Photo by dhe haivan on Unsplash

This is going to sound a lot like an advertisement, so before I begin allow me to clarify that I am in no way, shape, or form being compensated by BeatStars for this–nor am I affiliated with their company in any way.

In August, I started using a digital marketplace called BeatStars to grow my brand as a producer. In this short time, I have learned that this company is changing the scene and giving artists and producers an incredible opportunity to flourish. Three key factors, which I will go further into detail in this article, are what make this such a special platform: its community, the potential it yields, and it is 100% free.

#1 — The BeatStars Community

The most glaring positive for me personally on BeatStars was the number of users who actively listen and provide feedback to others. Within my first week on the site, dozens of producers began messaging me on the app to collaborate. I began following their Twitter account, and noticed how many musicians were in the comments networking. What became clear was an attitude of relentless support, kindness, and motivation toward others. Several of the producers who contacted me I now consider friends, and I’ve only just begun. Check it out for yourself, with how dark the internet can get it sure is encouraging to see a tight nit group of like-minded people trying to help each other.

#2––Potential

Did you know that the beat for the hit single, “Old Town Road,” was found on BeatStars? In March of 2017, BeatStars producers sold over $800K. Not only can artists sell instrumentals, but now sound kits, professional audio services, lyrics, and even subscription packages are offered to consumers. When you upload your music to the service, there is an ability to add custom discounts, for incentivizing and staying competitive. New features are constantly added, making it an exciting time to be building a brand in the music industry.

#3––It’s 100% FREE

Certainly, there are caveats to the free tier of subscription, like being limited to ten uploads and losing thirty percent of your sales, but there are easy rebuttals. A professor in a musicianship class I took at Full Sail University once told me, “Seventy percent of something is better than one-hundred percent of nothing,” meaning what good is it to keep all the profits if you never sell anything? Additionally, it benefits the starving artists not having to pay out of pocket (at least in the beginning) to operate a store on the internet.

Simply put, my advice to anyone trying to grow a brand as a producer or musician should definitely be looking into BeatStars. If you would like to work together on a musical project, please feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @anom_aleez or via BeatStars by searching for ANOM ALEEZ!