Artist FAQ
What is Earbits for Artists?
Earbits is a marketing platform for music and music related products, including live events and more. But where Earbits differs from the many do-it-yourself tools available to artists, is that we bring the audience to you. We're building a highly engaging radio experience and a network of partner stations that will let us put your music in front of the right people at the right time. Got a live show in a new region? We can broadcast you there just weeks before the show and help you sell tickets. Not everything we have planned for Earbits is clear from the surface, but we believe Earbits can and will be the most effective way to market music online.
Is Earbits a free service?
It's free to submit music to Earbits for consideration and we do broadcast plenty of music for free. However, Earbits is ultimately a marketing platform for labels and artists cleverly disguised as a bad ass radio website. The paid service is (going to be) way better than hoping you get airtime while you "friend people" on Myspace.
Why did you reject my music?
There's really no easy way to say this. Something about your music just did not meet the requirements of our editorial team. We want to be a friend to the entire music community, and we support every artist out there. We're begging you not to take it personally. We're bound to make mistakes, and we're bound to have artists be mad at us. We have to be selective if we're going to build something that outshines mainstream radio. It doesn't mean we don't support indie music, or that we're snobs, or that we're idiots. Okay...it might mean that we're idiots...but we're willing to take that chance.
How do I log into my account?
Go to Earbits.com and click on Artist Login in the footer.
I forgot my username and password, how can I find this information?
C'mon, man! We emailed that sheezy to you right after you created your Earbits account. The email subject line is Welcome to Earbits Radio. If you can't find it, email us and we'll send it to you again with a tone of condescension.
How can I manage my assets (music, bio, photos, etc)?
It's pretty easy to edit, add, or delete the items on your account once you log-in. If you already have and you still can't figure it out, give us a shout.
Should I upload my whole album or just the best singles?
If the singles are the only good ones, do singles. If all of your songs are awesome, then upload them. A lot of people enjoy hearing the songs that they cannot get on regular radio. Later you can analyze which songs get the best response from listeners and setup Earbits to broadcast only those songs.
Can you link my albums to any stores other than Amazon or iTunes?
We're working on offering more ways to merchandise your stuff. Drop us a line and let us know which stores you use and which ones you prefer.
What is the recommended size for my featured image?
Big. High res. And make sure you don't have anything in your teeth. No, but seriously, like 1280 wide by 960 tall.
Why does my photo show only my forehead?
We told you the dimensions we needed and you ignored them to your own peril.
What file format should I use to upload my music, AIFF, WAVE, MP3, M4A?
We accept all of the above, but we highly recommend uploading files which are at least 192kbps. Uploading lower resolution files may result in the music not being approved for broadcast.
When uploading an image or music I received an error. What should I do?
For now, try uploading using a different web browser. If the error repeats, report it to clients@earbits.com. Please specify the type of browser and operation system you are using. We will make fun of you for super old versions of stuff and anything starting in "IE".
How come you don't use SoundCloud?
Ask Ben, our tech guy. We keep telling him to set that up but he keeps saying he's busy. We offered him Gummy Bears. No luck.
Trouble uploading images?
Three things you gotta check: -First, to get media up on Earbits, you need Adobe Flash Player. Get the latest version here: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer. Get the oldest version here: http://www.hyperborea.org/flash/bigimages/barry-firstapp.jpg. -Second, unless your computer's on drugs, your Javascript should be active. But just in case you and your computer are both on drugs and Javascript is turned off, check your browser's 'Options' or 'Settings' page. Turn Javascript back on, then get back to watching Trainspotting with your bros. -Finally, if you aren't already, you should be using the latest versions of Google Chrome, Apple Safari, or Firefox. http://www.google.com/chrome http://www.apple.com/safari http://www.mozilla.com If none of the above works, you can send the images to us and we'll take care of it for you. We promise we won't print them out and draw mustaches on them. At least not right away.
Are you licensed with Performance Rights Organizations?
Yep. We're licensed with ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.
Does Earbits pay SoundExchange royalties?
As of right now, Earbits does not pay SoundExchange royalties.
Why doesn't Earbits pay SoundExchange royalties?
Earbits uses online radio as a marketing platform for music and music related products. We invest heavily in tools and promotions that provide better and longer term value for artists and labels. In the future, there will be a charge for many of the services we provide. In the meantime, the price of the service is a royalty waiver.