5 Best Live Streaming Sites for DJ’s & Musicians

In the age of Covid 19, live streaming has become one of the only ways for musicians and DJs to play to a live audience.

Now, there are many different live streaming services – some free and some paid. And in this guide, we’ll be looking at their costs, pros, and cons.

We’ll also peek at their sound quality, which is essential if you’re streaming music.

This guide isn’t about setting up a live stream and how to film it, etc.

I plan to cover finding the perfect OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) settings in another guide. But for now, and in this guide, we’ll simply be looking at live streaming services.

The advice in this guide is written more for musicians, artists, and DJ. It’s not a streaming guide for gamers.

Now, there are no affiliate links in this guide, so I gain nothing if you follow any of the advice in this article.

And lastly, this guide is written by a small independent DJ and not by some streaming service hawking their wares or the latest streaming service.

Moving on…

Why live stream your musical events?

Live streaming is great because it’s the closest representation of a live event. Your fans and followers get to see you play and get to see you demonstrate your musical talents.

If you’re a very visual performer, this can be great. I like live streaming myself because it allows me to show off my scratching skills.

Some live streaming services also have a chat service built into them which is excellent as you can interact with your fans when playing. Which is great for making the stream seem more personal.

The other good thing about live streams is that if you run your own stream, you can play when you want. I’m a relatively unknown DJ, which means that I’m often relegated to the less popular times when playing for other people or on someone else’s channel (or the graveyard shifts). But when you’re in control you can choose to play at the best times for you.

How to make money live streaming a music concert

It is possible to make money when live streaming. Now, depending on the service, this can work in a few different ways.

Some streaming services offer restricted access, meaning that only viewers who’ve bought a ticket can watch and take part in a gig.

Other services allow fans to buy tokens that can then be donated to any artists, bands, or DJs playing.

Lastly, even if you’re using any free service, you can always add a donation link to your stream – like a Patreon link, PayPal donation URL or equivalent. But if you do this, make sure you mention it and try to promote your donation method; otherwise it’ll probably get ignored.

The bigger platforms have some monetisation services for content producers, but can be difficult to become a member of these services.

Live streaming music – the downsides

The biggest problem I see many DJ’s and artists having with live streaming is copyright infringement. However, this probably won’t affect you if you plan to sell access to a private stream.

Copyright infringement problems tend only to affect the big free popular streaming services – namely YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch.

When a copyright ban hammers kick in, your streams might be stopped, muted, or auto-banned. What happens depends on your streaming platform.

Most piracy detection algorithms are automated. So once you’re banned, there’s usually no appeals process and no way to prevent a similar ban from happening in the future.

And these algorithms are error-prone. You don’t have to look far to find examples where the algos flagged a legit stream and stopped them.

All it takes is for you to drop a remix or play a cover song, and that’s the end of your stream.

Anyway, let’s have a look at the top five streaming services for bands, artists, and DJ’s…

1. YouTube Live

YouTube has the biggest audience of any live streaming platform. It’s also the second biggest search engine globally, Google being the number one.

So, it shouldn’t be surprising that this is the first live streaming site that springs to mind when people consider live streaming a musical event.

YouTube Live has some great options for aspiring artists, but it also has some caveats.

Pros:

• Can stream up to 4K providing your bandwidth can handle it.
• It has a chat option so viewers can interact with you and your fans.
• Built in monetisation options.
• You can make your stream private and later make it live if you want to.
• All your videos (plus chat) can be easily added to your YouTube channel.
• You can notify your fan base of new streams using notifications. But these fans must be subscribers and have notifications turned on (so make sure you always ask people to do this in your videos).
• You can schedule live streams in advance. This can also be done with prerecorded videos too.
• Videos can be embedded on other websites.
• Has videos statistics so you can see how your event performed.

Cons

• Monetisation options aren’t immediately available. You need to be eligible to be able to join the partner program.
• Draconian copyright claim system. It’s easy for others to maliciously report your videos and streams for copyright infringement. . And YouTube support is famously non-existent.
• Has copyright ID detection. If you’re playing other people’s music or playing remixes, chances are your stream will get flagged, muted, or stopped. The system is automated and does make mistakes.
• It’s free, and you’re dealing with the public. This means you can quickly become the victim of maliciously intent, trolls, and bad actors.

What sound quality does YouTube use?

It varies. The average stream quality is usually 128kbps AAC bitrate. Premium users can stream at a lovely 256kbps AAC.

But if your users have a bad Internet connection, it can be reduced as low as 48kbps HE-AAC.

It’s worth noting that 256kbps AAC is equivalent in audio quality to the 320kbps CBR mp3.

YouTube might have even switched to using the Opus Codec by now. I had heard rumours about this previously.

Who’s this best for?

YouTube is a good choice if you write, create and produce original music.

If you create or play remixes or covers, you might want to test YouTube before becoming wholly reliant.

