ABOUT "TUNECORE": FEEDBACK ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE...

 

As you know, I use this blog as a kind of journal of my journey as an independent musician, a notebook containing my ideas, projects, and news.

I also try to offer more general reflections that may be useful to others musicians...

I would like to share my experience with Tunecore with you.

As you may know, independent musicians and most small labels have to go through aggregators to get their music online on streaming or download platforms (Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Tidal, Deezer, Quobuz, YouTube, etc. — there are nearly 200 of them!), which, in exchange for an annual subscription or a percentage of sales, will distribute albums and EPs far and wide.

These new players act as intermediaries in an ecosystem where more and more musicians are self-producing their music in a wide variety of genres (rock, techno, rap, pop, ambient, etc.) without labels.

So I chose to entrust my music to Tunecore for distribution on every possible and imaginable platform, present and future, for an annual subscription fee of €39.99 excl. tax/year (semi-pro subscription).

I have entrusted Tunecore with 60 of my self-produced albums since August 2022. That's exactly three years ago. I also gave them the rights to my music and the SYNC option for possible TV, film, etc. adaptations.

So three years later, where are we?

I have to say that Tunecore has done the job of putting my music online everywhere.

There have been few hiccups (only one album with a recording of Gandhi in the public domain, which Tunecore refused).

Overall, Tunecore has done the job, and all my music is available on all platforms.

Let's be clear, this brings me practically nothing. Tunecore offers me global and international visibility. I have sometimes been able to recoup the cost of my annual subscription through publishing. So be it. But nothing in terms of sync, even though my music could lend itself to accompanying images.

It was in May 2025 that everything started to go haywire.

I am well aware that the streaming world has to deal with the challenges of AI, bots, fake song factories, and hundreds of tracks that offer nothing but white noise or the sound of rain drumming against windows.

But now I've experienced firsthand a robotic Spotify playlist that, in one day, earned me almost a thousand streams for one of my older tracks, “Magnificent Sky.”

I was the first to spot the anomaly in my streaming statistics: the playlist aggregated hundreds of tracks with no logical style or genre. And the playlister's identity linked to highly suspicious bitcoin sites.

I immediately notified Tunecore of my findings, certifying that I had in no way commissioned or paid for this playlist to include my track.

To my surprise, I received a response from a certain “Emily,” a “Fraud Prevention Specialist,” who informed me that Apple Music had detected fraudulent manipulation of streams for two of my albums

"Hello,
 
Thank you for writing in. TuneCore has been notified by Apple Music that the following content has been removed from their store due to abnormal store-end streaming behavior. As a result, this content was taken down from all stores.
 
UPC: 859766980916, 859768337374"

My statistics on Apple Music show no anomalies. And these two albums are still online as I write this post.

I asked Emily, Fraud Prevention Specialist, for details about the fraudulent manipulation of my two albums: when? How many streams? Etc.

I got the following response from Emily: 

“Unfortunately, we cannot share the details of investigations as we must protect the review policies and practices of TuneCore and our store partners. However, I can let you know that typically abnormal store-end activity is characterized by a large number of streams coming from a small number of unique listeners.
 
It has been determined that the funds in your account were derived from abnormal store-end activity.”

I replied:

“On Apple/iTunes, since July 2022, I've earned $46.20 with 2,685 streams over three years!
It's absolutely impossible for you to see on my account “a large number of streams coming from a small number of unique listeners.”
My Apple Music stats (see my upload last night) show no such anomaly!
Apple Music has not contacted me to report a problem!
I repeat my request for an explanation and verification (aren't you confusing me with another musician?).”

 
I received a response from Emily (Fraud Prevention Specialist... LOL!)

 
“Hello,

Unfortunately, if a store determines, in their sole judgment, that streams received on a release have been manipulated or artificially generated, they reserve the right to remove that release from their platform. Additionally, it is TuneCore's policy to remove any releases reported to us for abnormal store-end activity from all other stores. Releases that have been taken down for abnormal store-end activity will not be eligible for reinstatement.”

I'll skip the details: to date, both albums are still online on Apple Music. It was a false alarm that triggered the notifications from the Tunecore bot, aka Mrs. Emily (Fraud Prevention Specialist), from whom I never received a personalized and relevant response to my case, beyond these generic statements... I think she does not exist: she is a bot with automatic answers.

