Listening Platforms & Honoring the Artists

The songs in this library often appear across multiple listening platforms, each with different values, capabilities, and relationships to the artists who created them. Below is a brief overview of how these platforms differ, why not all songs are available for listening in every location, and how listeners can best engage with this music in a spirit of respect and reciprocity.

For the best listening experience, we recommend installing the apps for the platforms you use most on your phone or primary listening device.

SoundCloud

SoundCloud allows for easy sharing of recordings that have not been professionally produced. It is our primary platform for songs recorded specifically for this site, as it supports quick, accessible sharing without requiring expensive production resources. Many of the recordings shared here were created expressly to be offered in this way.

Bandcamp

Bandcamp is a platform dedicated to ensuring that artists are directly compensated for their work. When possible, we encourage listeners to purchase songs from composers through Bandcamp or the artists’ own websites. At this time, Bandcamp does not offer robust playlist functionality or reliable embedding options, which limits our ability to feature full listening experiences directly on this site.

Spotify, YouTube, and Other Streaming Platforms

Platforms such as Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and Pandora are widely used and accessible, which is why we frequently reference them as listening options on this site. However, these services generally provide very little to no financial compensation to artists—averaging approximately $0.003 to $0.005 per stream. As a result, musicians must independently fund their recording projects and rely on other means for livelihood and sustainability.

How to Honor the Artists

We offer the following guidelines in the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and right relationship with the artists and traditions represented in this library:

  1. Consider reaching out to artists you enjoy through their websites or social media channels to express gratitude for their work.
  2. When possible, purchase songs directly from artists via Bandcamp or their personal websites, and consider joining their mailing lists to stay informed about live events and offerings.
  3. If you plan to perform a song at a ticketed or public event, or if you wish to record a song written by another artist, first obtain their express written consent and arrange appropriate compensation or royalty agreements.
  4. If you are publicly sharing a song written by a living composer with whom you do not have a personal relationship, please do not substantially alter lyrics or other core elements of the song without the composer’s consent.
  5. When singing songs from other cultural traditions, consider offering your respect by devoting real time to research the song, composer(s), traditions, and the complexities of those from colonizing cultures sharing indigenous art. Also consider engaging in language study and check your pronunciations with native speakers. It is a beautiful practice to give verbal thanks to the tradition/composer when sharing the songs in public spaces, and when appropriate, acknowledging the collective harms those traditions have endured from colonizers or other cultures.