AWA is a Japanese music streaming service that offers both listeners and artists a range of features. For artists, it provides a platform to distribute music, create fan engagement, and generate revenue through streams and playlists. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the services and systems offered by AWA for artists:
1. Services for Artists:
- On-Demand Playback: Artists’ tracks are made available to users for on-demand streaming, allowing listeners to play their music whenever they want.
- Playlist Creation & Publishing: Artists can create, curate, and publish their own playlists, offering a way to showcase their music or collaborations with others.
- No Ads for Paid Users: Paid plans allow artists’ music to be streamed without interruptions from ads.
- Lyrics Display: Artists can provide lyrics for their tracks, enabling fans to follow along while listening.
- Offline Playback (Premium Users): For premium users, music can be downloaded for offline playback, which benefits artists by keeping listeners engaged even when they are not connected to the internet.
- Highlight Playback: This feature allows users to listen to a short clip of a track before playing the entire song, similar to a preview system.
2. Payout System & Royalty Distribution:
AWA follows a pro-rata payout system. This means that an artist’s earnings are based on how often their music is streamed in relation to the total streams across the platform during a specific time frame. The total royalty pool for a month is divided among all artists based on their stream count.
- Pay Rate: While AWA’s exact per-stream payout rate is not publicly detailed, it’s estimated to be within the typical range of streaming services, likely around $0.003 to $0.005 per stream. This rate is comparable to other platforms like Deezer or Pandora but generally lower than Spotify and Apple Music.
- Royalties: Artists are paid based on the total streams their music garners. AWA also ensures that royalties are paid for both mechanical rights (for reproductions of music) and performance rights (for the public use of music).
3. Go Live Time:
After an artist submits their music to AWA, it generally takes between a few days to one week for the music to go live on the platform. This timeframe allows AWA to process the submission, check for any restrictions, and ensure the content meets their guidelines.
4. How AWA Sells Your Music:
AWA distributes music both within Japan and internationally, though its primary focus is the Japanese market. Artists benefit from the platform’s established presence in Japan, where it competes with other local streaming platforms.
- Music can be sold through on-demand streaming, playlist inclusion, and promotions on the platform, with opportunities for artists to connect with fans through social features like playlist creation and sharing.
5. AWA Territories (Where Music Sells):
- AWA’s core audience is in Japan, but the service is also available internationally. This allows artists to reach a broader, global audience, particularly those interested in Japanese music.
6. Warnings & Restrictions:
- Restricted Features for Free Users: For users on the free plan, features like offline playback and full song playback are limited, which may impact how frequently certain tracks are streamed by free-tier listeners.
- Content Restrictions: Artists must ensure that their content complies with AWA’s guidelines, which include copyright rules and general platform standards. Content that violates these terms can be delayed in going live or removed from the platform altogether.
AWA offers artists a unique opportunity to distribute their music, particularly in the Japanese market, with a pro-rata payout system based on streaming performance. While the per-stream payout is on par with many other streaming services, AWA’s strengths lie in its extensive reach within Japan and its interactive features like playlist creation and lyrics display. Artists should be mindful of the platform’s guidelines to avoid any content-related delays or restrictions.