Avid’s music distribution service, AvidPlay, is the first platform to enable you to distribute your music in Dolby Atmos to compatible streaming services such as Amazon Music HD and TIDAL HiFi and in July 2021 added Apple Music. In this article, we explore the new features Avid has introduced, including support for sample rates and bit depths up to 192KHz and 24 bit and the Dolby Atmos format.

Dolby Atmos Support For AvidPlay

With Avid Pro Tools, AvidLink and AvidPlay, Avid is now delivering a complete end-to-end solution for creating, recording, editing, mixing and distributing music in Dolby Atmos. Avid realised that part of the market that would really benefit from this end-to-end provision is the independent artists and record labels sector. Rob D’Amico, Director of Product Marketing, Audio Solutions at Avid told us…

“We have done extra work in this release to turn on capabilities for independent labels to use AvidPlay as a way to distribute for their artists, bands and other producers as well.

During our beta testing, it transpired that a lot of engineers now see AvidPlay as an opportunity to grow their business and offer people, they mix for, a way to get their music heard because a lot of the artists they mix for are not tech-savvy.

This is a very easy service, enabling engineers to purchase an AvidPlay plan for that artist and then distribute all the music they mix for them”.

In order for consumers to hear artist’s and label’s music in Dolby Atmos over a streaming service, currently, they need to subscribe to TIDAL HiFi, Amazon Music HD Unlimited or Apple Music. The platforms are intelligent in that using metadata they can serve up the correct formatted stream optimised to suit the consumer’s hardware. So in the case of Amazon, if the consumer is using an Echo Studio then Amazon will stream the Dolby Atmos version, if not they will deliver the most appropriate stereo version for the consumer’s setup and internet connection.

Amazon HD customers need to have an Echo Studio in order to access any of the Atmos tracks on their platform, whereas with TIDAL Hifi, they recently announced an extension to the devices that they support for Dolby Atmos playback including the Apple TV 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Stick (second-gen), Fire TV (third-gen), or the 2019 models of the Nvidia Shield TV or Shield TV Pro. Sony and Philips smart TVs that support Atmos and run Android TV will also work without the need for a set-top box.

Apple Music will automatically play Dolby Atmos tracks on all AirPods and Beats headphones as long as they are fitted with an H1 or W1 chip. Note that the AirPods Pro didn’t launch with spatial audio support, but it should download and install the required firmware automatically. You don't need a pair of Apple or Beats headphones in order to listen to Dolby Atmos tracks from an iPhone or iPad – any headphones will work, as long as you enable a specific setting. Because this implementation of spatial audio is sound-only, there's no head-tracking involved, and that opens it up to more devices. For example, while the Apple TV can't output spatial audio to a pair of headphones, it will support Dolby Atmos tracks from Apple Music when connected to an Atmos-capable sound system. In addition, Apple Music will automatically play Dolby Atmos tracks through the built-in speakers in the latest versions of iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Devices will need to be running at least iOS 14.6, iPadOS 14.6, macOS 11.4 or tvOS 14.6 or later to access the spatial audio with Dolby Atmos support.

New AvidPlay Unlimited Plan For Dolby Atmos

Avid has now added a new plan to AvidPlay specifically for artists that want to release their music on Dolby Atmos.

This will be an unlimited singles and albums plan for one artist for Dolby Atmos and/or stereo tracks and it will cost $49.99 per year.

As with any AvidPlay plan, unlike some music distribution services, you keep 100% of your rights and earning, all you need to do is pay for the most appropriate Avid Play plan.

For details on the other plans available in AvidPlay and to check up how AvidPlay measures up to other digital music distributors in our article How Does AvidPlay Compare With Other Music Distribution Services Like CD Baby, DistroKid And More? We Investigate.

Setting Up A Dolby Atmos Track

Watch this video to learn how to use AvidPlay in AvidLink to upload and distribute stereo and Dolby Atmos tracks to platforms like Amazon HD and TIDAL HiFi and Apple Music.

Got Existing Content That You Want To Now Upload In Dolby Atmos? No Problem

Avid has created two upload workflows to deliver content for the services that support Dolby Atmos.

