Top 6 Platforms To Share Your Music Worldwide

As a musician, putting your music in front of as many ears as possible is essential. Thanks to the internet, artists today can reach global audiences without ever leaving their home studios.

Let’s dive into the top six places musicians can publish their music online, including their strengths and how to make the most of each platform in 2025.

YouTube

YouTube remains the reigning king of music discovery. With over a billion users, posting your music here—whether as a performance video, lyric clip, or cover—can put you in front of a vast audience.

Why YouTube Works

• Visual platforms create emotional connection—covers of popular songs often attract algorithmic boosts.
• Artist examples like Justin Bieber, Charlie Puth, and Pentatonix all gained traction through YouTube.
• Videos can be optimized with SEO-friendly titles, thumbnails, and playlists.

Pro Tip: Upload a cover of a trending song, then link viewers to your original work in pinned comments and channel banners to convert interest.

SoundCloud

Founded in 2007, SoundCloud remains a go-to platform for indie, experimental, and emerging artists. Hosting is free—making it ideal for sharing demos, unreleased tracks, or remixes.

SoundCloud Benefits

• Free tier allows up to 3 hours of content, with easy social sharing.
• Commenting features let listeners leave feedback at specific timestamps.
• Bloggers and interviews often link SoundCloud tracks because of its open-access format.

Pro Tip: Actively comment on related artists’ tracks to drive discovery to your own profile while building community.

Audiomack

Audiomack is a rising platform similar to SoundCloud—but without upload limits. It offers free, reliable storage and playback for musicians with larger catalogs.

Why Choose Audiomack

• Unlimited uploads for free—ideal for prolific creators.
• User-friendly interface and discovery tools for emerging genres.
• Monetization options and artist analytics available even on free accounts.

Keep in mind: Pages may have ads—but for many artists, the trade-off for full visibility is worth it.

Apple Music & iTunes

Offering both streaming (Apple Music) and purchase (iTunes) options, Apple platforms can grow your revenue while giving you direct reach to dedicated listeners.

Platform Highlights

• Apple Music Connect allows artists to post updates—photos, ideas, and videos—to engage directly with subscribers.
• Professional distribution through approved aggregators ensures your music meets quality standards.
• Millions of global users who pay for access, meaning consistent royalty potential.

Pro Tip: Release music early offline to fans before official Apple Music launch to build anticipation and maximize first-week streams.

Spotify

Spotify is the global leader in music streaming, with over 100 million active users and billions of daily streams.

Why Spotify Matters

• Massive listener base and playlist ecosystem—getting on editorial or user playlists can dramatically boost exposure.
• Rich analytics through Spotify for Artists helps you track listener behaviors and geographic trends.
• Stream-based royalties mean every play adds up, especially if your track continues to attract repeat listeners.

Pro Tip: Submit upcoming songs for playlist consideration early, and coordinate social campaigns to drive initial momentum.

TuneCore

TuneCore is a powerful distribution platform that sends your music to Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, TikTok, and more—while letting you keep 100% of your royalties.

TuneCore Advantages

• Broad distribution across major streaming and sales platforms.
• Transparent fees and complete royalty ownership.
• Access to promotional tools, pre-save campaigns, and fan engagement dashboards.

Elicit Musician Special: Through a partnership with Elicit Magazine, enjoy 20% off your first album or single upload via TuneCore. Sign up here.

Release Right, Share Wide

Each platform offers unique benefits. YouTube lets people see and feel your music. SoundCloud and Audiomack let you experiment freely, while Apple Music and Spotify put your work in daily rotation. TuneCore connects it all—and helps you earn from it.

Your best strategy? Combine these platforms thoughtfully: post performance visuals on YouTube, demos on SoundCloud or Audiomack, and distribute finished tracks via Spotify, Apple Music, and TuneCore. Build momentum across platforms and turn listeners into lifelong fans.

For more powerful tips on sharing music strategically in 2025, check out Elicit Magazine.

FAQ

Common questions about publishing music across platforms in 2025.

1. Which platform should I use first?

Start with YouTube and SoundCloud to build visibility and gather feedback. As your content grows, distribute polished tracks via Spotify and Apple Music.

2. Do I need both a SoundCloud and Audiomack account?

It depends. If you have a lot of content and want unlimited uploads, Audiomack is great. Otherwise, SoundCloud offers social engagement advantages.

3. How do I earn money from these platforms?

YouTube and TuneCore can pay via ad revenue or royalties. Spotify and Apple Music offer per-stream payouts. Many artists use TuneCore to manage royalties across multiple services.

4. Should I post cover songs or originals?

Covers work well to build early traction and visibility on YouTube and SoundCloud. For streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music, release only originals (or fully licensed covers).

5. How often should I upload content?

On visual platforms like YouTube, aim for at least one video per week. On streaming platforms, a consistent schedule—like monthly singles or EPs every quarter—keeps listeners engaged and algorithms interested.