Today, upcoming artists need more than just musical skills to grow an audience. For better or worse, social media plays an undeniably crucial role in music marketing. Numerous new artists have managed to attract thousands of new listeners by having their music on popular platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

With over a billion users, Instagram is a critical platform for artists to invest in. Having your music on Instagram’s official library database allows other content creators to use it in their Stories and Reels. Not only does this allow you to earn revenue directly from contents that use your songs, but you’ll also have exposure to a huge sum of people who watch content on Instagram.

But how do you get your music on Instagram’s library? Let’s go through everything you need to know about uploading your music to Instagram Reels.

Using Music Distribution Services

If you’ve tried uploading music to major streaming platforms, you’ve probably realized that it is not possible to directly put your music on services like Spotify and Apple Music. Instead, artists have to work with music distribution companies that work as the middlemen between creators and streaming platforms. The same is true about uploading your music to Instagram’s database.

If you’re currently using services from a particular music distributor and your song is already out on some platforms, I suggest reaching out to the same company and asking to put your music on Instagram’s database as well. These days, almost all music distributors cover all the major outlets, including Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and much more. In most cases, If you already have a song on Spotify, the distributor will not charge you extra for putting your song on Instagram as well.

On the other hand, if you haven’t worked with music distributors yet, I highly suggest checking out my post about the 5 best music distribution services for independent artists in 2024. If you’re planning to invest in putting your music out there on major streaming services, most distributors will offer Instagram and TikTok coverage as well. However, there are some distributors who put your music on Instagram for creators to use without upfront payments. Two of the most popular ones are Ditto Music and TuneCore.

Using Ditto Music To Upload Music To Instagram

Recently, Ditto Music has gained a lot of popularity among newer artists. Besides the 30-day free trial, a major advantage of Ditto is that it offers a wide range of services that are reasonably priced. In another post, I’ve extensively reviewed Ditto Music, its plans, pricing, and everything else you need to know before signing up.

Using Ditto Music, you can opt for the “Starter” Plan that covers the first 30 days for free. Later on, you’ll have to pay $19 annually to keep the services up and running. It allows you to upload unlimited songs on all major platforms, including Instagram, under one artist's name.

Once you create your free account, you can add a new release, insert your song’s metadata (artist name, release year, label name, genre, etc.), and submit your song on Ditto. Bear in mind that Ditto often takes over two weeks to upload your songs on selected platforms. Therefore, it’s best to plan ahead with your releases to ensure unwanted delays won’t cause you any trouble.

Using TuneCore To Upload Music To Instagram

TuneCore is another household name in the music distribution industry. With various plans and services, TuneCore checks many boxes as an invaluable service provider for indie musicians and labels. TuneCore’s paid services start at $20 a year and can go up to $50 for the professional plan. However, the company offers free services as well in the “New Artist” Plan.

Going for the New Artist plan, TuneCore allows you to release unlimited songs on all social media platforms, including Instagram. However, the company will take a 20%-cut from all the revenue you make from other creators using your songs. If you go for TuneCore’s paid plans, you’ll be able to keep 100% of your revenue from all sources.

Based on user reviews, TuneCore uploads your songs relatively faster than Ditto. Nonetheless, you should still plan your releases at least one or two weeks prior to avoid unexpected delays and other issues. You can click here to use my referral link for a 20% discount on TuneCore’s services.

Final Thoughts On Releasing Music To Instagram Reels

Investing your time and energy into putting your music out there can be quite overwhelming at first. However, it is something you can enjoy the fruits of through consistency and planning. Finding new listeners through social media is arguably the most vital aspect of growing your audience as a musician, and with over a billion users, Instagram is undeniably important for your success.

Besides just releasing your tracks on Instagram’s database, you can take it one step further and use music promotion services. Many of the promoters work with influencers on TikTok and Instagram that can use your songs in their videos.