The 15th release Friday of 2020 brings plenty of new and diverse music, from Armin van Buuren, Diplo, Ilan Bluestone and more. Stay indoors this weekend and take a dive into the wonderful releases that are out below.
Armin van Buuren & Tom Staar feat. Mosimann – Still Better Off [Armada]
Continuing his weekly singles, Armin teams up with Tom Staar and Mosimann for ‘Still Better Off’. With each acts delivering their own style, the end result is a house/trance fusion. The punchy and energetic production includes strong vocals that make the record complete and perfect to play out when events begin again.
Diplo & Wax Motif – Love To The World [Higher Ground]
The next installment on Diplo’s house label is ‘Love To The World’, together with Wax Motif. The funky house record is another great record from the pair, they can do no wrong lately!
Lane 8 – Bear Hug [This Never Happened]
Lane 8 is here with the first single since his album release earlier this year. ‘Bear Hug’ is a bit more darker and aggressive than his other releases and it’s awesome. Lane 8 always creates killer melodies and that is ever present in his latest.
Ilan Bluestone & Andrew Bayer – Black & Blue [Anjunabeats]
After announcing and releasing the first track from his new Elysium project just last week, Ilan Bluestone today joins forces with another Anjuna family member Andrew Bayer. The trance titans product ‘Black & Blue’, a both hard hitting and melodic release – somewhat of a masterclass in trance.
Will Sparks & MorganJ – More Than We Compare [Hexagon]
The first collaboration between Will Sparks & Morgan J is the ultimate festival weapon that is ‘More Than We Compare’. It was only a matter of time before these artists got together and the result is better than expected!
ARTY & Kitone – Redline [Armada]
ARTY rounds out volume 1 of his From Russia With Love series with ‘Redline’. This hard hitting release sees ARTY team up with Kitone for the hardest track we’ve seen from the Russian producer in some time. With volume one now complete, we’re patiently waiting for the next one!
Blinders – Side 2 Side (SWACQ Edit) [STMPD]
Two of the brightest names coming out of STMPD come together on a track for the first time. Whilst it’s not a direct collaboration, both artists’ impacts are felt. ‘Side 2 Side’ is the ultimate main room track, if only it could be dropped at festivals this weekend.
Running Touch – Meet Me [Island]
Aussie talent Running Touch’s new single is now here. With an album on the card in the coming months, this may be the first taste. ‘Meet Me’ brings delicate guitar strings together with his vibey vocals, another impressive record from the mysterious act.
Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman – Pacifier [Buce]
After two years, Melodic wizards Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman have finally released ‘Pacifier’. With tremendous drops that pack a punch, this is a record more suitable for the clubs and festivals, but the living room will have to do for the moment.
Sentinel – Encrypt [Release]
Melbourne based brother trio Sentinel return to Third Party’s Release imprint with ‘Encrypt’. With atmospheric leads and a powerful groove drop, this is another impressive release. Let’s hope they increase their output!
John Dahlbäck & Dave Vrong – Travessia [Independant]
For his first release of the year, John Dahlbäck teams up with Dave Vrong for a double track EP. ‘Travessia’ is a departure of his gritty bouncy sound, this time we get an underground melodic house release that is the perfect way to switch it up.
Marc Benjamin & Timmo Hendriks – Be Alright [Protocol]
With 14 Protocol releases between them, the progressive house power couple come together for ‘Be Alright’. The progressive big-room influenced single, consisting of euphonious male vocal – is another highlight from Protocol and the producers behind it.
Go Freek feat. IDA fLO – What I Like [Sweat It Out]
Sydney’s Go Freek is here with his first record of the decade and it’s the best way to start his 2020 catalog with driving bassline, warping synths, big piano chords, all topped off with the bold stylings of Senegal/UK vocalist IDA fLO.
Fabian Mazur – Imma Get It [Independant]
Fabian Mazur brings big festival vibes and a dark atmosphere with ‘Imma Get It’. The Danish producers adds to his impressive discography with another banger!
Nick Stevanson – Harkam [Bourne]
French Nick Stevanson is back on Bourne with a hectic new release. ‘Harkam’ features a fusion of hardstyle and main room psytrance sounds.
The French duo of Michael Calfan and Martin Solveig have joined forces for ‘No Lie’.
