Spotify comes to the U.S. It is like iTunes, meets Pandora, meets the Copyright Office, meets Harry Fox’s sample clearing agency. The revenue streams are vast with premium accounts that allow you to save playlists offline, bring up tunes on your mobile devices and home computer, as well as share via Facebook, Twitter, and instant messaging services. In addition, there is a copyright registration service for recording artists that charges $85 per submission that is user friendly, simple, and provides customer service for any concerns dealing with the copyright process. Subsequently, Harry Fox Agency has inked a deal with Spotify that will allow mechanical rights to be cleared as a new submission is distributed over the net.

Spotify serves quite a few purposes that can streamline promotional efforts on the web for artists. For instance, if I decided to release a new album, then I could upload the release on Spotify, get it copyrighted, any samples cleared, and start promoting the album via sharing it to Facebook, Twitter, vids via You Tube, and use the forums as an interactive review board for the tracks. Keep in mind Spotify pays only $0.0043 per play, so, other types of marketing will be necessary. The interesting thing on Spotify is the ability to market “leaked tracks” or “firestarter tracks” that lend themselves to build a following. Thus, Spotify can be used to get gigs, build tours, land interviews, and possible publishing/distribution deals to solidify more lucrative revenue streams via downloads, album sales, merchandise sold at venues, licensing opportunities, and more.

Some hail Spotify as the second coming, but I see it as just another tool or arrow in your online marketing quiver. It is very powerful as a sharing tool, but remember the times are circling back to the times of touring acts and bands. If you can find a way to be a touring act that never has to leave your home, then fine. But if you could do that then your garage would be large enough to sell enough tickets to make serious money. Until then, get on the road, get gigs, be willing to travel, and make money.

In a recent article by Jon Ostrow for Miccontrol.com, he describes an oversimplified marketing tool in music, the radio single. I am going to briefly describe each type of radio single. Afterwards, this post will go deeper into proper application to create a diversified revenue stream for an artist at any level of their career.

These individual musical creations need to be understood as businesses in and of themselves. All copyrights, publishing assignments, and marketing stratagems should be created individually to hone in on how to best maximize their profitability. Do not take for granted each single will have the effect you intended without crafting where it will be marketed, why, and having a clear understanding of how the revenue stream works. In addition, profit goals put forth in each single’s marketing plan will be different due to a list of factors including market visibility, influence, and target market persona. Keep these things in mind and you can multiply revenue with just a few song selections without the need for long albums and increased production costs. Welcome to the age of radio singles and EP’s reborn.