And so, yesterday, August 20, 2025, three years to the day after I signed up with Tunecore, I was notified of a $10 penalty for streaming fraud on Spotify (my song “Magnificent Sky,” which I immediately reported as having been misappropriated by a robotic playlist, without my consent).

This morning, the $10 was deducted from my Tunecore account (to be transparent, this is my earnings for the second quarter of 2025, including publishing rights).

And I am threatened with similar fines every time one of my songs is reported for fraudulent streams.

It doesn't matter that I'm not involved in the fraud; it's the musician who is punished, not the agencies that manage these automated playlists.

So as of today, August 21, I still haven't received a response to my strong complaint to Tunecore's support service. The numerous similar cases reported on social media lead me to believe that I will not win my case and that I will only receive generic responses.

At this point, I can only strongly advise against subscribing to Tunecore, given their approach to handling suspected streaming fraud, which is immediately attributed to the musicians.

In short, the 1,000 fraudulent streams of “Magnificent Sky” would have generated a maximum income of $3 (which I did not receive).

I was penalized $10.

Spot the mistake...

When will musicians who have been wronged by Tunecore file a class action lawsuit?

 
 




 

CASSIOPEIA IS RELEASED ON ALL PLATFORMS!

 

"This is one of his finest albums to date, possessing more of an exploratory nature, a cutting edge and a seriously early seventies electronic pioneering approach to the tracks, but still being cosmic electronic music of the highest order." (Andy G. / Inkeys)

 

https://open.spotify.com/int.../album/1a2wCoCWQlB6mZW6xwNh8o

IMMERSIVE AMBIENT FOR IMAGINATIVE LISTENERS

 

 

LINK

 

"EBB and FLOW" : IMMERSIVE AND SLOW AMBIENT MUSIC

    

 

The guiding idea behind my new musical project, “Ebb and Flow”, is the hypnotic and slow back-and-forth of ocean waves on the mainland shore. The tides roll in and out, a slow movement of advances and retreats, where an edge of white foam traces the ephemeral boundary between water and land, between salt and sand, depositing infinitesimal harmonics and sound events on the edge of listening...

You could say that “Ebb and Flow” is an album of cosmic music, exploring not celestial immensities, but the slow and organic rhythms of the sea, which blend different clocks in an incessant movement that shifts lines and colors surfaces.

Minimalist music, based on recurrence, loops that come and go, the slow fade out of harmonic waves, lending itself to a contemplative gaze and listening that extracts itself from the tumult of the world to approach its silent truth and beauty... 

AN EARTHLING'S POINT OF VIEW ON THE SPOTIFY PLANET: A NOTEBOOK OF OBSERVATIONS...

- Some of the most influential ambient playlists in terms of subscriber numbers only offer tracks between 1 minute 30 and 3 minutes, for meditating, relaxing, daydreaming, falling asleep, and so on. As for me, this perpetual zapping would make me dizzy and prevent me from both concentrating and relaxing... Wouldn't you agree?

- From the point of view of the musicians involved: producing ambient pieces lasting around 2 minutes is a particular stylistic exercise... Musical haikus, without the depth and resonance of Japanese poems?

- What explains the success of sleep playlists? Has music become a soporific, and will it be reimbursed by social security?

- Spotify's in-house editorial playlists are the only ones capable of boosting a musician's visibility and listenership. But they only integrate new musicians once a statistical threshold of visibility and listens has been reached. Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

- Given that a stream currently only earns a musician 0.004 euros, provided that the track in question has already reached 1,000 non-monetized listens, how many streams does it take to make a return on the sums demanded by playlist curators (“buy me a coffee, 5 euros for sharing your track on my playlist”)  or intermediary platforms that demand a minimum payment of 75 euros to submit your track to unidentified playlists?

- Is it completely utopian to imagine that the human and "organic" factor could, on its own scale, partly compete with the algorithmic steamroller?