No strangers to producing hit records individually, and with a collective streaming total that exceeds the 800 million mark, the pair have combined their talents and expertise to present this fresh new collaboration. ‘No Lie’ is a sophisticated house driven production brimmed full of energy, incorporating a beautiful and smooth textured vocal over a driving and rolling bass, guaranteed to feature in both DJ’s future performances.
The name power, combined with the excellent production will surely result in a successful and well received record. Fans of both artists are sure to have this one on repeat.
After Oliver Tree declared his retirement to the world along with the indefinite postponement of his Album only a couple of weeks ago, the genre-defying artist has returned today with a heavy-hitting single called ‘Let Me Down‘ as an apology.
With his debut album 5 years in the making, Oliver Tree dashed hopes of fans who had been anticipating its arrival with the announcement of his retirement. The artists shared with fans at the time that the vision he had for it’s release could no longer be achieved due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
The song was produced with Wethan, and as can always be expected from Oliver Tree it arrives accompanied by a hysterical video that was shot with the help of friends and family. While it could be his last song ever, the song also reveals the lyrics “I will come around” giving hope that he potentially is reconsidering plans for both the album and his retirement.
Speaking on the release of the new track ‘Let Me Down’ Tree revealed ”I wrote ‘Let Me Down’ the day after I cancelled my album due to coronavirus”, further stating it is an apology of sorts, to let his fans know he feels like he let them down, and that he is sorry.
The new releases follows the singer’s acclaimed single, ‘Cash Machine’ and critically acclaimed EP DO YOU FEEL ME?, which features hit singles ‘Miracle Man’, ‘Hurt’, and the RIAA gold-certified hit single, ‘Alien Boy’.
“Cancelling the release was devastating after working on this album for five years. Even though it was completely out of my control, I felt like I let a lot of people down so I made them this song as an apology. Even if I can’t drop the album, I still want my fans to know I care about them. This week I decided to film a DIY music video in my buddy’s warehouse with the help of some close friends and family. To anyone who feels let down or hurt, I ask for your forgiveness…”
Swedish producer mastermind Alesso is back with his newest hit. After returning to his roots with DubVision on ‘One Last Time’, Alesso teams up with ex-One Direction member Liam Payne.
With 4 billion streams across Spotify, Alesso is no stranger to a hit and that’s exactly what he have here. ‘Midnight’ infuses Payne’s strong vocals with lush guitar and a catchy bouncy future bass esque climax. The track exemplifies Alesso’s productionknack for crafting energetic and emotive feelgood music.
“During these difficult times Liam and I hope this song can bring some light” says Alesso.
‘Midnight’ leans more towards to commercial side, vastly different to his previous release. Alesso has seen major success with pop records such as ‘Let Me Go’, ‘I Wanna Know’ and ‘Heroes’ so we can hypothesis big numbers for ‘Midnight’ coming also!
The performance video was shot during quarantine and provides an intimate look at both artists in their element. It gives off a feeling of unity with both artists standing together in self-isolation while pushing through. Alesso resides mixing and producing the record in LA and Liam Payne is performing the track on his rooftop in London overlooking the city and its sunset.
Fans of both Alesso and Liam will have this on repeat since it’s EST ‘midnight’ release.
If you’re anything like me, you’re struggling to stay active and build an envious summer bod while stuck in quarantine. If my social media feed is anything to go by, you’re also struggling to find indoor activities that entertain, besides baking delicious treats loaded with high calories, sugar, and fats. In other words, we definitely could use fitness inspiration. Thankfully, our friends at Deezer have given us a gift to entice our active sides.
Launched yesterday, Deezer brings together six global stars to help keep us fit and active while we stay indoors during the quarantine. Dubbed “Workout With”, is a new playlist series that sets its sights on giving listeners the musical encouragement to keep fit. The artists that take part in the series are J Balvin, YungBlud, Zara Larsson, Steve Aoki, Fifth Harmony’s Ally Brooke, and Five Finger Death Punch.
Each artist will be right there with you during the 30-minute playlists, offering words of encouragement and praise to keep our bodies moving to achieve our desired summer bods. Some standout phrases from the series are as follows:
“I said exercise, not extra fries!” from J Balvin. “Fitness is like a relationship – you can’t cheat on it and expect it to work” from Zara Larsson. “Winners train, losers blame” from Five Finger Death Punch. I won’t spoil anymore, but they’ll definitely keep you entertained and motivated.
