This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:16:27
The video compares the pricing structures of two popular music distribution services, CD Baby and DistroKid. CD Baby charges a one-time fee of $9.99 per release with a 9% commission on digital revenue, making it an economical choice with predictable costs. DistroKid, however, charges a $22.99 annual subscription, allowing unlimited uploads but with additional fees for services like Store Maximizer, YouTube Content ID, and more. Over five years, DistroKid's costs, including these extra fees, add up significantly. While DistroKid doesn't charge a commission on royalties, making it beneficial for high-streaming artists, its higher overall costs may be a deterrent. The speaker concludes that CD Baby is generally more cost-effective long-term, particularly for artists aiming to build a stable and enduring presence without the risk of their music being removed due to unpaid subscriptions. The speaker's preference for CD Baby is reinforced by a personal positive experience and a discount code offered to viewers.
00:00:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker explains the differences in pricing structures between two music distribution services, CD Baby and DistroKid. CD Baby charges a one-time fee of $9.99 to release either a single or an album and does not have recurring fees, though they take a 9% cut of digital distribution revenue. DistroKid, on the other hand, charges a yearly subscription of $22.99, allowing unlimited uploads to various streaming platforms but includes additional fees for services like store maximizer and YouTube Content ID. The speaker plans to compare these two models by calculating costs over different scenarios, such as releasing singles or albums, and examining how expenses stack up over five years. Important cost considerations include CD Baby’s upfront fees and percentage cut from royalties versus DistroKid’s annual fees plus extra service costs.
00:03:00
In this segment, the focus is on the annual costs and additional fees associated with using DistroKid for music distribution, compared to CD Baby. The base fee for DistroKid, whether for a single or an album, is $22.99. However, additional services increase the total cost. These include the Discovery Pack for $0.99 per song per year, Store Maximizer for $7.95 per album per year, and YouTube Content ID for $4.95 per single and $14.95 per album. There’s also a “Leave a Legacy” fee ($29 for a single and $49 for an album) to maintain music on DistroKid if one stops paying the subscription. When all these extras are added, the first-year cost for releasing a single on DistroKid totals $65.68, which is higher than using CD Baby.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the presenter compares the costs of releasing music on DistroKid versus CD Baby. For the first year, the base cost on DistroKid is $104.59. Considering a release schedule of five singles and three albums for the first year, DistroKid’s additional fees amount to $481.24 when including necessary features like “leave a legacy,” YouTube content ID, Shazam discovery, and future DSP deliveries. Conversely, CD Baby appears cheaper initially at around $80 without extras, but it includes essential features that DistroKid charges for. Although CD Baby takes a 9% commission on streams, DistroKid charges these additional fees upfront, making CD Baby more economical just considering distribution fees.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, the speaker compares the cost structures and benefits of using CD Baby versus DistroKid for music distribution over five years. The key point is that CD Baby operates on a flat fee model with additional service fees, making the costs predictable and stable over time. In contrast, DistroKid involves various recurring fees that increase significantly over five years, but DistroKid does not take a commission from royalties, which might be beneficial for successful artists generating high streams. The speaker uses specific figures and calculations to demonstrate that while DistroKid’s upfront costs ($1,238.20 over five years) might be higher, it might offer advantages if an artist achieves substantial streaming success, thus avoiding CD Baby’s commission cut on royalties.
00:12:00
In this part of the video, the speaker performs a cost analysis between CD Baby and DistroKid, focusing on the commission fees and overall costs associated with streaming revenues. For CD Baby, a 9% commission on earnings from 100,000 streams results in $34.27 taken by the platform, allowing the artist to retain $346.53. When scaled to two million streams, this commission grows to $685.44, leaving artists with $6,930.
DistroKid, on the other hand, does not take a commission, so its cost remains zero. However, when summing up the fees over five years, CD Baby’s total cost comes to $765.36 compared to DistroKid’s $1,200, making CD Baby the more cost-effective choice long-term. The segment concludes by stressing that CD Baby’s lower and consistent fees provide better value and avoid the risk of music being taken down if subscription fees are not paid, as is the case with DistroKid.
00:15:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the pricing differences between DistroKid and CD Baby for music distribution, emphasizing that CD Baby is more cost-effective for artists who want to leave a legacy. The speaker mentions that CD Baby is less expensive both upfront and long-term, even with high streaming volumes, compared to DistroKid’s higher fees. They disclose that their positive opinion of CD Baby is not influenced by the company, although they have received a coupon code from CD Baby that offers 50% off distribution fees for their viewers. The speaker hints at negative experiences with DistroKid, including being banned from the platform, and directs viewers to more content on that topic. Finally, they encourage viewers to use the discount code provided in the description.