For example, if I asked the readers of this post, who know and appreciate my music and are sensitive to my efforts to survive a little, if I asked them to follow my artist profile on Spotify, to listen to a few of my tracks, or even to subscribe to my page, could that make a little difference, as a gesture of support, as an artistic and political manifesto in favor of an independent and uncompromising musical approach?

And couldn't we imagine electronic musicians, struggling to survive in the merciless world of algorithms, supporting each other in this way?

Let's give it a try?

 

LINK TO MY SPOTIFY PROFILE 

 
 

WHO ARE MY LISTENERS?

 

The statistics given by Spotify on my audience over the past month are interesting. This gendered and generational profiling shows that my music is listened to mainly by men, but with a quarter of women.

I thought Spotify was mainly aimed at a very young, urban, hip, constantly zapping audience.

The under-thirties account for just over 17%.

"Serious" ambient music like mine (well, I consider it serious, but maybe I'm wrong...), which doesn't fit into the stereotypes of music for relaxation, yoga, meditation, sleep etc. (but which is perhaps perceived as such, I don't know...), is listened to by 64% of people over 35...

We can imagine that this category of "mature and senior" listeners has a certain musical culture and has come across the sure values of ambient and electronic music over the years, whether it's the Germans, the Californians, or Eno's gang...

I also think that across these age categories, there are "sharp" listening communities, following labels, artists and playlists that are more or less confidential, but reflect strong musical and artistic options and identities...

It's actually encouraging... For an independent musician like me, a qualitative and committed audience is obviously more valuable than a quantitative but fickle one...

I find a certain consistency between my followers on Bandcamp and on Spotify...

A "niche" audience, but loyal, curious, adventurous...

They are the invisible fuel of my creativity...!

NEW RULES FOR NEW GAMES...

 

I began creating ambient music in the days of alternative distribution networks (cassettes!), then record labels releasing CDs...

 

The new digital ecosystem of download and above all streaming platforms is a new world for me, and while I'm trying to be a player and carve out a place for myself in this new ecosystem, I'm conducting a quasi-ethnographic observation of how it works, its communities, its rules, its players, its economy, and its politico-artistic cleavages...

 

With around 250 tracks distributed so far, my music has never caught on with Spotify's editorial algorithms, the only ones capable of boosting a musician's stream statistics.

 

My music is probably not commercial enough, not this, not that. And I am aware there are 100.000 new tracks uploaded daily on Spotify!

So I have to go through mediators, platforms that put musicians and playlist curators in touch with each other, for a fee (between one and four euros / track).

 

So we're entering a world of merchandising, and the curators, who pocket a few euros just for listening to a submission, even if rejected, are the kings of the streaming world.

 

I have a sharing rate of almost 40% on these playlists.

And therefore around 60% refusals. 

 

I seem to be above average.

 

But deep down, I revel in the concise appreciations and motivations for rejection I receive from these new kings of the (streaming) world.

"too slow, too minimalist, too experimental, didn't hook me today, not relaxing enough, I don't like the melody, too ambient, sound production could be better, not harmonic enough, too dark, too abstract, a bit too floating, track too long, too dreamy for our sport sequence, aesthetic too polished, not a fit for my concept, too cinematic, too eery, a touch too dark, too experimental, not enough punctuations, too exploratory, a bit too chill, miss some extra elements, track a bit empty, too dissonant, don't like the mood, don't feel the instrumental in some parts, too long, meditative, too ethereal, didn't feel the vibe, too long, too creepy for our ambient playlist (! !!!), too much drone, etc etc etc".

 

Among these playlist curators, there are musicians with sometimes a very narrow view of what ambient music is or should be, but also influencers who invest in the niches of music for yoga, meditation, sleep, focus or other...

 

In short, by submitting a track to a spotify playlist with a few hundred followers (and probably far fewer actual listeners), you feel like you're applying for the Grammy Awards, or the Victoires de la Musique (French version), and seeing your music scrutinized by the world's greatest music critics...

 

That said, criticism can be constructive, of course, and I'd like to thank all the playlist curators, no matter how important their playlists are, who have generously, and sometimes without financial compensation, shared my music...

Ambient Music Today...