1. To upload a new track for Dolby Atmos you upload a stereo WAV file and an ADM WAV file for Dolby Atmos.

2. For clients who have already uploaded and distributed a stereo version, but now they want to add a Dolby Atmos version. Avid has worked with Dolby, TIDAL, Amazon and Apple so that it is possible to upload a Dolby Atmos version and link it up to an existing stereo product, keeping the catalogue as streamlined as possible.

3. If you are planning to or have already distributed Dolby Atmos tracks to Apple Music, please be sure you follow these Apple requirements.

   • All Dolby Atmos tracks need to have the matching stereo versions uploaded and distributed at the same time—this is required even if the stereo version is already distributed

   • Apple will allow only one stereo version of a release to exist on Apple Music, and it needs to be the version distributed with the Dolby Atmos version

   • Apple will hide releases with multiple stereo versions. So, please take the time to perform a take-down of the original stereo versions of your tracks once the AvidPlay’s Dolby Atmos & Stereo release is live on Apple Music

4. Note: To maintain all your statistics and play-listing, be sure to use the original stereo version’s ISRC/EAN codes, song title, and artist name with your updated file.

Uploading A Dolby Atmos Track Using AvidPlay

As you will see in the images below, you upload your artwork and then a stereo and Dolby Atmos version of the audio. Avid has tried to make this as easy as possible by including the specs on each of the pages to make sure you upload the content in the correct format without going elsewhere to look up the delivery specs.

Avid has worked closely with Dolby, TIDAL, Amazon and Apple to streamline the system. When you upload a Dolby Atmos ADM broadcast wav file, the master file you upload is then processed in the Dolby cloud to produce a range of differently formatted files to suit each platform and the different hardware consumers will have. For example, soundbars require a different data rate for mobile devices, so in the backend, under the hood, AvidPlay creates all the different files required and handles it all without the user needing to intervene.

Support For Up To 192KHz/24 Bit Sample Rate And Bit Depth - Avid Listened To You

As well as adding support for Dolby Atmos. Avid listened to the comments that you made on our article How Does AvidPlay Compare With Other Music Distribution Services Like CD Baby, DistroKid And More? We Investigate like this comment from Mark Wheaton…

“None of these services offer anything better than standard CD-quality on uploads. No higher resolution files are accepted. No control is allowed as to how your files are encoded for the various proprietary systems. If you are a signed artist, you DO get the opportunity to, for instance, have your track Mastered for iTunes (or whatever the current name is) And although you can go to a mastering facility that can use some of these same algorithms in the process of mastering, ultimately, you still have to upload a 16bit 44.1 WAV file. And you have no say in how they do their magic, beyond that.”

As a direct result of your feedback, Avid has now added support for higher sample rates and bit depths all the way up to 192KHz sample rate and 24 Bit.

This enables AvidPlay users to take advantage of the higher sample rates, bit depths and better bit rates on the higher quality streaming platforms with Amazon HD offering playback of FLAC files up to 193KHz/24Bit and TIDAL HiFi offering up to 96Khz/24 Bit FLAC files

ISRC Codes

Since AvidPlay was released, Avid have included ISRC codes at no additional cost, unlike some music distribution services who charge for these codes. With this release, Avid now includes an additional ISRC code for the Dolby Atmos version. This is especially important when you are adding a Dolby Atmos version to an existing stereo release. When it comes to uploading the Dolby Atmos version and entering the ISRC codes, instead of entering a new ISRC code for the stereo track, all you need to do is paste in the stereo track’s ISRC field and Amazon and TIDAL can link the existing stereo release with the new Dolby Atmos version.

Preview Set Up Option

Another recently added feature in AvidPlay is the Preview button. For those outlets that enable users to preview a section of a track before they buy, with this preview option you can choose the duration and which section of a track, users can audition before they buy the track.

AvidPlay Now Distributes To Over 150 Different Outlets

In the Outlet Details tab, you can choose which outlets from a list of over 150 to distribute your music through. There is a column showing which outlets support Dolby Atmos. At the time of writing, this is just Amazon HD and TIDAL HiFi, and more recently Apple Music, but note at the top of the list, there is a checkbox labelled Distribute To All Future Outlets. If this is checked, then when a new outlet is added to AvidPlay, like Apple Music, your content will automatically be distributed to those new outlets. You don’t have to keep checking and then manually adding new outlets.