The playlist types fit with each artist’s musical style. So, there’s a little something for everyone’s discerning needs. For example, J Balvin brings the Reggaeton vibes, Steve Aoki drops the dance sounds, and Five Finger Death Punch gets the juices flowing with some metal intensity.
If you’re ready to get active, Deezer’s “Workout With” can be streamed by following the link here. Listen to these playlists and you’ll surely shed the dad bod and achieve that summer look you’ve always wanted.
With over a million Instagram followers, collaborations with artists such as Sidney Samson, hitting #148 on the DJ Mag – Mr. Pig now takes on his next endeavor, a brilliant new piece of work together with Bzars and Sapir Amar.
‘Blue Dreams’ is the result of Mr. Pig coming together with with Rising EDM Producer Bzars, who has been following up the success of his latest ‘Bella Ciao’. The track landed in the media campaign for EDC Mexico.
The song features the lush voice of Sapir Amar, the perfect compliment for the addictive instrumental that Mr Pig and BZARS crafted. ‘Blue Dreams’ features a double build up section that carefully builds the tension to release it at the drop with the catchy melody the song showcases along an irresistible house beat.
It takes legendary qualities to have a career that spans over thirty years in the music industry. It takes titan-esque qualities to be a part of the initial waves of a musical genre and to become “the Queen” of said genre. Barbara Tucker is that Queen of House music and she is still a titanic figure in dance music.
Ms. Tucker’s career has been nothing short of extraordinary. She has brought to this world multiple dance hits, which still appear in countless DJ sets to this day and still influence the genre. She has inspired many musically and now she inspires many more through her charitable works. She is a beacon that illuminates the humble and just pathway to stardom.
We at CULTR felt it was necessary for us to sit-down with the Queen of House and understand the genius that Ms. Tucker has unleashed upon the universe. Fortunately for us, she said yes and entertained our questions. Without further adieu, here is our interview with Barbara Tucker.
How did you get started in the dance world? What attracted you to the burgeoning scene?
Growing up in Brooklyn, coming out of church I’ve always been artistic in the world of dance, theater and music. As time went on, I was a part of a dance group in Brooklyn called Internal Combustion. We would rehearse at a club called The Ozone Layer where David Morales was the DJ. There was all kinds of inspiration around me.
You’ve been dubbed the Queen of House, how does it feel to be dubbed as such and be seen as a legend in the genre?
I’ve been called that and at first didn’t think much about it, then one day in Ibiza doing a Soul Heaven party with Fleur Woolford, DJ Louie Vega was on the bill and asked to introduce me. His words were heartfelt, and at the end he said, “to me she is the Queen of House.” There I started to embrace it – being here now 35 years, whether choreographing promoting events, mentoring, sessions, writing, producing, panels – I feel I’ve earned it!
In your words, what makes a great dance record?
What makes a good dance record to me is to start with a beat – one you’d still be dancin to on its own, some cool sexy chords that make you wanna start singing, a funky bassline with that sexy feel – which can bring a happy feeling mixture, a label behind it, a diva vocal on it, strong backgrounds…and there you would have something powerful!
You’ve had seven #1 Dance Records, do you have a favorite of the lot? Or do you have a favorite record outside of those?
I’ve actually had nine #1 Billboard hits, but Google has not caught up, ha! I have some new tunes dropping and I fall in love with the ones that are more community/humanitarian based. There’s never just one.
We’re coming up on the 20th anniversary of “Stop Playing With My Mind”. What can you share with us about the initial release, the feeling as it took off, or anything else about the track? Any plans for an anniversary release?
So Duane Harden and myself wrote “Stop Playin With My Mind” and it was a ke-ke in the studio with producer Freddy Turner (1/2 of the production team “Whiplash and Turner”) that did the music. This song is based on a guy who doesn’t know if he wants to be with a man or a woman, but he’s attracted to this woman, so we went back and forth with a love-tug kinda thing. Initially, Duane was supposed to be on the record but in the end, we were blessed with Darryl D’Bonneau. Duane and I did the first performance of it in Ibiza on the Strictly Rhythm tour in 1998.
What are some of your favorite current house records or artists?
There are some new artists coming up like Cynthia Tucker, love how powerful her voice is. I love Onita Boone’s remake of “Aint’t Nobody,” her vocals are bananas. Also loving the new track by DjQ on I Am House/Music Plant, “Come to the Dance Floor” – that bumps with his Barry White voice MC-ing on it. There’s also a song on Quantize called, “If You Really Love House,” that track drives me up!
