Welcome to Cygnus MusicCygnus Music was founded to provide effective and efficient services for labels and artists, while being transparent, supportive and passionate for the music.
Whether you’re an artist who wants to release your own music, or a digital record label working with upcoming or established producers, we’ll give you full creative control, detailed sales and royalty reports, and the freedom to release the music you want, when you want.
If you’re searching for a better music distribution service then look no further. We provide a level of customer service that can’t be found anywhere else. Our staff have years of industry experience so we can offer reliable support and advice, and our testimonials speak for themselves!
We specialise in setting up, moving and managing digital labels of all sizes, and distribute worldwide to the biggest music services available. We’re always hunting out the latest opportunities in digital music.
In this digital age we all benefit from the convenience of modern technology, but there is one aspect of a company that you wouldn’t want automated or online – Customer Service.
We believe that even though we work with electronic music in a digital format, our clients should receive a professional and personal service. Music is individual and varied, so why settle on a ‘one size fits all’ approach, when we can tailor digital distribution, marketing and mastering services to suit your requirements, making selling your music online easy.
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Community Music are proud to announce that we have formalised an official partnership with Cygnus Music to make them our preferred distribution partner. Cygnus Music have been there every step of the way to streamline and help guide us along this path, showcasing the correct and most professional way to approach releasing music which is why we are collaborating as official partners. More Info
With Cygnus Music you’ll receive the tools you’ll need to run a label effectively. You can easily create and schedule releases, choose exclusives with stores and select your own release dates. You can track your sales every day by clicking on the Daily Sales tab, viewing in real-time how your release is selling using the data to measure how effective any PR or marketing campaign is proving to be. We have an Accounting system where you can download your sales statements at any time, and you can use online filtering to export various reports on demand to assist you with creating artist statements. Plus a Sales Summary dashboard and free Artist Accounting tools including Direct to artist payments, costs and credit management and more.
We have several exclusive services too, including full PPL integration with catalogue submission and royalty collection. Our in house development team has also built our own SmartLink URL generator which are emailed to clients 9 days pre-release. Pre-Saves include Spotify, Apple, Deezer, Tidal and Pre-Orders include iTunes, Beatport and Juno. At Cygnus Music the smartlink tool is free to all distribution clients.
Our in-house Shop, another exclusive addition to the Cygnus Music experience, means you can purchase a range of high-quality services to assist your label including Mastering by Break, Lockjaw, Villem & Luke Fletcher. This can be paid for via Card, Paypal or via your label funds. We also have an established YouTube MCN with hundreds of high-quality partnered artists and channels who amass over 3 billions of streams annually.
At Cygnus Music we always have plenty of initiatives under development and strive to be at the forefront of new ideas and cutting-edge label services.
PRO Artist Accounting with payments in Bacs, Paypal or Bitcoin
Before you settle on a name, check thoroughly online that it doesn’t already exist. Checks on search engines such as Google/Yahoo, as well as checks on Discogs and Beatport, should cover you for the most part (The same applies to artist names). Also ensure your name is unique and easy to find through online searches, across both search engines and social media. Otherwise you could potentially be missed when fans are trying to search for your music.
If you’re an artist, don’t be put off by the work required in setting up a label. The label name is more of a reference point for the specialist stores such as Beatport and Juno and is rarely mentioned on other stores or streaming sites.
An artist label/project can be named as the artists name and we recommend this.
PROBLEM: If an artist chooses a name that already exists, it will cause a lifetime of problems when releasing on stores and streaming platforms. This will include mismatched content and new artists being unable to claim or customise their profiles on stores.
SOLUTION: This problem can easily be solved by the artist choosing a completely unique artist name. Before committing to an artist name, the artist should drop their chosen alias into Beatport, then Spotify, then Discogs and then Google. If there are no artists releasing by that name then the odds are good, and the artist can proceed. To prevent others from using an artist name they can register it as a trademark. This offers intellectual property protection, and protects items that help define the artist name, such as its logo and name. Having a unique artist name that’s easily searchable is important.
Without a doubt, having strong brand identity is right up there with the quality of your music.
