Indie artist services and distribution platform UnitedMasters continues to disrupt the music industry by lowering the cost of doing business for musicians.
In 2020, UnitedMasters introduced a $5-per-month subscription that allowed artists to retain 100% of their royalties, eliminating the 10% royalty fee previously retained by the platform. Now, UnitedMasters is taking it a step further with the launch of its new subscription tier, DEBUT+, which offers the same 100% royalty retention but at a significantly reduced cost of $19.99 per year (approximately $1.67 per month). As of August 13, DEBUT+ is available in key markets including the US, UK, Canada, Nigeria, and Brazil.
Steve Stoute, Founder and CEO of UnitedMasters, emphasized the platform's commitment to empowering independent artists. “The possibilities for independent artists have never been greater, but having the right partner is crucial. UnitedMasters offers the most compelling services for artists at any career stage,” he said.
To mark the debut of DEBUT+, UnitedMasters is launching the "Make Your Debut Challenge," a competition for US-based artists on the platform. Participants can submit their tracks for a chance to win a $250,000 prize, an artist partnership deal, A&R and marketing funds, a development and marketing plan, and a performance slot at this year’s New York SelectCon, a music conference hosted by UnitedMasters.
Eligible artists must be US-based, DEBUT+ or SELECT members, and must release a track through UnitedMasters after June 1, 2024. They also need to share the track on Instagram or TikTok with the @unitedmasters tag and the #debutcontest hashtag.
UnitedMasters provides artists with distribution across over 50 platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, and Instagram. Its features include unlimited music releases, streaming analytics, educational resources, and personalized coaching. The platform is credited with helping artists like FloyyMenor, Tobe Nwigwe, Earthgang, and BigXThaPlug gain prominence. With over 2 million indie artists on board, UnitedMasters also connects artists with major brands such as ESPN, Diageo, and Pepsi.
The company has secured substantial funding through multiple rounds, including a notable $70 million investment in 2017 from Google’s parent company Alphabet, Andreessen Horowitz, and 20th Century Fox. A 2021 funding round valued UnitedMasters at $550 million.
Over the years, UnitedMasters has expanded its offerings, including the launch of a mobile app in 2019, a deal with TikTok for direct music distribution, a beat marketplace, and partnerships with music financing platform beatBread for artist advances up to $1 million. Recent initiatives include collaborations with Nigerian producer Sarz to create opportunities for African artists, a partnership with SymphonyOS for AI-driven music marketing, and the introduction of “Blueprint,” a personalized artist development tool.
UnitedMasters has also invested in Udio, one of the two AI-powered music generation platforms currently facing legal challenges from major recording companies over alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted music for AI training.
The platform’s lower service costs reflect both the competitive landscape of indie distribution and Steve Stoute’s vision for the future of the music industry. In a 2021 interview, Stoute predicted a shift in record companies' roles, suggesting that their future function would mainly be to manage existing catalogs rather than owning new artist intellectual property.
“Big companies will become managers of catalogs,” Stoute predicted. “If they try to maintain the old model of owning artists' rights from the start, they will end up just managing the intellectual property they’ve accumulated over the last 50 years.”
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