Are there any artists you think are poised for a breakout or deserve some more attention?
I think DjQ with his voice is here to rock the dance floor. We can do with more of those pumping jackin’ rappers on the tracks, they wake up the floor like Mike Dunn.
Your career has spanned over three decades. From your perspective, how has the industry evolved? What do you think is the next evolution and how can we prepare for these changes?
So now here 35 years later since my first recording “Set It Off” with Harlequin 4/Jus Borne Records, times have definitely changed. Unfortunately I don’t know if we are ready. There’s no artist development like there was before, just quicky tracks for the moment. We’re needing more songs for the long-run. There’s tons of indie labels but they don’t nurture artists like they used to. Sometimes they use name-brand hype to build on a song, and then we don’t see them, we see the DJ. I’d like to see more unity with these collaborations. We need “think tanks” and new visions. Who’s going to the conferences, where are the artists? I personally love conferences and meeting my music community.
You’ve become quite involved in humanitarian work. What can you tell us about your work?
I am proud to be a part of the Bookbank Foundation founded by Dr. Glenn Toby where we bring awareness of the shelters and homelessness in the New York area. We also do an annual fundraiser concert with 20 house artists and the proceeds fund needs in the shelters. We rent 2 huge buses and hit various shelters in one day, bringing clothes, toiletries, books, inspiration, songs, love, and empowerment. I’ve written 2 songs around this – one we sung at the finale of the WMC awards show in 2014 called “WE CAN HEAL” and the other in 2019 for Nervous Records “LIVE DREAM HOPE LOVE,” which should be released soon. I also work a lot with the Zoe Ministries prayer line – I love praying for people and helping them.
You have a wealth of knowledge and experience in this industry. Is there a piece of advice you’d like to share for young artists, music business professionals or even young dreamers?
One thing I know is God our creator gave us the gift of creative music – never forget that, and use that gift to bless the world. Adding some joy and happiness and inspiration through your works, do it for the love and people will feel that passion as you create it authentically. Good things will follow.
Anything else you would like to tell readers?
I do wanna say, don’t get tired or give up. God entrusted you to bring what he placed on the inside of you, out for the world. Yes there are going to be some pitfalls, some haters, some challenges, but I think it’s all just to see how strong you want to be as a creator and to see if you really believe in yourself. So keep pushing forward, you got this 🙂
With events such as SXSW, Coachella and Ultra Music Festival having been cancelled around the globe in light of the Coronavirus pandemic, hopes seem to have dashed today that one of the biggest music events of the summer calendar would be going ahead.
As the virus continues to spread, there is major uncertainty whether the already sold-out Tomorrowland 2020 is going to be taking place as of today, and this may be the start another wave of cancellations for the live music and events industry in Europe and around the world.
Tomorrowland is the biggest electronic music festival in Europe and possibly the world, it was scheduled to take place on July 17-19 and July 24-26. While that might seem far away now, it seems the decision has possibly been taken out of their hands due to local authorities in Belgium.
Multiple Belgian news outlets have reported that the officials of districts Werchter and Aarstelaar have cancelled events and festivals for the upcoming summer. For those unfamiliar with their location Werchter and Aarstelaar happen to be next to the town of Rumst where Tomorrowland 2020 is taking place.
Even if there is a slow down in the next couple of months it is a reasonable precaution from the Belgium authorities, as they wouldn’t want a major music festival that brings fans from around the world for 3 days of events and camping where they are in close proximity with each other and hundreds of Belgian staff.
There is no word from Tomorrowland themselves as of yet. However it is looking very likely given the circumstances – so we expect official confirmation in the coming days from Tomorrowland. It’s also not clear whether this will be a straight-up cancellation or it will result in a postponement, for the sake of the hundreds of thousands of tickets sold – hopefully it’s the latter.
So you’ve decided you want to start your own podcast.
Just like having a social media account, or a website, podcasting is a great way to connect with an audience. So whether you’re running a business, an expert in your field or feel like you have something interesting to say; there is a huge opportunity in creating a podcast. So today we’re making sure you have got the basics covered in order to get started.
In recent times Podcasts have surged in popularity as a medium for both informational and entertainment content. A recent Nielsen study found that over 50% of US homes have a favourite podcast and more than 20% of people consider themselves heavy listeners.
