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Daniel Randwick
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Picking a genre on Audiomack takes about three seconds. Most artists click whatever looks closest, hit upload and never think about it again. That’s a mistake, because on Audiomack the genre you choose quietly decides a lot: which charts you can appear on, which editors are likely to hear your song, which listeners see it in browse and trending, and even whether your release is accepted at all when it comes through a distributor.
This guide to Audiomack genres for artists explains how the categories work, how to choose the right one when your music doesn’t fit neatly into a box, and how to use your stats afterwards to check whether you got it right.
Audiomack isn’t a smaller copy of Spotify. It’s a music streaming platform with a very specific identity. It built its audience around hip-hop and rap, then grew into one of the most important platforms for Afrobeats and African music, with strong communities in Nigeria, Ghana and across the Caribbean as well as the US.
That focus is exactly why genre matters. On a platform built around a few core scenes, your genre label works like a front door. Choose the right one and you’re placed in front of listeners and curators who live in that scene every day. Choose the wrong one and you can end up in a section where nobody is looking for your sound.
There are three main places where your genre choice shows up:
When you upload directly, you’ll see a genre dropdown in the creator dashboard or app. The exact list can change over time, so always check the current options during upload. The platform’s core genres have long included:
Depending on how you upload, you may see other options as well.
Here’s the detail most artists never hear about: if your music reaches Audiomack through a distributor rather than a direct upload, the rules can be stricter. Distributor FUGA’s Audiomack requirements, for example, list only Hip-Hop/Rap, R&B/Soul, Latin, Electronic, Afrobeats and Dancehall/Reggae as supported genres for delivery, and warn that misclassified content will likely be excluded. In other words, labelling a soft acoustic song as hip-hop just to get it onto the platform can backfire.
Audiomack lets creators upload music for free through its website and app. You choose the genre yourself, add tags and a description, and control things like whether fans can download the track. Audiomack’s official upload guide walks through adding a song, album or EP and filling in the release information.
If you distribute music to Audiomack through a service that also sends it to Spotify and Apple Music, the genre usually comes from the metadata you entered with your distributor. That’s the same genre field you might have filled in quickly weeks before release. Check it carefully, because it travels to every store at once.
Many independent artists use both: distribution for the official release, and direct uploads for freestyles, remixes, snippets and DJ-friendly versions. If you do this, keep your artist name, artwork style and genre consistent across both, or you’ll confuse listeners and split your stats.
When your song is clearly a rap record or clearly an Afrobeats record, the decision is easy. When it isn’t, use this four-step test.
For example: “Mid-tempo log drum groove with a melodic hook and a short rap verse.” This stops you defaulting to whatever genre feels most popular.
Search for artists whose sound is close to yours and who are slightly ahead of you in their career. Check which charts and playlists they appear on and what genre their releases sit in. If four out of five land in the same place, that’s a strong signal for you too.
Think about the person most likely to replay your song, save it and share it. Are they browsing hip-hop trending? Searching Afrobeats playlists? Listening to dancehall mixes? The right genre is the one where that listener already spends time, not the one with the biggest numbers.
You can only choose one main genre, but your song can still carry its other influences. Use subgenre and mood tags, your description and your artwork to show the rest of the picture. A hybrid track should have one clear home, with tags explaining the fusion.
Genre lines are blurrier than ever, especially in the scenes Audiomack serves best. Here’s how we’d approach some common hybrid situations:
The common thread: choose based on the rhythm, the production and the audience, not on lyrics alone.
Audiomack introduced subgenre and mood tags so creators can describe their sound more precisely and help listeners find niche styles and specific moods. These are worth taking seriously because they fill the gap between one broad genre and what your song really is.
A few rules for using them well:
Genre is only one part of your metadata. Members of Audiomack’s team have said publicly that metadata affects who your music gets surfaced to and even whether you get paid correctly. These are the mistakes we see most often:
Once your song has been live for a couple of weeks, Audiomack’s creator dashboard tells you whether your genre choice is working. Look at:
Getting into Audiomack’s editorial playlists and Audiomack World coverage isn’t guaranteed, but you can make it more likely. Audiomack has published its own guide on how to submit music to Audiomack playlists, and the basics always apply:
Audiomack also runs artist development programmes such as #UpNow, which spotlights emerging artists across genres. Programmes like this tend to pick artists with a clear identity, and an accurate, consistent genre is part of that identity.
