SAMPLED#independent artists
18 stories
Stories tagged #independent artists on Sampled — sound, style, and scenes, all in one place.
Where to Find Records: Shops, Antique Stores, and Selling Your Own
Crate digging beyond the algorithm — local shops, antique malls, estate sales, and the underground artists pressing and selling their own vinyl at pop-ups.
Free Moves That Actually Make Indie Artists Money
Direct-to-fan sales, home-burned CDs, dubbed tapes, and the royalties you may already be owed — none of it costs a thing to start.
SoundCloud now lets artists sell tracks directly — and it's taking zero commission
A beta that opened Aug 26 to roughly 200 Artist Pro creators turns SoundCloud into a direct-to-fan storefront, with the platform taking no cut. Here's what it means for independent artists.
Two Suno lawsuits quietly disappeared this week — and nobody explained why
Jamendo and the duo The American Dollar both walked away from their copyright cases. One can come back. One cannot. That difference tells you almost everything.
Caroline Rose started a label in May and is releasing her own album on it in October
SUCK Records' first full-length is hers. The artist-owned imprint is having a moment — here is what one actually costs you.
Megan Thee Stallion went to Interscope and kept everything
A distribution deal, not a record deal. She keeps her masters and her publishing, Hot Girl Productions stays the label, and Interscope handles the world. Here is what that structure actually is.
Music charity, audited: how to give to the industry without wasting the money
Benefit shows, donation tins and relief funds move real money through music every year. Here is an effective altruism framework for checking whether yours does anything — plus the paperwork that tells you the truth.
Effective altruism for creative entrepreneurs: the part that actually helps your business
Strip away the campus-debate baggage and effective altruism is a resource-allocation discipline — scale, neglectedness, tractability, evidence. Here is how it applies to running a small creative brand, and how Sampled uses it.
ASCAP vs BMI vs SESAC: Which PRO Should You Join in 2026?
What a performing rights organization actually pays you, how the three US societies differ now that BMI is for-profit, and how to pick one.
How to Build a Music Release Calendar That Actually Works
A practical, no-fluff guide to planning singles, EPs, and albums so your releases build momentum instead of burning you out.
Free Business Courses Every Creative Entrepreneur Should Take
A curated, evergreen list of genuinely free business courses for musicians, artists, designers, and independent creators — with direct links and no upsells.
The best free tools for creatives in 2026: a practical stack for music makers
From DAWs and design apps to project management and promo assets — the free tools that genuinely compete with paid alternatives.
Where Can I Submit My Music for Sync? A Producer's Directory of Blogs, Libraries, and Licensing Platforms
A running list of blogs, newsletters, platforms, and listening sessions that actually accept submissions — and what to send them.
Winamp for Creators just launched a website builder, Fanzone and merch shop — the streaming-only era is officially over
Website Builder, Fanzone superfan communities and integrated merchandising, all under one roof. Here is how Winamp for Creators is turning distribution into a full direct-to-fan business.
CD Baby vs DistroKid: Which Distributor Should You Use?
A practical comparison of CD Baby and DistroKid for musicians deciding how to release singles and albums.
DistroKid vs TuneCore in 2026: Which Should You Actually Use?
Current plans, real costs, publishing admin, and the catalog terms nobody reads — a plain comparison of the two biggest self-serve distributors.
Best Music Sync Submission Websites for Independent Artists
A real breakdown of where to actually pitch your music for film, TV, ads, games, and creator projects — and why most artists are using the wrong door.
What Is the Best Music Distribution Service for Independent Artists in 2026?
How the major distributors price their plans now, who takes a cut of what, and the catalog terms that decide whether your music stays online.