Personally, I’d have a copy of your music videos or performances stored elsewhere as a backup.

As for DJ’s, the odds are against you. That’s unless you’re playing obscure music, music you have permission to play, or music with no copyright.

2. Facebook Live

The next big streaming site which most musicians and DJ’s will try to use is Facebook Live.

And why not? Because despite Facebook becoming more unpopular in recent years, most people are still on it and using it. And most of your fan base will probably still have a Facebook account.

Pros

• Massive audience size.
• Go-live notifications will tell your followers that you’re streaming.
• Donation buttons are available for streams.
• Videos can be saved permanently to your Facebook page and then shared by your fans.

Cons

• Facebook Live stream events can only be published via a page and not on your Facebook profile.
• Although they were once tolerant of live streaming music, they’ve cracked down on music streams recently. I know cover bands who can’t play more than a few minutes before their streams are stopped.
• Streams don’t get muted; they just get taken down when an infringement is incurred.
• Repeat offenders can have their accounts banned or frozen.
• Saved video quality appears to be worse than YouTube’s.

What sound quality does Facebook live use?

It’s hard getting accurate info about what audio Facebook Live uses. Like YouTube, it appears to use a variable quality that depends on the end-users Internet and listening device.

But many musicians report poor audio quality when streaming events. I think this might be because Facebook’s audio codecs are optimised more for voice than music.

Facebook is a free service. It’s in their financial interest to ensure any streams use as little bandwidth as possible. So, it shouldn’t be surprising if they reduce the bitrates of your audio and video streams.

Who’s this best for?

Like YouTube, Facebook is a good choice if you’re playing music with no copyright.

However, be careful if you are a covers band or playing remixes because you stand a greater chance of your live event being stopped.

As for DJ’s, there’s little or no chance of performing live on Facebook. I’ve known music artists – play DJ sets containing tracks they own – still get barred. And there seems no way to appeal this.

Remember, Facebook is a social network for friends. It wasn’t designed for live streaming concerts or music events.

3. Instagram Live

If you have a strong Instagram following, this might be a viable live streaming option.

Instagram Live is a new feature added to Instagram Stories.

But like Facebook Live, it’s not designed for streaming music.

Pros

• Massive audience and user base.
• Your followers will be notified that you’re streaming via push notifications.
• Easy to use. All streaming is done using your mobile device.

Cons

• You can only stream up to an hour.
• Recorded videos are only kept online for 24hrs, afterwards they are deleted.
• You can only use a mobile to stream. Which means you can’t use external cameras to film. And neither can you use external audio equipment to improve your stream.
• Video quality isn’t the best.
• Once you’re streaming, it’s hard to interact with fans unless you have another phone or you’re logged into Instagram on another PC.
• It has the same problems as Facebook regarding banning and muting streams. Often this is done without any warning.

What sound quality does Facebook live use?

Like Facebook Live, it’s hard finding technical specs regarding audio. But Instagram Live isn’t designed for streaming music and audio, so don’t expect excellent sound quality.

Who’s this best for?

People who already have a large following on the social site.

Also, Instagram is popular with specific age demographics. If your fans live on this platform, it might be worth trying.

Instagram lends itself to more short, sweet, and non-serious video streams. It can work quite well for the correct type of content.

But regarding copyright problems, it has the same issues as Facebook – meaning it’s okay for those playing music without copyright. But cover bands, remix producers and DJs should expect trouble.

4. Twitch

Twitch is a live streaming service whose primary focus is streaming games.

It’s probably the fourth-biggest streaming platform behind YouTube, Facebook Live, and Instagram Live. This is even more so with Microsoft shutting down their Mixer streaming platform.

Twitch, however, has become very popular with musicians and DJ’s because – out of the top four – it has the least aggressive copyright enforcement.

When the lockdowns happened last year, many musicians and DJs flocked to Twitch because of their inability to stream music on the other big sites.

What sound quality does twitch use?

Twitch’s default is nice 128Kbs. But this can be upped to 320Kbs in their settings.

I’m not sure what audio codec Twitch uses, but if they’re allowing 320Kbs streaming, I’m assuming it must be mp3.

Pros

• Large user base and many users are non-streamers looking for content.
• Has the least aggressive copyright policy. However, they do enforce it (for details, see below). But at present, it is easy to work around.
• Good interface and options. Twitch has been around for years, and they’ve perfected their UI and options.
• Will work with third-party streaming software like OBS.
• Has dedicated categories/tags for types of musicians. Some include: DJ’s, musicians, music production, music talk, events and composing are just some of the ways you can filter your music for Twitch users. You can also apply music genre tags to your stream too.
• Has moderation tools. You can employ a bot to auto-moderate your stream, but you can also promote other people to moderate your streams too.
• It has monetisation options, but it takes work to be eligible.