Your genre doesn’t directly change what you earn per play. Audiomack’s creator monetization program pays eligible artists based on their streams, and there is no fixed rate per stream that applies to everyone. Earnings depend on things like where your listeners are and how the platform’s revenue is earned. Audiomack’s official monetization page has the current eligibility and payment details.
Indirectly, though, genre matters a lot. The right genre leads to the right listeners, and the right listeners replay songs, follow you and come back for the next release. That’s what grows your earnings over time.
Many independent artists treat Audiomack as an afterthought to Spotify and Apple Music. For hip-hop, Afrobeats, dancehall and African music in particular, that’s often backwards. Audiomack can be where your core fans actually listen. Our Audiomack vs Spotify guide compares the two in more detail, and our Audiomack promotion guide covers how to grow once your release is live.
For direct uploads, you can usually edit your track details in the creator dashboard. For distributed releases, changes normally need to be made through your distributor. It’s always better to get it right before release.
Hip-hop and rap, Afrobeats, R&B and dancehall have historically been among the strongest communities on the platform. Popularity shouldn’t decide your genre, though. Fit should.
Pick the closest main genre based on rhythm and production, then use subgenre and mood tags plus your description to show what the music really is. If you’re distributing and your style clearly falls outside the supported genres, ask your distributor before release rather than forcing a label that doesn’t fit.
Not necessarily, but consistency helps editors and fans understand who you are. If you switch genres between releases, use clear tags and descriptions so listeners know what to expect.
Tags help the right listeners find your music, but they don’t guarantee a trending spot. Trending is driven by real engagement, so accurate tags work best when combined with genuine plays, favourites and re-ups from your fans.
Be careful with this. Two versions of the same song can split your plays and stats across separate pages. If your distributor already delivers the release, use direct uploads for extra content like freestyles, remixes or snippets instead.
Choosing from the Audiomack genres for artists is a small decision with a big effect. Pick the category that matches how your song actually sounds and where its listeners already are, use tags to explain the details, keep your metadata clean and check your stats to confirm you got it right. Do that consistently and the platform starts working with you instead of against you.
The post Audiomack Genres Explained: How Artists Should Choose the Right Genre appeared first on Dope Music Promotions.
This guide to Audiomack genres for artists explains how the categories work, how to choose the right one when your music doesn’t fit neatly into a box, and how to use your stats afterwards to check whether you got it right.
Why Genre Matters More on Audiomack Than on Other Platforms
Audiomack isn’t a smaller copy of Spotify. It’s a music streaming platform with a very specific identity. It built its audience around hip-hop and rap, then grew into one of the most important platforms for Afrobeats and African music, with strong communities in Nigeria, Ghana and across the Caribbean as well as the US.
That focus is exactly why genre matters. On a platform built around a few core scenes, your genre label works like a front door. Choose the right one and you’re placed in front of listeners and curators who live in that scene every day. Choose the wrong one and you can end up in a section where nobody is looking for your sound.
There are three main places where your genre choice shows up:
- Browse and trending: Listeners can explore music by genre, and trending sections are split by genre too.
- Charts: Audiomack’s charts are broken down by genre, so your category decides which chart you’re competing on.
- Editorial: Audiomack’s playlists and Audiomack World features are curated by people who specialise in specific scenes. Accurate metadata helps your release reach the right editor.
The Main Audiomack Genres for Artists
When you upload directly, you’ll see a genre dropdown in the creator dashboard or app. The exact list can change over time, so always check the current options during upload. The platform’s core genres have long included:
- Hip-Hop / Rap
- R&B / Soul
- Afrobeats
- Dancehall / Reggae
- Latin
- Electronic
Depending on how you upload, you may see other options as well.
Here’s the detail most artists never hear about: if your music reaches Audiomack through a distributor rather than a direct upload, the rules can be stricter. Distributor FUGA’s Audiomack requirements, for example, list only Hip-Hop/Rap, R&B/Soul, Latin, Electronic, Afrobeats and Dancehall/Reggae as supported genres for delivery, and warn that misclassified content will likely be excluded. In other words, labelling a soft acoustic song as hip-hop just to get it onto the platform can backfire.
