TuneCore artists surpass $4bn in earnings

The news follows the $3bn feat reached 18 months ago, and the $4bn figure encompasses revenue artists generate at all stages of their careers.

TuneCore says many of its artists reside internationally with 77% of new artists and labels joining TuneCore in 2024 coming from outside of the US. In Africa, these include the likes of Nigerian Afrofusion and R&B act Eli Jae, Kenyan rhythm guitarist and singer-songwriter Okello Max and Ghanaian pop act Nanky.

“Independent artists stand at the forefront of innovation in music, both as pioneers of experimentation and as the trailblazers forging new paths to success in the music industry,” TuneCore CEO Andreea Gleeson said. “Whether artists are recording and releasing their first songs through TuneCore or selling out stadiums internationally, we are proud to provide them with a distribution and career development platform that puts more money in their pockets and lets them focus on creating the music that moves us.”

TuneCore attributes its latest achievement to Believe’s direct partnerships with digital platforms and streaming services, complemented by its enhanced TuneCore Publishing offering and the TuneCore Accelerator programme. In January, TuneCore revealed in a report that over 8 000 independent artists have enrolled in TuneCore Accelerator programmes across multiple DSPs like YouTube and Apple Music.

“TuneCore’s commitment to supporting independent artists has always been core to their mission and this milestone reflects those unwavering efforts,” YouTube’s global head of music, Lyor Cohen, said. “TuneCore has never been afraid to embrace innovation and continually pushes for higher standards across our business. We are proud to work alongside them to ensure that their roster of independent artists can find their global audiences on YouTube. Congratulations on this incredible achievement.”

Apple Music vice president Oliver Schusser added: “At Apple, we firmly believe music has value and artists at every level should be paid  –  a belief that is the backbone of everything we do right down to the partners we work with. We applaud Tunecore’s commitment to making that a reality for so many independent artists.”

“By offering tools to support independent self-releasing artists, TuneCore has helped channel more money into the pockets of the independent artist community and has provided a means for self-releasing artists to flourish in an increasingly competitive industry landscape,” TuneCore said.