The Podcast as a media format has been around for over a decade but it was not seen as a valuable media format till the past few years. The meteoric rise in popularity of Podcasting can be seen as a result of the relative ease of making one. Some hosts try to educate, others to entertain, and there are now shows about almost anything you can think of, amongst them several podcasts have become global sensations, even spawning into hit Netflix shows like Dirty John.
People listen to podcasts in all kinds of settings, when they are going to sleep, running, working, driving, or taking the train to work. There are now over 29 million episodes, and 700,000 Podcasts covering topics from crime and business to comedy, gaming and health. So if you want to jump into the podcasting arena and have a chance to build an audience and get sponsors you need to make sure you do it right.
In our other post, How To Launch Your Podcast we delve into choosing the right podcasting distribution partner, naming your podcast and building an optimised web presence. Today, we’re all about the sound, as you’ll also need to have podcasting gear that sounds great if you want to reach a lot of people.
To start a successful podcast you don’t need the top of the range podcasting recording equipment or an expensive recording studio. You can start out with buying the cheapest gear, but if you want to stand out we’d advise getting the best gear you can afford. Putting some thought into the Podcasting equipment and the place you record will go a long way.
Where Should You Record Your Podcast?
When thinking about where you should record your podcast, it first comes down to what your podcast is about. For the optimal listening experience, you don’t want any background noise that can take the focus away from your voice unless of course, you’re adding it in for dramatical effect.
The top Podcasts are generally recorded in a soundproof environment, so unless your recording a Podcast about car chases, avoid recording in a room that might catch the sounds of a busy highway or street where blaring sirens might often drive past.
If you’re interviewing people out and about it might be hard to always guarantee a controlled environment free from external sounds but with the right microphone and a little extra gear, you can get a great result. While you might not be able to have a fully soundproofed room, you can pick up some simple and cheap soundproof panels which you can stick to the walls of a corner in a room at your office or home, such as this foam panel which is relatively cheap (Available on Amazon for less than $20).
If however you have a little more budget and want to be able to bring them around you can grab this folding one for a little extra, they can be used with either a stand or adjusted to a tabletop, and as a bonus, they also come with a pop filter (Available On Amazon For 43.99).
The most important piece of Podcasting equipment you need for recording a podcast is a microphone, don’t go thinking you can record a great podcast using your smartphone or laptop microphone as these are not designed for outputting high-quality sound. There a few factors to consider when choosing a microphone though. Do you need a condenser mic or a dynamic mic? Do you need a USB or XLR Mixer inputs which offer a dedicated audio interface. Don’t know what the difference is? That’s okay. Keep Reading.
Dynamic Vs Condenser Microphones
While both dynamic and condenser microphones do operate quite similarly the one you need will depend on where you are recording your podcasts.
Dynamic Microphones have a significantly lower sensitivity and don’t pick up sounds on the lower end, essentially this can result in a flatter audio output. If you’re recording in anywhere that’s not a controlled environment this can actually be a good thing as it reduces the feedback and background sounds that could disrupt your listener’s experience.
Condensers, on the other hand, are typically more expensive and are built to pick up high-frequency sounds, their sensitivity makes it the perfect choice for podcasters who intend to speak at a further distance from the mic and in controlled, fully soundproof environments and studios.
USB vs XLR Mixer Audio Interfaces
When it comes to choosing the microphone, you have the option of choosing a USB powered microphone or an SLR Mixer microphone. The USB mic as you can probably guess plugs directly into your computer, this can work for one host and is perfect if you are just experimenting. For a more advanced setup or if you plan to have more than one person speaking you should go with an XLR Mixer microphone, it requires a mixer also known as a dedicate audio interface between your microphone and your computer. Mixers are not cheap though, so there are also some options that offer both if you’re not ready to jump into a pro set up just yet.
The Samson Q2U is a great beginner microphone and it is the cheapest microphone worth buying that can still deliver great quality. While it’s not going to deliver the same result as other more expensive microphones it’s dynamic microphone capsule with a cardioid pickup pattern captures sound from in front of the microphone and less from the side and rear, minimizing ambient sounds and other room noises. It works for both USB and XLR outputs which means as you start out you can use it without a mixer then, later on, change over to and XLR set up for more of an advanced setup. It comes along with Mic Clip, Desktop Stand, Windscreen and Cables.