Direct Upload vs Distribution: Where Your Genre Comes From
Uploading directly
Audiomack lets creators upload music for free through its website and app. You choose the genre yourself, add tags and a description, and control things like whether fans can download the track. Audiomack’s official upload guide walks through adding a song, album or EP and filling in the release information.
Uploading through a distributor
If you distribute music to Audiomack through a service that also sends it to Spotify and Apple Music, the genre usually comes from the metadata you entered with your distributor. That’s the same genre field you might have filled in quickly weeks before release. Check it carefully, because it travels to every store at once.
Many independent artists use both: distribution for the official release, and direct uploads for freestyles, remixes, snippets and DJ-friendly versions. If you do this, keep your artist name, artwork style and genre consistent across both, or you’ll confuse listeners and split your stats.
How to Choose the Right Genre in 4 Easy Steps
When your song is clearly a rap record or clearly an Afrobeats record, the decision is easy. When it isn’t, use this four-step test.
1. Describe the song in one sentence without using a genre name
For example: “Mid-tempo log drum groove with a melodic hook and a short rap verse.” This stops you defaulting to whatever genre feels most popular.
2. Find five comparable artists already on Audiomack
Search for artists whose sound is close to yours and who are slightly ahead of you in their career. Check which charts and playlists they appear on and what genre their releases sit in. If four out of five land in the same place, that’s a strong signal for you too.
3. Ask where the listener lives
Think about the person most likely to replay your song, save it and share it. Are they browsing hip-hop trending? Searching Afrobeats playlists? Listening to dancehall mixes? The right genre is the one where that listener already spends time, not the one with the biggest numbers.
4. Pick the primary genre and use tags for the rest
You can only choose one main genre, but your song can still carry its other influences. Use subgenre and mood tags, your description and your artwork to show the rest of the picture. A hybrid track should have one clear home, with tags explaining the fusion.
Hybrid Sounds: Real Examples and How to Label Them
Genre lines are blurrier than ever, especially in the scenes Audiomack serves best. Here’s how we’d approach some common hybrid situations:
- Afro-fusion with a rap verse: If the rhythm and hook are Afrobeats-driven, choose Afrobeats and mention the featured rapper. The beat usually decides where listeners place a song.
- Amapiano-influenced pop or Afrobeats: Choose the main genre that best fits how the song is built, then use tags to signal the amapiano influence so fans of that sound can still find it.
- Melodic rap or singing over trap drums: Usually Hip-Hop / Rap, unless the song is fully sung and closer to alternative R&B, in which case R&B / Soul may reach a better-matched audience.
- Drill from the UK, Brooklyn or elsewhere: Hip-Hop / Rap as the main genre, with drill and regional tags to help niche listeners find it.
- Dancehall with Afrobeats crossover: Look at where your existing fans are. If most of your listeners are in the Caribbean or love dancehall, lead with Dancehall / Reggae.
- Electronic music with vocals: If the production is the main event, Electronic is usually right even when there’s a strong topline.
The common thread: choose based on the rhythm, the production and the audience, not on lyrics alone.
Subgenre and Mood Tags: The Underused Discovery Tool
Audiomack introduced subgenre and mood tags so creators can describe their sound more precisely and help listeners find niche styles and specific moods. These are worth taking seriously because they fill the gap between one broad genre and what your song really is.
A few rules for using them well:
- Be specific, not hopeful. Tag the styles and moods that are actually in the record. Adding unrelated tags to chase traffic sends your song to listeners who skip it, and skips don’t help you.
- Think like a listener. Moods like “late night”, “chill”, “party” or “workout” describe when people want to hear a song. Tag the situation your track fits.
- Stay consistent across releases. If you’re building a reputation in one lane, consistent tags help returning fans and the platform understand who you are.
Metadata Mistakes That Cost Artists Plays
Genre is only one part of your metadata. Members of Audiomack’s team have said publicly that metadata affects who your music gets surfaced to and even whether you get paid correctly. These are the mistakes we see most often:
- Inconsistent artist names. “Lil K”, “LilK” and “Lil K.” can end up as three different artist profiles. Pick one spelling and use it everywhere.
- Features in the wrong field. Put featured artists in the featured artist field rather than stuffing them into the song title. It keeps your release clean and connects it to the right profiles.
- Missing producer and songwriter credits. Credits matter for searchability and for getting paid correctly, especially as your catalogue grows.
