Music streaming service Rdio has expanded its music catalog to over 18 million songs, with a large proportion of additional tracks coming from independent artists. The increase of over three million tunes stem from ‘landmark’ deals with music distributors TuneCore and CD Baby, both of which are considered “two of the best distribution tools out there for independent artists” by Rdio CEO Drew Larner.
The catalog increase brings it level with streaming giant Spotify’s collection. Although the increase in track numbers will help Rdio in gaining more subscribers globally and fight against its competitors, the deals will allow artists and labels to take more of an income from streaming. Spotify became the second highest source of revenue for record companies in June, and funds from Rdio would certainly be welcomed by the independent artists now being included by the service.
TuneCore boasts over 250,000 account holders, with notable artists including Nine Inch Nails, They Might Be Giants, and Moby generating over $300 million in gross music sales and songwriter revenue. CD Baby plays host to over 4 million tracks, supplying them to major retailers and streaming services and has paid its artists over $200 million over the last 12 years.
