DJ’s have historically faced significant challenges with streaming online, but Twitch is looking to change that. To do so, they’ve just launched the Twitch DJ Program. Alongside many other benefits, they’re looking to provide a long-term home for DJs to legally livestream using the vast majority of popular music online. In this post, we’ll give you everything you need to know.
Everything You Need To Know About Twitch’s New DJ Program
About The Twitch DJ Program
For years, DJ’s have faced many challenges with live streaming music online. Because of the complex nature of content like this, DJs are often at risk of muted streams, blocked content and takedowns across most services, including on Twitch. To change this, Twitch has partnered with some of the biggest major labels in the game like Sony, Universal and Warner, plus hundreds independent labels to give DJ’s the ability to finally promote and monetize their creativity while compensating musicians who make the music they stream.
By joining this program, you’ll gain access to a catalog of tens of millions of tracks covering the majority of popular music. Plus, you’ll also be eligible for new promotional opportunities through Twitch.
Benefits
- The Rights to Stream: Stream the vast majority of popular music, in partnership with all the major labels and hundreds of indie labels.
- Discovery & Promotion: For the first time ever, participating DJs will be eligible for discovery and promotional opportunities across Twitch, including a new DJ Category. DJ badge displays across multiple surfaces around the community.
- Support from Twitch: First-year subsidies help cover the earnings share difference, a dedicated streamer group to integrate DJs deeper into the Twitch community, and discounts and opportunities with 3rd party partners.
How does it work?
DJs who opt-in will be able to livestream the vast majority of popular music without risk of takedowns, and will qualify for new opportunities on Twitch that they haven’t been able to offer before. With this program, users can access a searchable catalog constantly updated with new releases, which means you’ll be able to view the millions of tracks that are covered to stream as a part of this program as a part of Twitch’s deals with music rights holders. (To view the full catalog of music the program allows you to stream, click here.)
For the first time in Twitch history, they’ll be launching and promoting an official DJ category so Twitch viewers can browse and discover DJs and their communities. (Category launches August 8th, and runs the entire week! Don’t miss it!) In addition, they’ll be launching on-going promotional programs designed to elevate and showcase the diversity of talented DJs across the service which will be announced soon.
How Are The Earnings Split?
On the official website, they explain they “set aside a portion of earnings generated by your channel to be paid to musicians via the music companies that represent them. These costs will vary across different monetization products. For most streamers, Twitch will be splitting these costs 50/50 with you. While we are prohibited from sharing the exact rates upfront, our subsidy program will make sure that these costs come in gradually over time as we invest more in promoting DJs and attempt to grow overall viewership in this category.”
In Conclusion…
It’s important to note that this program does not support the saving of VODs, Clips, or Highlights., as these require different rights than live streams. To see additional details about the program like what you can and cannot do, check out the full announcement right here. In the meantime, happy streaming! This is big news for DJs on Twitch, and we’re excited to see all the content you guys create with these new features.
Got any questions? Here are some quick links to help you out…
DJ Program FAQ is the primary resource for all DJ Program questions.
DJ Program Sign-Up Page is where artists can opt-in to the DJ Program.
DJ Program Music Catalog is a searchable database containing allowed tracks for the DJ Program.
DJ Program: Secondary Accounts addresses questions related to starting a secondary, dedicated DJ account. (If an artist has an existing non-DJ account with Affiliate or Partner status, and would like to request that same status for their new DJ account, this article also covers that process.)
Opt-Out of the DJ Program is for artists that opt-in, and subsequently decide to opt-out of the DJ Program.
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