As a music lover, you're probably familiar with Apple Music - it's one of the most popular streaming services out there. And for good reasons: Apple Music includes an easy-to-use interface, powerful music discovery tools, and a massive library of songs, it's a top choice for millions worldwide.
If you're an iOS user, Apple Music is your go-to app for listening to music. But even if you're not, you can still access the service through other operating systems.
🤫 And here's a little-known fact: Apple Music isn't just for listening to what's available on the platform. As an individual user, you can upload your own personal music files to Apple Music library.
As an artist, you can also use the platform to upload your own songs and get noticed by fans worldwide. It's a great way to expand your reach and connect with new listeners. If you're an artist or a label and want to distribute your music on Apple Music for public listening, you can do so through an aggregator or a digital distribution service.
In this article, we will show you the steps to add music to Apple Music for the following cases:
How to Upload Local Music to Apple Music
You can only upload local music on your Mac or Windows PC. Unfortunately, you can't upload music on your phone, but you can sync the music files once you uploaded the tracks on the computer.
To get started, you'll need to install iTunes from Apple's official website if you have a Windows PC. If you use a Mac, you're lucky because Apple Music is already set up on your computer. Remember that you can only upload songs in MP3 and M4A files, not FLAC or WMV on Apple Music.
Once you've set up everything, you can start uploading your music to your Apple Music library. And don't worry. Any songs you post will only be accessible to you, so you can be confident that your music is private.
So, let's dive into how to upload songs to Apple Music on both Mac and Windows computers!
How to Upload Music to Apple Music on a Mac
Uploading your music to Apple Music on your Mac is easy! Here are the steps you can follow:
- Open Apple Music on your Mac.
- From the menu bar, select the music file you want to upload.
- In the dropdown menu, select "upload."
- Choose the music files you want to upload from your computer and click "Open."
- Alternatively, you can drag and drop the music files into the Apple Music app's interface.
- Once your upload is complete, your selected music files will be added to your Apple Music collection. Your songs are in the "Recently Added" or "Artists" sections.
That's it! You can then add that music to a playlist.
How to Upload to Apple Music Via iTunes on a Windows Computer
If you're using a Windows computer, you won't be able to access Apple Music directly since it doesn't run on Windows. But don't worry. You can still upload your music using iTunes! Here's how:
- Open the iTunes app on your PC.
- Click on the menu bar in the upper left corner of the window.
- Choose "Add File to Library" or "Add Folder to Library" from the dropdown menu, depending on what you want to upload.
- Select the music files or folder you want to upload.
- iTunes will import the files into your iTunes library.
- Head to your iTunes library's "Recently Added" or "Artists" tab to access your music.
With these easy steps, you can upload your music and enjoy it on Apple Music in no time!
How to Sync Your Apple Music Files on Mobile Devices
Once you’ve added your music to your Apple Music cloud storage, you’ll be able to access it from your phone, whether you're using an Android device, iPhone, or iPad.
- Tap Music > Preferences and then go to General > Sync Library.
- Choose OK to save the settings.
- Launch the Settings app on your iPhone and go to the Music setting page.
- Toggle the Sync Library option on.
How to Upload Music to Apple Music as an Artist
If you're an aspiring artist looking to grow your fan base and gain global recognition, you'll definitely want to have your music on Apple Music. With an extensive library of accessible tracks and user-friendly apps for both Apple and Android devices, it's the ultimate streaming platform.
Apple Music for Artists
Apple Music for Artists is a platform that gives you direct access to valuable metrics and insights. Once your music is available on Apple Music, you can apply to join Apple Music for Artists and access statistics about your songs' performance. It's a powerful tool to help you better manage your music career.
With Apple Music for Artists, you can monitor your music's performance on Apple Music. You can even use the platform to create unique promotional assets for your content to share on social media. You'll also get detailed insights into your listeners' demographics, such as their ages and geographic locations.
But that's not all. The official Apple Music for Artists app lets you quickly view your most popular songs, videos, Shazams, and your most recent milestones and all-time bests. And when you hit a major achievement, like having a song in a playlist, you can easily celebrate with your fans by posting milestones directly to social media.
Uploading Your Own Music as an Artist
Now that you're ready to upload your songs on Apple Music, let's explore how it works. Before uploading your songs as an artist on Apple Music, it's important to understand the process.
The key thing you need to know about uploading your songs on Apple Music is this:
There are two main ways to upload your song as an artist - you can release your songs through a label or as an independent artist. If you release through a label, they will handle the music delivery on your behalf and take care of the distribution. If you're an independent artist, you need to find a music distributor.
Finding a music distributor
If you're an independent musician, collaborating directly with an Apple-preferred distributor is necessary to get started. In the music industry, distributors play a crucial role, making it possible for artists who use streaming services and download shops to share their music with listeners and efficiently interchange content, data, and money.
As an artist, it's important to focus on creating your art, and distributors can help you navigate the complicated commercial structures of the music industry.
Apple-preferred distributors can assist you in managing the link between retail establishments and streaming services like Apple Music in three major ways:
- Distribution and licensing
- Metadata delivery for music
- Recorded payments and collections for royalties
Besides these, most distributors provide additional services like publishing and performance rights management, advertising, distribution of lyrics, metadata translation, etc.
Many distributors can also help you offer other content, such as music videos or concert films. To find the distributor that best suits your needs, check the list of Apple-preferred distributors on their website.
If you think these additional factors will be crucial for your artistic development, you can choose the distributor that meets your requirements.
Moreover, if there is ever a problem with your music appearing on Apple Music or other digital platforms, your distributor will fight for you to resolve the issue so that your work is always beautiful and audible.
Best Music Distributors for Apple Music
Below are some of the best music distributors for Apple Music:
CD Baby
If you're looking for a music distributor to help you get your music on Apple Music, CD Baby is a great choice. By distributing your music through CD Baby, your songs will automatically be available on Apple Music.
Plus, signing up with CD Baby can help you get verified on Apple Music for Artists more quickly. CD Baby's direct partnership with Apple gives you early access to new features.
Also, all the tools you need to understand the impact of your music on Apple Music and iTunes will be available.
FUGA
FUGA is an excellent choice if you're looking for a top-notch music distributor. They offer an extensive selection of music that meets the highest standards. Their interface is designed to give you complete control over your library, no matter how complicated.
With FUGA, you'll have access to extensive analytics and royalty reporting features that allow you to monitor your releases' performance in real-time. Plus, FUGA provides analytics that distinguishes between Compressed (Hi-Res), Lossless, and Immersive streaming on Apple Music, giving you clear insights into your music's impact.
Payment for Artists
Like Spotify, you will be paid by Apple Music when users stream your songs. Though it is impossible to say the exact amount you can make from streams on Apple Music, the good news is that you get paid for each stream your song creates once it's on the platform.
Apple pays an average from $0.007 to $0.01 per stream, including label and publisher's royalties. So, the more streams your music generates, the more money you will receive. This is because Apple Music derives its revenue from the user subscription fees, of which they give a portion to the artists.
Moreover, unlike other music platforms that pay independent labels significantly less than major ones, Apple Music pays all labels the same headline rate. This means you can distribute your music however you see fit, whether you want to join a label or remain independent. At Apple Music, they support the value of all music, and they will continue to pay the same rate for every label.
Promote Your Music with Smart Links
Promoting your songs and albums is crucial if you have uploaded or plan to upload your music to Apple Music or any other streaming service.
You can easily promote your music through Smart Links, which allows you to share the links to your music on multiple streaming platforms all in one place.
This way, you can effectively reach a wider audience and get your music heard by more people. With Smart Links, promoting your music has never been easier!
Get started for free today!
