding to supercharge your recording process, creative production, marketing rollouts, and more.
Build your audience while driving streams with shareable MasterLinks, customizable ArtistPages, and fan management tools. Plus, you can qualify to enroll tracks into Spotify’s Discovery mode.
Eligible to be invited to PARTNER
Get scouted for our PARTNER plan, where artists get hands on help to level up in their music careers.
Distributing your music as an independent artist is easier than ever, and you don't need to be signed to a traditional label to do so. To distribute your music digitally, follow these steps:
1) Create your music: Write and record your music in a high-quality format, such as WAV or FLAC, with mixing.
2) Create a UnitedMasters account: Sign up for UnitedMasters and create an Artist profile. Choose between distributing to an existing Spotify and Apple Music page, or releasing on new profiles. Join UnitedMasters DEBUT+ or SELECT to distribute your music to more platforms.
3) Upload your music: Upload your music files and metadata such as track titles, album artwork, and collaborators. Digitally master your songs with Mastering through our platform.
4) Confirm the details: Enter the release details and add collaborators to share royalties.
5) Review and submit: Submit it for approval by UnitedMasters. DEBUT+ and SELECT artists can choose their release dates to better plan their promotional strategies.
6) Release your music: Your music will be distributed to the platforms available to your plan. You can release in as little as 5 business days with DEBUT+ and 2 business days with SELECT.
WHAT KIND OF INDEPENDENT ARTISTS DOES UNITEDMASTERS WORK WITH?
UnitedMasters works with artists across various genres and is open to artists at all levels of their career, from emerging artists to established musicians. Our plans are designed for independent artists at various stages of their music careers:
DEBUT is best for artists looking to get their first tracks out there. Artists are able to distribute to limited streaming platforms, and retain 90% of their royalties while UnitedMasters keeps 10% as a commission.
DEBUT+ is best for artists looking to kickstart their music career. For $19.99/year, artists are able to release unlimited music to 50 of the largest music services and retain 100% of their royalties.
SELECT is for artists who want to level up by getting access unlimited music releases, and Exclusive brand & sync deals. SELECT artists pay $59.99/year for a membership and keep 100% of their streaming royalties.
PARTNER is our invite-based plan for established artists who need hands-on artist services from our in-house artist relations team. UnitedMasters SELECT artists are eligible to be invited to PARTNER.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNITEDMASTERS DEBUT+ AND THE UNITEDMASTERS SELECT PLAN?
UnitedMasters DEBUT+ is a plan that gives artists the tools to distribute unlimited music to over 50 of the top music services, as well as advanced streaming analytics and scheduled release dates. DEBUT+ artists keep 100% of their streaming royalties and can cash out anytime. This plan costs $19.99 annually.
UnitedMasters SELECT is a premium plan that provides artists with 100% of their streaming royalties without taking a commission. In addition to what you get with DEBUT+, SELECT artists get access to Exclusive brand and sync deals, premium content through Blueprint, and 2 free mastered tracks at signup. This plan costs $59.99 annually.
WHAT CAN I DO TO GET BRAND PARTNERSHIPS AND SYNC LICENSING DEALS?
Brand Partnerships are opportunities that enable artists to be featured as a part of a campaign or placement with a brand. These opportunities vary, and include everything from playlist placements to brand ambassadorships to features in social campaigns. With UnitedMasters you can land partnerships with iconic brands like ESPN, the NBA, and more. Sync licensing opportunities enable artists to get their music featured in audiovisual content such as TV Shows, Movies, Video Games, and more.
It is never guaranteed that you will be selected for these. However, here are things you can do to become brand ready and stand out:
- Have a clean brand image. Make sure your social accounts don't have anything that can be seen as a red flag to global brands.
- Grow your social following. Be consistent with your content and music creation.
- Develop your live performance skills.
- Find promotional opportunities to get your music featured in magazines, radio, and blogs to show your momentum as an artist.
- Distribute your music across all social platforms and streaming services. Own your masters so sync licensing is more seamless for you, and for brands.
DOES UNITEDMASTERS TAKE A PERCENTAGE OF THE INDEPENDENT ARTIST’S SALES?
UnitedMasters has three plans for independent artists in varying stages or their music careers:
DEBUT is free to join and enables artists to release once per month. DEBUT artists keep 90% of their streaming royalties, while UnitedMasters takes a 10% commission.
DEBUT+ is best for artists looking to kickstart their music career. For $19.99/year, artists are able to release unlimited music to 50 of the largest music services and retain 100% of their royalties.
SELECT is $59.99/year and allows artists to distribute an unlimited number of releases. SELECT artists keep 100% of their streaming royalties, meaning UnitedMasters does not take a commission.
PARTNER is an invite-only plan with bespoke royalty splits per artist.