Because there are so many outlets, some of the smaller ones have been grouped together. You can see Outlet Groups 1 to 3 just below TIDAL in the list and each of these contain a number of outlets.

Export Reports For You Artists

Avid has also been hard at work improving the reports section of AvidPlay so that you can export reports for your artist. You can send them a monthly report, or a quarterly report, you can filter it down by label, artist or even a single release.

You can provide reports and analyse the number of plays on the stream count for the last 7 days, 30 days, year to date and all time. You can see which of the streaming services are giving you the best performance with a pie chart and you can also analyse the geographic stats and see which parts of the world your artist, track or album are most popular.

You can then do the same for Sales as you can for Streams, and provide sale reports to the artist or analyse where your sales are being the most effective, all from within AvidPlay in the free AvidLink app.

How To Get Started With AvidPlay

If you haven’t come across AvidPlay then to get started, you can subscribe to an AvidPlay distribution plan that best matches your needs through the free AvidLink app for mobile or desktop, and then upload your completed music tracks and artwork. Then use the AvidPlay dashboard to manage your tracks and albums and see how much money they’re earning from each song.

Arno Kammermeier, co-founder of the Berlin-based electronic duo Booka Shade told us…

“Dolby Atmos has changed how we think about music and it allows us to create things that were previously not possible. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever heard and most importantly, with AvidPlay, we can now share this elevated experience with our fans. It’s mind-blowing and the ultimate way to experience our music.”

For independent labels, AvidPlay opens up opportunities to support artists interested in creating new music or reimagining existing stereo tracks in Dolby Atmos. With creative tools already available, like Avid Pro Tools Ultimate and the Dolby Atmos Production Suite, you can quickly get up and running so that they can start creating and sharing music in Dolby Atmos with fans.

Leah Chisholm, producer, pianist, and DJ known as LP Giobbi and co-owner of the record label Animal Talk Collective, which she co-founded with SOFI TUKKER explains…

“Dolby Atmos has changed my life. As a producer, I am often told I need to take things out of my mixes and there is just not enough space for all the sounds and ideas to come through. When I got introduced to Dolby Atmos, I was finally able to create the music I always heard in my head. AvidPlay has allowed me to bring my music to the world as an artist and label owner. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to release my music, and the music I believe in, in an immersive and heightened experience.”

Rob D’Amico, Director of Product Marketing, Audio Solutions at Avid continues…

“With a majority of today’s new music created using Avid tools, enabling any artist or label to now distribute Dolby Atmos Music is a game-changer and highlights Avid’s continued commitment to providing an end-to-end music production solution from recording to mixing to distribution. Avid and Dolby are helping artists transport their fans to new and exciting immersive listening experiences while giving them the ability to easily expand their creativity, distribute their music and, most importantly, get paid for the content they produce.”

What We Think About AvidPlay With Dolby Atmos Support

With AvidPlay it has been possible for the ‘little person’ to be able to get your music heard via these 150 outlets. Now with the Pro Tools and Doly Atmos Production Suite integration, it is now possible for the small independent artist or label to punch way above your weight and get a head start on some of the larger labels by producing your music in Dolby Atmos and distributing yourself with AvidPlay.

Is Dolby Atmos here to stay? We have seen a number of formats come and go in the music distribution business with Quad or 5.1, but these were limited by the delivery platform. With the combination of a digital music distribution system free of any delivery hardware and formats, it is so much easier to deliver immersive audio to the consumer.

Add to that the weight already behind Dolby Atmos music with the likes of Universal Music going for Dolby Atmos in a big way, together with the relatively low cost of entry, as we covered in our article Mixing Music In Dolby Atmos - Everything You Need To Know the flexibility of the Dolby Atmos delivery system means that the consumer’s equipment will render out a version suited to their hardware. No need for a raft of different deliverables to cover all the different variable, mono, stereo, binaural, quad, 5.1, 5.1.2, 7.1, 7.1.2, 7.14 and so on. With just one ADM Dolby Atmos master file, the consumer’s equipment renders the track to suit the consumer’s equipment. What’s not to like about that.

With the introduction of all the latest features including higher sample rate audio and support for Dolby Atmos, alongside the access AvidPlay gives for independent artists and labels to distribute their music to all the key players, we are awarding AvidPlay our coveted Expert’s Choice award.