The Blue Yeti manufacturers are known for their ability to produce high sound quality, whilst also being versatile and overall amazing podcast gear. Many Podcasters first start out with it, and it’s a big favourite for streamers.
It comes with an adjustable stand, Volume Control, Mic Gain Control and 3 different condenser capsules which allow you to customise it for various recording settings. It also has a built-in headphone jack for those who want to listen to the recording in real-time. It’s basically the perfect USB mic for 1 person.
Rode’s offering is in a class of it’s own, while it is a little bit more on the pricey side it comes with an internal shock mount and an integrated pop-filter. The Rode exudes a warm and focused recording sound and has a direct audio output with level control. It’s similar in design to microphones radio producers use and works well to prevent room ambiance.
So you’ve decided to launch a Podcast, you’re probably deciding between Podcast hosting, what to name it and trying how to get the right set up.
With more people tuning into Podcasts than ever, there’s a podcast for everything from a Mcdonald’s Sauce to Musical murderers and everything in between. Whether you’re looking to use a Podcast to market your brand, share some knowledge, tell a story or entertain people, there’s likely many ready to listen. With over 29 Million episodes online and almost 1 Million Podcast shows, you’ll want to make sure you launch it with the best chance at success.
If you have yet to get your recording equipment, read our article The Best Podcasting Equipment & Microphones To Start A Podcast to learn what kind of microphone you need, where you should record and some tips on how to make it sound great. However, recording your podcast is one thing, getting people to hear it is the next.
When it comes to launching a podcast there’s a range of things to consider. In this article we’ll cover podcast hosting, naming your podcast and building a website for your Podcast.
Website Domain
If you have a website for your company you can simply create a page for your new podcast and embed each episode, or you can create a dedicated site for your podcast. Many of the hosting services we mention give you the option to use special templates which you can connect to your own domain. So if you don’t have one yet you should grab a domain name from Namecheap and Hostgator, and choose a Podcast host with a website. Alternatively, you can either set one up yourself with a WordPress, Squarespace or Wix. WordPress has a lot of freedom and you can grab some great Podcasting themes on Envato, with thousands of custom themes including many designed specifically for podcasts.
Every Podcast is distributed using an RSS Feed, each Podcasting platform (Spotify, Apple, Stitcher) receives that feed and shows your episode so that listeners can download or play it from your Podcast host. While you can technically host your own without the need of a 3rd party service technically, doing so will be complicated, time-consuming and leave you with more problems than managed hosting with support and tools.
Using a Podcast hosting service dedicated to podcasting will save time and give you access to a bunch of great benefits and depending on your choice, customer service to help you along the way. The best of which will leave you to focus on recording the best content and finding sponsorships.
The most important platforms you want to have your podcast listed on are Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Overcast. While there are others, the majority of listeners use one of these and every Podcast hosting option below delivers to these.
No two hosting services are alike, with many offering unique combinations of tools. The most important things to consider are analytics, custom websites, level of support, storage space and bandwidth/downloads. Extra’s which can be great but aren’t necessary for everyone include social media tools, video podcasting, additional admin members and advertising marketplaces.
Before choosing a Podcast hosting service, remember that as a Podcaster the most important tool you can have is analytics so that you can improve your show, entice sponsors and understand who your audience is and how they engage with your content.
If you are looking for something all in one, Transistor is one of the best options in 2020. Having started only two short years ago, they are one of the newer players on the market. This hasn’t stopped then already having a healthy list of brands using their platform including official podcasts for Basecamp, VH1, ProfitWell, Ionic, and Laravel and more than 4,000 shows altogether. You’ll only have to move up from Personal tier if you’re exceeding 10,000 downloads per a month, need more than 2 members on your dashboard or require additional features like the ability to make a private podcast.
+ Free Trial Available + Unlimited Podcast Shows + Advanced Analytics + Well designed embeddable player + Quality hosted website templates + Fast & Reliable customer support
Transistor offers three plans: Personal ($19/Mo) Professional ($49) Business ($99)
You can try Transistor free for 14 days, and if you do end up wanting to subscribe for longer you can get two months free if you pay yearly.
This feature-packed modern hosting is built for the everyday user and for teams. Simplecast has a very reasonable price for the service they provide. As well as distribution to all the top listening apps they have a world-class support team, offer unlimited storage with all plans, and have beautiful website designs, a modern embed player and awesome analytics platform. In addition, they also allow you to time to grow, if you exceed your downloads one month they won’t force you to pay extra and upgrade instantly, they’ll reach out if you continue to though.
