To hear TuneCore CEO Scott Ackerman put it, YouTube is like a thrift store jacket with a bonus Hamilton in the zipper pocket. Or one of those "keep the change" checking accounts. "There is money out there on YouTube," he says in a new interview with Music Ally. "It’s almost like found money."
In contrast with other forces in the music business — from Irving Azoff to IFPI chief Frances Moore, as well as various artists — the digital distributor believes most of its clients see YouTube as a valuable discovery tool and aren’t bogged down by monetary concerns. "For most of our artists, that is their number one thing – they want their music heard," he said. "It’s not about money. They want their music out worldwide so everyone can hear it."
Ackerman also said he doesn’t believe the rise of streaming spells the doom of download stores like iTunes or Bandcamp. "Our artists are embracing streaming – but they have the choice of being able to pick downloads, streaming or both," when they distribute their music. "Most of the new stores were are adding now are streaming-based. Some do downloads."