Cons

• Competition is fierce. At present, it’s the most tolerable streaming platform for musicians and DJ’s. Which means everyone is using it. So you may find it hard to stand out.
• They do mute or takedown copyrighted music. But so far, this seems to be only applied to recorded video sets and not live streams. Prerecorded streams also seem to get hit with mutes and removed sections. But this mainly applies to people who play other people’s music, so it primarily affects DJ’s.

Who’s this best for?

At the minute, pretty much everyone who wants to stream music. It’s worth having a shot before you try any other alternatives.

Some DJ’s and musicians do very well from the platform, and the more popular ones even make some money from their streaming.

But competition is tough. You will need to try and stand out, so you’ll need to market your Twitch channel if you want attention. For a start, this means promoting your streams on your social media channels and maybe even trying some paid adverts for your Twitch account.

Regarding DJ’ing on Twitch, be careful. At present, Twitch seems fine with live streams. But this could change, meaning they could become as intolerable to DJ sets as YouTube or Facebook.

DJ’ing is a grey area when it comes to copyright. For large platforms like Twitch, it often presents a real headache whilst only appealing to a small group of their users.

Many companies can’t be arsed with the hassle of dealing with labels and ensuring they get paid for any tracks featured on a DJ mix. It takes a lot of effort on the streaming companies part for very little return. So, they will often just ban DJ’ing altogether like what Soundcloud did in 2014.

So, if you’re a DJ or a band playing covers, try Twitch. But make sure you have a backup plan if the platform turns hostile.

5. Mixcloud

Mixcloud is a UK based streaming service. Until 2020 Mixcloud was solely an audio streaming service that DJs mainly used to host their mixes.

But when everyone was stuck at home during the lockdown, they added live streaming.

However, their live streaming service is only available for paid Mixcloud accounts – at present, approx. £9 per month.

Mixcloud’s primary user base is DJs, but it’s also slightly popular with podcast makers.

What sound quality does Mixcloud live use?

I believe that Mixcloud Live streams at 320kbs AAC.

Pros

• Has a legal licence model for DJ mix streams and audio mixes. Meaning, any artists featured on your mixes get paid. And there’s no chance of your mixes being removed or muted.
• Has statistics-Stored recorded videos won’t get deleted or muted.
• Monetisation options are available.
• They’re an independent company.
• Has both browser-based streaming and OBS style streaming available.
• There’re no minimum monthly terms for their service. It’s paid monthly and not annually. You can cancel anytime.
• Excellent sound quality.

Cons

• Mixcloud’s main problem is that no one really uses it or even knows about it aside from DJ’s.
• Small user base when compared with the big four streaming sites.
• It’s hard getting followers on Mixcloud. I’ve had mixes on Mixcloud for nearly ten years, and they barely get listened to. It’s why I choose to rely on this WordPress DJ’ing website for DJ mix promotion.
• The interface is terrible when compared with Twitch.
• Some users report streams being glitchy.
• You must pay to play.

Who’s this best for?

Mixcloud’s primary user base is DJs. It’s the only place where a DJ can stream and upload a mix with little chance of being taken down or muted for copyright.

But Mixcloud does have a few restrictions that apply to mixes and music videos.

It flags any audio when it contains too many tracks by a single artist for some stupid reason. So if you’re thinking of doing an artist tribute mix, you might run into problems.

Covers bands and those playing other people’s music will find a home on Mixcloud. But they might not find many people listening.

Mixcloud tries hard to cater to DJs and the music industry’s demands. It’s one of the few companies which has a working business model. But its major flaw is the lack of casual non-DJ users.

Conclusion

As you can see, the best streaming platform for you depends on the type of music you play.

If you’re a band or an artist playing their own original music, then you can take your pick of the above platforms. YouTube is probably going to be your best bet.

However, if you’re a covers band or a DJ, then Twitch will probably be your best choice for now.

But the competition on Twitch is fierce, so you’ll need to market and promote your Twitch channel. Meaning, when streaming, try to get people to follow you on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or whatever else you use for music marketing.

Personally, I’m old school, so I always try to encourage new fans to join my email list because it’s the one marketing method where I retain the most control (I’m not at the mercy of algorithms and shadow bans/blocking).

Anyway, back to Twitch…

I wouldn’t rely on Twitch’s organic reach because – at present – I think the platform is oversaturated with musicians, DJs, and bands. That’s unless you’re doing something truly unique and different – but that’s another story.

Lastly, make sure to have a backup plan in case Twitch turns hostile and starts to clamp down on streams playing copyrighted music.

Alternatives might include a self-hosted streaming service that doesn’t have any censorship.

Just remember when you rely on big companies to distribute your content, you are always at their mercy. If they decide to block your stream or ban you from their platform, they’ll be little you can do. Often, you’ll be powerless, and there’s usually no appeals process. So, you use them at your own risk.

Keep on scratchin’

Best,

DJ Kippax

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