It’s something you need to consider in the early stages of your label’s planning: visual identity is critical. You’ll need to deliver consistent, recognisable artwork and a theme which has many branding opportunities to explore.
A new label should create its own branding guidelines to work from, outlining the colour schemes, font types and format that their brand is going to be using. You can find helpful advice online about how to go about creating guidelines for your business, and if you do this well, it will have a long-term impact in terms of your label’s success. Check out Low Down Deep’s eye-catching branding pictured on the right.
The logo is the core of your label’s identity. If you need help designing one our design team has produced logos for record labels, music products, mix series and for many other segments of the music industry which requires branding.
Phibes: “When We Started, No Labels Wanted To Touch Us” A massive thanks to Cygnus Music for believing in us helping us launch our label. Read Phibes’ Beatport interview here
Choosing the right music is one of the core fundamentals of running your label. Before we accept any labels, we always insist on seeing a minimum of 3 finished tracks and would recommend that a label has at least 2 releases ready to go before setting any release dates. The 5 golden rules we recommend you follow are:
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Go as BIG as you can
- Aim to work with artists who are well established
- Release the music you believe in and enjoy
- Think quality (& quantity)
- Establish your own sound and direction
1. Calling upon the BIGGEST artist you can possibly work with, is the most effective way to maximise the chances of having a successful release. The artist’s fan base and following will momentarily look at and listen to your label, discovering what it’s about, whilst potentially following and supporting what it does. (Spotify is a great indicator of an artist’s actual popularity and both artists and labels should utilise Spotify’s analytics to assist them when signing new music.)
2. Invest into marketing, PR and playlist pitching.
3. Understand your market and know your genre intimately.
4. Radio, Playlist & DJ support are essential and should be a priority for your label.
5. For more Top Tips visit the MAXIMISE SALES tab.
High quality masters are essential
The quality of your artwork makes a huge difference to whether your release will be featured on stores and be taken seriously by fans and the press. Poor or even low-quality looking artwork can instantly dissuade stores from picking your release for features. Artwork represents the visual quality of your release. If you require artwork services, we have fantastic in-house designers at hand. Whether you need artwork for digital releases, podcasts or social networking sites, simply complete the fields via our SHOP and let our designers know what you’re looking for. You can even upload examples of artwork which you’d like them to replicate or use as style references. Remember, distribution clients get a 20% discount making high quality artwork affordable for every release.
Artwork design by Cygnus Music preferred partners designers
All social media is important across artist campaigns. However, the main social platform for music discovery in 2023 is TikTok. TikTok has emerged as a powerful platform for music marketing campaigns, allowing artists, labels, and marketers to connect with a wide and engaged audience. The platform’s unique algorithm and user behaviour have made it a place where many users discover new music. Check out some key articles below.
Something we see a lot in the music scene is the constant recycling of posts and content online. Many labels and artists are posting the same thing day after day which can produce the opposite reaction from what’s required to boost your release’s success. Often less is more and this approach can be much more effective in achieving the levels of engagement that you’re looking for. We would recommend that labels learn what the best time to post is. One study found that you get a 32% higher engagement on Facebook by posting at either 9am, 1pm or 3pm on a Saturday and Sunday, whilst during the week it’s between 6pm and 7pm. On Twitter the best times are different to these and there are apps which will factor in other country’s time zones.
The best time to make the biggest impact is on release day. You can use the weeks preceding your release date to build hype around its pre-order links, but the most effective exposure and traction often can be found with premieres, interviews, features and advertising, linking directly to the buy links and streaming links. Radio premieres and streaming premieres across YouTube are also great ways to create traction around a release’s pre-order.
We can distribute your content to stores and streaming sites in every territory around the world. We’ve included an overview below of how the key royalties are reported back to us.
Downloads: From stores such as iTunes, Beatport, Amazon & JunoDownload: We will receive approximately 60-70% of the price of every download sale, with prices and percentages differentiating slightly on each store. Generally, WAVs retail for £1.40 and MP3s retail for £0.99. Aside from iTunes, stores determine the retail value of a release.