- Choosing a genre for reach, not fit. Picking the biggest category only puts you in front of people who aren’t looking for your sound.
- Weak artwork. On a mobile-first platform, your cover art is often the first thing people see. If you need help, our free album cover maker is a quick way to test visual ideas.
Use Your Stats to Check You Chose the Right Genre
Once your song has been live for a couple of weeks, Audiomack’s creator dashboard tells you whether your genre choice is working. Look at:
- Where your plays come from. Audiomack shows listener locations. If you labelled a track Afrobeats and most plays come from Lagos, Accra and London, you’re reaching the right scene. If plays are scattered with no pattern, you may be in the wrong place.
- Favourites, re-ups and playlist adds. Plays alone don’t tell you much. When people favourite, re-up or add your song to playlists, it means the track fits what they were looking for.
- Follower growth after a release. A release that fits its genre should bring in followers who stick around for the next drop.
- Creator rankings and trophies. Audiomack shows how your music ranks against other creators and awards trophies for milestones, which helps you compare releases over time.
Getting Noticed by Editors in Your Genre
Getting into Audiomack’s editorial playlists and Audiomack World coverage isn’t guaranteed, but you can make it more likely. Audiomack has published its own guide on how to submit music to Audiomack playlists, and the basics always apply:
- Upload or deliver your release early, with complete and accurate metadata.
- Make sure your profile looks active, with a clear photo, a short bio and recent releases.
- Drive your own early plays by sharing your Audiomack link with fans, so editors can see real engagement.
- Stay in one lane long enough for genre editors to recognise your name.
Audiomack also runs artist development programmes such as #UpNow, which spotlights emerging artists across genres. Programmes like this tend to pick artists with a clear identity, and an accurate, consistent genre is part of that identity.
Monetization: Does Genre Affect How Much You Earn?
Your genre doesn’t directly change what you earn per play. Audiomack’s creator monetization program pays eligible artists based on their streams, and there is no fixed rate per stream that applies to everyone. Earnings depend on things like where your listeners are and how the platform’s revenue is earned. Audiomack’s official monetization page has the current eligibility and payment details.
Indirectly, though, genre matters a lot. The right genre leads to the right listeners, and the right listeners replay songs, follow you and come back for the next release. That’s what grows your earnings over time.
Audiomack Alongside Spotify and Apple Music
Many independent artists treat Audiomack as an afterthought to Spotify and Apple Music. For hip-hop, Afrobeats, dancehall and African music in particular, that’s often backwards. Audiomack can be where your core fans actually listen. Our Audiomack vs Spotify guide compares the two in more detail, and our Audiomack promotion guide covers how to grow once your release is live.
Audiomack Genres for Artists: FAQ
Can I change my genre after uploading?
For direct uploads, you can usually edit your track details in the creator dashboard. For distributed releases, changes normally need to be made through your distributor. It’s always better to get it right before release.
What genres are most popular on Audiomack?
Hip-hop and rap, Afrobeats, R&B and dancehall have historically been among the strongest communities on the platform. Popularity shouldn’t decide your genre, though. Fit should.
What if my genre isn’t in the list?
Pick the closest main genre based on rhythm and production, then use subgenre and mood tags plus your description to show what the music really is. If you’re distributing and your style clearly falls outside the supported genres, ask your distributor before release rather than forcing a label that doesn’t fit.
Should every song I release use the same genre?
Not necessarily, but consistency helps editors and fans understand who you are. If you switch genres between releases, use clear tags and descriptions so listeners know what to expect.
Do tags help me get on trending?
Tags help the right listeners find your music, but they don’t guarantee a trending spot. Trending is driven by real engagement, so accurate tags work best when combined with genuine plays, favourites and re-ups from your fans.
Can I upload a song directly and also send it through a distributor?
Be careful with this. Two versions of the same song can split your plays and stats across separate pages. If your distributor already delivers the release, use direct uploads for extra content like freestyles, remixes or snippets instead.
Final Thoughts
Choosing from the Audiomack genres for artists is a small decision with a big effect. Pick the category that matches how your song actually sounds and where its listeners already are, use tags to explain the details, keep your metadata clean and check your stats to confirm you got it right. Do that consistently and the platform starts working with you instead of against you.
The post Audiomack Genres Explained: How Artists Should Choose the Right Genre appeared first on Dope Music Promotions.