Music distributor TuneCore eyes VisMin market

CEBU, Philippines —  Before the internet revolutionized the music industry with platforms like iTunes and TikTok, artists needed to sign with record labels to release their music. Depending on their contracts, these artists may not own the copyrights to their work and will receive only a fraction of the royalties.

With the advent of streaming platforms, artists now have the freedom to release music on their terms, retain ownership of their masters, and collect 100 percent of their royalties.

TuneCore, a global music distribution company founded in 2005, allows artists to upload their music to over 150 streaming platforms worldwide including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, while retaining full control over their royalties and masters by paying an annual flat rate.

Last August 2, TuneCore held its first workshop in Cebu at Mango Square Mall where it introduced its services to local musicians. Some delegates flew from Cagayan De Oro and Butuan City to attend the event.

The distributor offers various pricing plans, ranging from $19.99 annually for artists to $49.99 for music labels and industry professionals. A free membership option is also available with certain limitations, while the $34.99 plan provides artists with additional customization tools for their music releases not included in the $19.99 plan.

The sign-up process with TuneCore is straightforward. Musicians create an account, select a plan, pay the annual fee, and upload their music. Cashless payment methods include GCash, allowing Philippine-based artists to pay with the digital app instead of PayPal or bank cards.

Filipino artists such as Bugoy na Koykoy, Alisson Shore, and TONEEJAY have used TuneCore to distribute their work to digital music platforms.

“TuneCore is one of the easiest ways for artists to get their music out there in the quickest time frame possible, and it’s also one of the most affordable methods for them to distribute their music and be heard worldwide,” Head of TuneCore Southeast Asia Cyrus Chen told The FREEMAN.

The company’s mission is to establish a local community to support rising Cebuano and other VisMin artists, decentralizing the Philippine music industry so that success isn’t limited to those based in Manila.

“Cebu has always been a target market, so we understand the pleas of Cebuano artists as they don’t have to get validation from Manila. TuneCore is here to help them and grow the local market,” said Romeo Andres, TuneCore’s Country Coordinator for the Philippines.

Chen added, “Our strategy for the coming years is to establish a community in other emerging cities like Cebu. Previously, our focus had always been the capital cities of each country. We saw the potential in other emerging markets in the Philippines, so we wanted to step in and come to the scene if there are any opportunities to help elevate it.”

One of TuneCore’s plans for Cebu is to engage with the local music education sector, aiming to help young aspiring Cebuano artists understand the music industry from the ground up.

“It’s supposed to be a grassroots kind of movement. Get the artists where they are on the brink of deciding for themselves whether they want to take this as a passion or take it seriously as a job,” Andres explained. “We want to engage the artist early on and show them the feasibility of what a performing artist can do.”

TuneCore is also exploring partnerships with local music venues to showcase emerging artists who use the platform to distribute their music.

Chen emphasized, “That’s why it’s important as distributors to step in and bridge the gap between the artist and the music business.”