Streaming: From platforms such as Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Music, Yandex, NetEase and Deezer: the price per stream can vary across the different platforms and factors such as territory and subscription type affect the price significantly. An example would be that we receive approximately £0.003 per stream on Spotify.
Social Media Platforms: From platforms such as Facebook, Snap, TikTok and Instagram: the price per stream can vary across the different platforms and factors such as territory and subscription type affect the price significantly.
YouTube Monetisation: Means that you authorise the presence of advertisements on your videos, and YouTube charges advertisers for these advertisements. We then report the revenue back to you. We will run your content through YouTube’s content ID system which means we will automatically claim and monetise any uploads or recordings of your music.
Partnership/sponsorship. Music partnerships and sponsorships can be highly beneficial for music artists. They offer a range of advantages that can contribute to an artist’s career growth, exposure, and financial stability, this can further help increase advances.
NFTs. Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) can potentially help music artists financially by creating new revenue streams and opportunities. NFTs are digital assets that represent ownership of unique items or pieces of content, such as art, music, videos, and more, using blockchain technology.
Fractional ownership. Here at Cygnus we’ve partnered with Talentir to offer a new Fractional Ownership model on YouTube. Fractional ownership of music videos can potentially help artists by providing them with alternative funding, increased exposure, and a closer connection with their fans.
At Cygnus Music we have an application process where we ask every label starting with us to outline their plans, their commitment to promotion and marketing, and each label must provide us with examples of their forthcoming music. From this information we’re able to quickly gauge how well prepared the person is.
This approach brings so much value to the company but also massively benefits all our clients. We make sure the content we deliver to stores is never substandard, yielding a much stronger relationship between us and the stores. Stores trust us to deliver high quality products and this creates knock-on effects that benefit all our clients. We’re given more featured content, more content in playlists, increased promotional opportunities and faster response times when updates are made.
Before you apply for distribution please ensure you have all the following:
You’ll need to provide:
- Streamable links to your first 2 releases, or 3 finished tracks.
- Your label name and details of the label owner/manager
- Contact information
- Social media links
- Label marketing plans (This is one of the most important parts of your application. Please be as thorough as possible)
All applications are reviewed in detail by members of staff who are looking primarily at the labels potential to succeed and how well it will be managed.
Applying for distribution is simple. Just fill out this application form.
Please complete the form in as much detail as possible. Applications are checked daily and generally approved within 1-2 working days. If your label hasn’t been approved within 2 working days, check your email inbox as we’ll be requesting more information.
Submit an application
Pictured: Our label application form
Whilst it may appear that it’s a lot of work to move from one distributor to another, it’s something we’re extremely versed in. Every week labels move over to Cygnus and whether a label has ten releases or five hundred releases we can put a simple and personalised plan of action together. Please allow a timeline of 3 to 5 weeks when moving a label.
Click on the button below for more information.
There are heaps of distribution platforms out there and on paper they all offer very similar products. A distributor’s role is essentially to deliver a label’s content to stores and account the royalties back to the label. At Cygnus, our unique selling point is our excellent customer service and our in-depth knowledge and experience in the digital side of the music industry.
Having fast support lines within offices hours allows us to really connect with our client base. We can address any issues immediately and have discussions with clients, to brainstorm initiatives or just to catch up on any forthcoming plans. Some labels just like to use our in-house label management system to schedule their releases, get daily sales updates, purchase shop services, view YouTube analytics or use the accounting facilities. Our online system provides all they really need from us to run their business.
However, a significant number of our clients like a much more personal relationship with us and that’s where Cygnus stands out from its competitors. We’re also very proactive with new initiatives and have some fantastic relationships with key stores such as Beatport, JunoDownload, iTunes, Spotify, TikTok and YouTube resulting in heaps of featured content for our client’s labels.
Email us with an enquiry via [email protected]
Q: How do I know if I’m still under contract with my current distributor?
A: You should have a copy of your distribution agreement and will find the duration of the agreement under the ‘TERM’ section. Some distributors have agreements that can roll over into many years so it’s always advisable to know the term, roll over period, length of notice required and any costs associated with moving.
