Music Glossary: Platforms-and-ecosystems category

Bandcamp is a direct-to-fan music platform that enables artists to sell digital music, physical releases, and merchandise while retaining c... more

Digital distribution and services for independent artists, delivering to major DSPs with metadata. more

Digital creation and collaboration tools have transformed how musicians produce and share ideas. These cloud-based platforms allow artists to work ... more

Direct-support platforms have become an essential income stream for independent musicians. They enable fans to contribute recurring payments or o... more

Digital distributors have replaced traditional record labels for independent artists. They handle the technical and administrative side of releasin... more

Data/audio delivery pipelines from labels/distributors to streaming platforms that populate catalogs and credits. more

Social network with Pages/Groups/Events; useful for local gig promotion and community. Facebook more

Visual/social platform with Reels; useful for teasers, behind-the-scenes, and fan engagement. Instagram more

Sync and licensing platforms connect musicians with film, television, advertising, video games, and online creators who need music. They operat... more

Major concert promoter and venue operator; involved in tour production, ticketing partnerships, and festivals. more

Live performance remains the financial and emotional center of most musicians’ careers, and online platforms now support everything from tour p... more

Notation software and score-sharing community; supports engraving, playback, and educational use. more

Membership platform for recurring fan support via tiers, perks, and exclusive content. Patreon more

Artist services and community platform for EPKs, distribution, and opportunities. more

Creator-upload platform for demos, drafts, and collab sharing; offers monetization programs in some regions. SoundCloud more

Major DSP for streaming; editorial/algorithmic playlists and artist tools support discovery and analytics. Spotify more

Historically prominent torrent index; unauthorized distribution can infringe copyrights and harm revenues. more

Large ticketing company/marketplace for concerts and events, often integrated with venue/promoter systems. more

Short-form video platform; major driver of song discovery via trends, sounds, and creator remixes. more

Video-first platform; YouTube Music, Content ID, shorts, and long-form all support music discovery. YouTube & YouTube Music more