Best Music Analytics Tools (Why You Need It and How to Choose the Perfect One)
Bloggers and influencers are so successful because they’ve mastered one thing and know how to use it to their advantage: analytics. Analytical tools are essential for everyone, including musicians. These tools provide detailed data about your target audience and how effective the marketing strategies for your product are.
But with so many tools on the market, how do you know which ones are the best for music analytics? Thankfully, there are hundreds of analytical options created for the sole purpose of helping a musician succeed in their self-marketing efforts. Record companies use them, radio stations use them, so if you aren't using them, it's time to start.
Let's look deeper into why you need music analytics tools, how to choose the perfect one, and which options are currently on the market.
Why Do I Need Analytics as a Musician?
The rise of the digital world has changed everything we do. You can't get noticed without a digital footprint and a significant presence on social media in today's world. But if you aren't targeting the right people and using your social media correctly, all your efforts will be pointless.
Market intelligence tools are a must-have to better understand your consumer base and other artists you’re competing with. It is also necessary to use intelligence to stay on top of current musical trends so you can adapt to them. We've seen many artists survive the decades because they analyze trends and move with them. For example, Gwen Stefani and The Black Eyed Peas, who shifted from genre to genre to stay ahead of the wave.
Promoting music has become almost entirely data-driven, like everything else in today's world. Even industries like baseball moved from scouts to data-driven algorithms to help them predict how successful players might be in the future. Music analytics allows you to see which of your music albums get streamed the most, which platforms your fans are using, and even identify where they live so you can plan your tours accordingly.
How to Find the Perfect Fit
Understanding music analytics and how to use them is only the first step. There are thousands of platforms out there to choose from, and they all draw from different data sources. Choosing the right platform comes down to what music genre you perform and your role in the music industry. Performers will need to monitor a different data set in comparison to record labels or music scouts. The music analytics tool you choose also depends on your budget.
What Are My Options?
When it comes to the best music analytics tool, you have the option to choose free services or paid services. Each platform gets its information from different sources, so typically, you'll want to mix and match more than one service for the best insights. Most streaming platforms, like Spotify and Apple Music, for example, provide data sets on your current audience. This is helpful information, but remember, that information is only relevant to that particular platform. Paid services often combine data from multiple streaming services, painting a better picture of your impact.
Free Options
Spotify for Artists
Spotify has made waves in the past few years as one of the most extensive streaming services out there. With its artist tool, you can:
See who is listening to your music and track your growth in Spotify.
Track playlists that you are included in.
Get insights as an independent musician.
YouTube Studio
YouTube holds the honor of being the second largest search engine on the internet, and it's also a top-rated platform for musicians to broadcast their music.
The most popular platform for adults streaming music.
Ranking based on video views.
Excellent for helping with promotion and engagement.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics isn't just for bloggers and eCommerce stores. If you have your webpage set up as a musician, and you should, Google Analytics analyzes the traffic coming to your page.
See the traffic for all pages you promote on.
View insight into your campaign’s success through a unique digital media manager plugin.
Tweetdeck
While not for tracking your actual music, Tweetdeck follows your recognition on Twitter’s platform, which is great for musicians who want to boost their online presence.
Tracks anyone who is mentioning your name or writes about your music on all of Twitter.
View the potential fans that you can connect with to grow your audience base.
Next Big Sound
Next Big Sound is owned by Pandora, one of the most extensive music streaming services out there. While it provides excellent analytic services and is free, its only source for data is Pandora.
Allows you to index audience engagement.
Indexes all Pandora streams so you can see who is listening to your music and where.
ForTunes
This free platform is a strong choice for indie artists. It also includes a convenient mobile app.
Their data sets come from Spotify, YouTube, IG, Facebook, Twitter, and SoundCloud.
The free option is limited. An upgrade is needed for full access.
Great for tracking streaming and social media together.
Paid Options
Nielsen's Music Data
Nielsen has their hands in every type of data from car sales to groceries, and yes, even music. They are owned by the same company as Billboard Charts, making them a very reliable choice.
The platform tracks streaming services, radio broadcasts, and merchandise and music sales.
It does not include Spotify data.
This platform is best for established artists.
Alpha Data
Previously BuzzAngle, Alpha Data focuses almost entirely on streaming services. It is the official data supplier for Rolling Stone Charts.
Tracks music from more than fifty music platforms.
Tracks streams, radio stations, record sales, music venues, and retailers.
Best for established artists.
Entertainment Intelligence
EI aims to give more than just data and an experience that helps you understand customer behavior and upcoming music trends.
Great for Indie artists.
Uses data from Apple, Google Play, YouTube, Amazon, Pandora, Spotify, and Deezer.
Suitable for growing musicians.
Sodatone
Now owned by Warner Music Group, Sodatone has grown to be one of the most competitive music analytics tools on the market. They analyze data from multiple sources to predict how successful upcoming artists could be in the future.
Best for producers and labels.
Combines streaming service, social media, and venue and touring data sets.
Provides excellent insight for music scouts.
Instrumental
Similar to your mainstream analytic platforms, Instrumental gears itself towards the more independent music crowd. The pricing platform is generous, allowing everyone from budding artists to established record labels to benefit.
Combines streaming and social media data sets.
Best for independent artists and music labels going for something unique.
It can integrate with other services.
Chartmetric
Chartmetric is known for its widespread appeal to anyone in the music industry. They have an excellent free service and higher-tiered paid platforms so artists can grow within this music analytics tool, adjusting as their career develops. Their recent addition of TikTok analytics makes them an excellent source for increasing your younger audience base.
Draws from more than 20 data sources.
Includes tracking on platforms not included elsewhere like TikTok and Shazam.
Great for all types of artists and music experts.
Mirada Media
Understanding the role of marketing in your music career can be an intensely complex process. Furthermore, grasping how, where, and who to target can be just as confusing. This is where a music analytics tool proves to be invaluable to your career. At Mirada Media, we aim to be one more helpful resource to help you on your path to becoming a successful independent musician.
For more information on our services and other resources we offer for independent musicians, contact us today!