Valid Music and Lightning100 Team Up to Champion Independent Artists

Independent artists have a new champion in their corner. Lightning100, Nashville’s beloved award-winning radio station, has joined forces with Valid Music, the new streaming platform for independent artists and music fans where artists can make money with a smaller audience and listeners discover their next favorite songs.

Valid Music offers artists a game-changing opportunity to upload their music for free, earn $4 per month for every listener who selects them as a Favorite Artist, and receive per-stream payouts. This revolutionary model allows artists to thrive with smaller, loyal audiences rather than chasing viral moments. To celebrate the partnership, the first 25 artists who bring 5 listeners to Valid Music will receive a song produced, mixed, and mastered—completely free. Artists can add their music and start earning at validmusic.com.

This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to supporting independent talent. "Valid Music was created to fill a gap for artists who need a better solution for earning income from streaming without needing millions of streams," says the Valid Music team. Lt. Dan Buckley, Lightning100’s award-winning programming director, echoed this, saying, “Lightning100 and Valid Music share a passion for creating community and opportunity around artists and music fans. It’s about ensuring artists can thrive, not just be heard.” With Lightning100 now broadcasting live from the Valid Music Studio, both organizations are driving music discovery and supporting emerging artists in ways that matter.