Why does every music distribution service have a different site count? 

What is often presented as a list of websites includes music syndication services. Spotify, for examples, shares its library of music with other websites as does YouTube and many other major platforms.  Distributors, like Afrobeats Africa, serve as an intermediary, taking the music provided by artists and submitting it to digital platforms, allowing the music to be accessible on multiple outlets without artists having to negotiate individual deals with each platform. Those platforms then have partner streaming sites which they syndicate music to.  The list of partner streaming sites are not often shared in full. Thus, the site count from music distributor to music distributor ranges.  

This list got us frustrated for 2 months!

According to our count, the list of streaming sites and stores provided earlier includes a total of 99 platforms. However, we understand that other music distribution services often claim to distribute to 120, 150, or even 200 platforms worldwide, causing confusion for those searching for such services. After researching the matter and consulting with ChatGPT, we believe this discrepancy may be due to different ways of counting and categorizing platforms.

It's worth noting that among the 99 platforms on our list, Afrobeats Africa offers full artist account access to all of them except for one: AfrobeatsWest.com, which is unique to our list and offers artists access exclusively through our service.

ChatGPT: "It's possible that these other music distribution services are including some regional or niche music stores or streaming services that Afrobeats Africa does not distribute to. It's also possible that they are counting different variations or versions of the same store or streaming service as separate entities.*

For example, some music stores or streaming services may have different storefronts for different regions or countries, or may have different brands in different markets. These variations may be counted as separate stores or services by some distribution services, even if they have the same catalog and licensing agreements.

It's also possible that some distribution services are counting stores or services that have been merged or acquired by other companies, but are still technically operational under a different brand or platform. These nuances can sometimes lead to variations in the number of stores or services counted by different distribution services."*

PLEASE NOTE: It is ultimately up to each individual streaming site or music store to decide whether or not to include an artist and their music in their catalog. Sometimes, for various reasons, certain sites may choose to exclude an artist, album, or track. As a music distribution service, we are not always informed of these decisions and they can change at any time.

However, we have noticed that artists who provide comprehensive and accurate information about their music, as well as maintain a strong online presence, are generally more easily discoverable on most online streaming sites and stores.

Our Final List of Top Syndication Sites

Searching online and working for days with ChatGPT, we were able produce what should be the most exhaustive list of top level music syndication sites and stores. There are many sites and stores that utilize the inventory of one or more of these syndicators:

• 24-7 Entertainment

• 7Digital

• AfrobeatWest

• Akazoo

• Amazon

• Amazon Prime

• Anghami

• Audio Mack

• Audible Magic

• Apple Music

• Arnet AR

• Aspiro

• AWA

• Beatport

• Beats Music

• BMW

• Bordas - 3M TB

• Bugs!

• CNT EC

• Cricket US

• Deezer

• Deutsche Telekom

• Digitally Imported

• Dixons Carphone

• Dj Shop. de

• DNA FI

• Dub Store Sound Inc.

• Dubset

• Facebook Audio Library

• Facebook Fingerprinting

• Fitbit

• FNAC

• Genie Music

• Google Music

• Gracenote

• GrooveFox

• Guvera

• HighResAudio

• Huawei

• iHeartRadio

• iHeartRadio

• iMusica

• iTunes

• Instagram

• Junodownload

• Kakao / MelOn

• KkBox

• KPN NL

• Kuack Media

• KK Box

• LINE Music

• Merlin

• MFS

• Mixcloud

• MOD

• Napster

• Netease

• Neurotic Media

• NMusic

• Nuuday AS

• Omniphone

• Orange

• Pandora

• Peloton

• Pringles 4M

• Pyro Music

• Qobuz

• Rhapsody

• Rogers CA

• Saavn

• Samsung

• Samsung Music (through 7Digital)

• Shazam

• Shazam

• Simfy Africa

• Sirius XM

• Slacker

• SMR

• Sonos

• Sorgenia IT

• Soundcloud

• Spotify

• Starzik

• Stems

• T-Hrvatski Telekom

• T-Mobile

• T-Mobile AT

• T-Mobile NL

• Target Media

• Target Media

• Telekom SK

• Telenor HU

• Telenor ME

• Telenor RS

• Tencent

• Tencent

• TESLA

• TIDAL

• Tigo

• TikTok

• TIM Music

• Trackitdown

• Traxsource

• Twitch

• Ultimate China

• United Media Agency (UMA)

• Vente Privee

• Vidzone

• Vodacom ZA

• Vodafone

• Whatpeopleplay

• Xbox

• Xiaomi

• YouTube Content ID

• YouTube Red / Premium

Reference

* ChatGPT. (2023, March 8). As far as I can tell other Music Distribution services, especially all the big ones like Ditto, CD Baby, TIDAL, state they distribute to 120, 150 or 200 music streaming sites and stores worldwide. How do they say this, never provide a full list. What are they counting to reach this number that Afrobeats Africa is not? [Msg 106427]. Message posted to https://openaidialog.herokuapp.com/