Global audience of an independant musician: map of my Spotify listeners (April 2024)

Today, ambient music creation is more active than ever... Dozens of musicians are creating new soundscapes, often demanding and experimental, and sometimes achieving international fame (Ólafur Arnalds, Max Richter, Nils Frahm...),

Film and series productions are multiplying the opportunities for trailers and soundtracks, and often the accompaniment of the image allows a certain experimentation in the music...

Numerous independent labels are springing up, offering visibility to emerging, confidential or already-recognized artists, with no concern for immediate commercial profitability. In addition to musical quality and innovation, these labels often add a high standard of design and packaging, giving a new life to the discographic object, in the form of a CD or e-record.

A platform like Bandcamp is a veritable marketplace for independent creation, forging lasting and equitable links between musicians and their audiences...

A whole ecosystem of enthusiasts and activists circulate this independent creation in the form of blog reviews, podcasts, radio shows and playlists.

Despite the opacity of their algorithms and their often derisory remuneration, streaming platforms are bringing independent creation to the four corners of the globe, from New Zealand to Canada, from Argentina to Japan....

"Expanding Galaxies" — Feedback from Spotify playlists curators

 

IMMERSIVE AMBIENT (SPOTIFY PLAYLIST)

Long, ambient, minimalist tracks for meditative immersion and intellectual focus (reading, writing...). Take the time to listen and unwind!

This playlist features Brian Eno, Laraaji, Gavin Bryars, Harold Budd, Alio Die, Andrew Heath, Ensemble Dedalus, David Sylvian, Jon Hassell,  Hammock...  and my music...

 Feel free to listen and to like!

 Thanks!

AMBIENT ESCAPES: My new Spotify Playlist

 

It could be worse...

 

 Before the drastic reduction in stream fees announced for 2024, Spotify's algorithms are kind enough to provide us with a review of the year (almost) gone by...

These figures testify to my audience, confidential but real, and in my eyes honorable, given that my music doesn't fit into the mainstream ambient boxes: too abstract, too dark, not melodic enough, no rhythm, a little too experimental, too atmospheric, and so on.

I see this as a major encouragement to continue on my path, without losing my soul, and remaining myself...

There is indeed an international public for music that's a little "different", that stands out from the standards of yoga and other relaxation music...

From South America to the Japanese archipelago, from the farthest reaches of Canada to Africa, from Northern Europe to Australia, there's a loyal, open-minded following for my creative journey...

Thanks to all my listeners and to the playlists curators who support my music and share my tracks!

Diving into Ethereal Realms: Christian Wittman’s “Aurelia”

Many thanks to Matt, at ELECTRONICA.ORG.UK, for this splendid review of my ambient track "Aurelia" !

 

Christian Wittman’s captivating track “Aurelia,” part of his album “Dreams and Drones,” invites listeners on a profound journey through atmospheric soundscapes inspired by the universe of French poet Gérard de Nerval. Delving into the realms of ambient and contemplative music, Wittman’s composition paints a vivid picture of misty and solitary landscapes, where introspection and imagination intertwine.

The track begins with a mesmerizing interplay of shifting chords, setting a contemplative and ambient backdrop. Evocative layers of strings and atmospheric sounds further enhance the mood, creating a meditative and dreamlike atmosphere that immerses the listener in a rich sonic tapestry. As “Aurelia” gracefully evolves, gentle melodic fragments emerge, gracefully drifting in and out of focus, akin to wisps of thoughts weaving their way through the mind.

As one of the founding members of the esteemed French group LIGHTWAVE, Christian Wittman brings years of expertise in the realms of electronic and ambient music. His compositions draw inspiration from an array of artists, including Brian Eno, Harold Budd, and Stars of the Lid, which shines through in his masterful fusion of ambient and chill-out elements.

 LINK

 

SERENITY. Ambient Musics for Discerning Listeners

Christian Wittman Takes Us on a Serene Journey with “Evanescent Shades” (electronica.org.uk)

 

"Christian Wittman, a founding member of the renowned French group LIGHTWAVE, has embarked on a new solo endeavor with his latest album “Nocturnes I.” One of the standout tracks from this captivating release is the mesmerizing “Evanescent Shades,” an ambient composition that delicately weaves together ethereal tones and atmospheric textures.