Q: How should I present Cygnus with my labels catalogue?
A: If you have a relatively small catalogue, we would recommend uploading each release to our label management system. We can either back date each release to an original release date, or if you’d like to re-package and re-release the catalogue, we would be happy to discuss this. If you have a larger catalogue, we will need each release in a folder labeled by catalogue number, with Wavs (16 bit), artwork (min 2000 x 2000 pix JPG RGB) and a master metadata sheet. We will then discuss redelivery and any customisation requirements in person. It is essential that you use the same ISRC codes and UPC codes for previously released content.
Q: My current distributor doesn’t respond to emails or calls
A: If you are having issues with your distributor resulting in no communication or royalty reporting then they are likely to be in breach of their distribution agreement with you. Whilst we can’t authorise stores to remove your content online if it’s been delivered by another distributor, we will be able to transfer over your label accounts on Beatport and JunoDownload if your current distributor doesn’t respond to our requests. From there we can deliver any new content you may wish to release whilst you either seek legal advice or contact the stores directly to stop royalties going back to the distributor.
Q: I do not have my full back catalogue
A: If you are missing some of your back catalogue we would suggest purchasing it from a store. Ensure you buy WAVs not mp3’s, and you should also be able to pull off the artwork too. You will also need to collate the metadata including ISRC’s and UPC’s which we should be able to help you get.
Q: Why am I being asked to provide label royalty statements?
A: We enjoy providing our customers with a personalised and tailored service. As we only make revenue (percentage commission) when a label does, we must ensure that a label is performing well, as in certain circumstances label moves can be quite resource intensive from our side to ensure a smooth crossover.
Q: What’s the best timescale to move a label over?
A: This depends on your current distribution arrangement and size of your catalogue. Providing that your previous distributor accepts and helps facilitate the move, we would suggest that around 3-4 weeks is the ideal time.
Q: Are there any setup fees, membership fees or up-front charges?
A: Here at Cygnus Music there are no setup fees, membership fees or up-front charges. We don’t make any money until you do. It’s as simple as that.
Q: What is Cygnus Musics commission
Labels Monthly Gross Sales % Commission Rate. 14% Fixed
From Feb 2024
Clients onboarded 5/21 to 2/24 Labels Monthly Gross Sales % Commission Rate. (previous model).
Up to £500 20%
£500 – £1500 16%
£1500 – £3500 14%
£3500 and over 12 %
If you are an existing client and wish to be moved on to fixed 14% rate please email [email protected] to renew your agreement. For more information please visit our ‘latest updates’ on the homepage of the label management system.
Q: Do you supply ISRC’s and UPC’s and can I supply my own?
A: You can supply ISRC’s and UPC’s with your releases or we can supply them for you free of charge, taking care of your PPL registrations and royalty collections (with a percentage fee) for all your releases too if you don’t currently or plan to do this.
Q: Can I arrange a call to discuss my label with some one?
A: Yes, email [email protected] to arrange a call. Please ensure you provide links to your label and summarise exactly what you would like to discuss.
Q: Can I distribute free downloads through Cygnus Music?
A: No. We incur various costs for processing, hosting, delivering and reporting along with staff time for any artist linking. Free downloads in particular often feature artists who have never had a release before and require lots of additional work, for content that generally makes little to no revenue for us. We do of course fully support new and emerging artists, but on exclusive content which is marketed towards the stores and streaming sites. However, we do allow some free downloads to be distributed, but under criteria such as the artist having in excess of 10,000 monthly listens on Spotify for example, along with any free versions being removed online.
Q: Can I set up a ringtone only label?
A: Yes, we would set up a custom distribution list for iTunes only. We can fast track ringtones through, but we have very specific criteria prior to accepting a ringtone only label. The customer must demonstrate a proven track record of well performing content prior to being approved.
Q: What are the requirements regarding copyright ownership?
A: You can only release content with Cygnus Music if you own the copyright or have approval from the copyright owner. You should have contracts/recording agreements in place and these may be called upon if we require them.