Simplecast’s plans are very competitive, but even better we’ve got a limited code ONSIMPLECAST which you can use to get 50% off for the first two months.
Basic $15/Mo: – 20,000 downloads per month – Manage multiple shows – 2 admin members – Custom domain hosting – E-Mail Support
Essential plan is $35/mo: – 50,000 downloads per month – Additional analytics – Extra player designs – Listener reports – 4 admin members – Chat support.
Growth plan is $85/mo: – 120,000 downloads per month – 9 admin members – Compare metrics across 5 episodes at once – More advanced analytics
With PodBean you can Publish, manage and promote podcasts in a point-and-click, blog-like environment with little to no technical knowledge. Podbean offers ways to monetise your Podcast with audio ads from their platform. PodBean also offers ways to sell advertising in your show through their platform, and Podbean’s own listening app is one of the most popular podcast apps for iOS and Android, and can also be used to play podcasts via Amazon Alexa.
This platform was bought by Spotify and is completely free. While Anchor has some impressive features, before you consider starting with Anchor you should know it’s got some key limitations. If your only focus is Spotify then Anchor could be right for you.
Anchor is a great entry-level option for beginners with no budget but if you’re looking to the future and are running a brand podcast you should take heavy caution using it and consider something which you have a bit more control over and have a dedicated support team. Anchor keeps you tied to their platform and as Spotify’s main goal with Anchor is to try and make you focus on Spotify rather than other platforms. Anchor furthermore only reports how many people are listening from the other platforms, and furthermore they own and control the RSS Feed.
Anchor also provides podcasters with a hosted landing page that links out to platforms fans can listen from. However if you want to have a blog, sell products or have a merch store you’ll still need to set up another site separately as well. Moreover with Anchor you can’t access the same level of data on the other services like Apple Podcasts, Stitcher like you can with other Podcasting hosts.
Anchor also promotes that they connect you to a market place of Advertisers. However, unless you have a very loyal and engaged following they’ll only give you the option to be sponsored by one company, Anchor itself.
+ Anchor Hosted Landing Page + Option To Get Supporters + Detailed Spotify Analytics + Custom audio editor + Record multiple co-hosts in different locations + Access to an advertising platform – Limited control of Podcast Analytics – No control over Brand Assets – No custom domain
This Podcast hosting service comes with features such as Free WordPress, A Media Player, Unlimited Bandwith and Pro Analytics. Blubrry has a worldwide CDN network which makes sure when your listeners hit play they dont have to wait for it to buffer or download.
Their storage options are a little bit different from those previously mentioned and a bit more pricey, each month you’re given additional storage which grows month to month. The Small account ($12/Mo) gives you only 100mb each month, so after 3 months you’ll have 300MB worth of storage. The next tiers also include Video Podcasts and slightly higher storage per month, Medium ($20/Mo) 250mb, Large ($40/Mo) 500mb and Extra Large ($80/Mo) 1000mb. They also offer additional data reporting for an extra charge on top of plan pricing.
Blubrry in summary is a service built for more professional creators with a higher budget.
Before you launch your podcast, you want to make sure choose a catchy name for it so that users can search for it next time or share it with their friends and colleagues in conversation. If you’re a personal brand perhaps it should include your name, or you could think of something that’s unique, describes your podcast niche and is easy to remember. You don’t have to use “Podcast” in the name but you do have to make it stick out to your audience, so don’t be too general.
If you have a name in mind you should open Spotify or your favourite Podcasting App and search for the similar keywords to make sure there’s nothing with too similar of a name, and see what others in your industry have called themselves.
You should also make sure you can get social media handles on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube as well as buy the Website domain for it. You can find out if your podcast name is available as a domain by searching on Namecheap or Hostgator and secure it for less than $5 as a .com, .co as well as many others.
Here are some examples of Podcasts from brands and individuals to show you some good examples of popular podcasts!
And The Writer Is An interview series between Songwriters Coffee House Shots A Political Podcast Mugglecast A Podcast about Harry Potter fanfare Song Exploder Each episode the hosts discuss a popular song Dissect The host breaks down a different album each season The Rewatchables A Show discussing popular Movies Business Wars Each season recounts a famous battle of companies.