From the very first notes, “Evanescent Shades” exudes a warm and inviting aura. The organ-like tones gently ebb and flow throughout the track, creating a sense of movement and progression. Wittman masterfully crafts a sonic landscape that evolves and transforms, leading the listener from one shade to another. It’s as if the music itself is guiding us through a series of ephemeral moments, fleeting and transient.

The minimalistic nature of the piece enhances its intimacy, drawing the listener closer to its subtle intricacies. Wittman’s expert use of electronic instruments and treatments adds depth and nuance to the composition, infusing it with a serene and contemplative atmosphere. The peacefulness conveyed by the music is palpable, inviting the listener to surrender to its soothing embrace.

“Nocturnes I” is a collection of musical vignettes that chronicles the passage between dusk and dawn. It is an exploration of thoughts, images, memories, and sensations that accompany us during the nocturnal hours. Wittman’s compositions create a delicate balance between wakefulness and sleep, existing on the threshold of dreams. The album paints a sonic portrait of the tranquil moments when the world quiets down, and silence intertwines with the murmurs of the night.

As a seasoned musician with a rich history in electronic and ambient music, Wittman draws inspiration from a wide array of influences. His music showcases a fusion of ambient, space, and chill-out elements, with a strong emphasis on sound design and atmospheres. Fans of artists like Brian Eno, Harold Budd, and Stars of the Lid will find a sense of familiarity in Wittman’s work, as he seamlessly blends these influences into his own unique sonic tapestry."

 

https://electronica.org.uk/blog/christian-wittman-takes-us-on-a-serene-journey-with-evanescent-shades/

Ambient Spotify Playlists open to Minimal / Abstract / Experimental / Edgy Electronic Music

 

Ambient playlists on Spotify are increasingly standardized and focused on "relaxing" and "gentle" music, with an almost generalized aversion to dark ambient, and anything with a touch of abstraction, minimalism, experimentation or "edgy". 

 

At least, that's my experience, as a user of Submithub and Groover, which represents only a tiny fraction of ambient, electronic and experimental music playlists (how do you reach the rest?).

 

I'm happy to highlight the exceptions, and to thank playlist curators who have recently included some of my compositions :

 

- Texture & Dreamscapes: Psychedelic Soundscapes. Dreamy Ambient

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0OBcHV5k4Mv7OExZn2Jf2A...

curated by Justin Robinson

- Dystopian Soundscapes: Dark Experimental Ambient Drone

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/34s7kg0WHIHpTqFCFvc7CC...

curated by Applefish

- Aembiance

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2DheQolNTFdCdx2XSOdjIm...

curated by @ChrisLuno

- Shadow of the Colossus Atmos - Classical and Epic Music

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6cbSdhMYn4xuPZuk0gr8LM...

curated by Peregrine

- Ambient Soundscapes; Experimental Swells

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1t2lcNuXq0DtF3Hd1SJOM0...

curated by Henrik Lauge

- Pure Ambient

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6NXv1wqHlUUV8qChdDNTuR...

curated by H-Music / Philippe

- Ambient Daily

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ft34uPmiSNFC2F3uJWcZY...

curated by Lecode

- Sleep Ambient

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2IadtcEUwlpz1twkgweesg

curated by Chitra Records

- Neoclassical Ambient

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ygZMz48llx00xPWecuTkA

curated by Chitra Records

- Sounds for a Peaceful Sleep

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2UxcHsp1f8IWsfrMk0RYUY...

curated by Drone With me

- Sounds for an Ambient Life

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/65toDViHYl13cTgwL0fj18...

curated by Drone With me

- Daily Drones

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7tertlbdBeG3HALfySaZaQ

curated by Drone With me

 

 

and the blogs and websites: 

 

— https://electronica.org.uk/ (@https://www.facebook.com/electron1ca)

— https://www.synthsequences.com (Sylvain Lupari)

— https://sequenzerwelten.de

(www.sequenzerwelten.de/z_wittman.html) (Uwe Saße) 

 

And here is my Spotify page for discerning and bold listeners who are not afraid of abstraction, minimalism, experimentation or "edgy" sounds :

https://open.spotify.com/.../4q4V7ci4nsWYEoPSb09voh...