Over time, while listening to gospel music on YouTube, especially during the period I categorise new music on Fridays, I began to notice a recurring issue. I would listen to a song, click on the artist’s page hoping to discover more of their music, only to find a page labelled Topic with no further information.
At that point, I often had to search again for the artist’s actual channel, which turned out to be a completely different page. Not everyone will have that level of patience.
As this kept happening, it became clear that many gospel songs were not living on the artists’ official YouTube channels. Instead, the audio releases were appearing on a separate page labelled with the artist’s name followed by the word Topic.
At first, I thought it was a minor issue. But the more I listened, the more I realised this was happening to many artists. Not just emerging voices, but even well established names within the gospel music space.
This is one of those things many artists are unaware of, yet it quietly affects how our music is found, heard, and shared.
WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING
When an artist releases music through a distribution company, YouTube automatically creates what is known as a Topic Channel. This channel is generated by YouTube and is designed to house audio only versions of the artist’s songs. The challenge is that this Topic Channel is separate from the artist’s own YouTube channel. So while the music is on YouTube, it is not truly in one home. Listeners may find a song, but not necessarily the artist behind it.
WHY THIS MATTERS MORE THAN WE THINK
For gospel artists, music is more than streams and numbers. It is ministry. It is message. It is assignment. When songs are scattered across different channels, it becomes harder for listeners to journey with the artist. Subscriptions are divided. Growth becomes slower. The full body of work is harder to access. Over time, this affects reach and impact, even when the music itself is powerful.
Sometimes, the issue is not the sound. It is the structure.
THE SOLUTION MANY ARTISTS DO NOT KNOW ABOUT
There is A Solution Called A YouTube Official Artist channel. An Official Artist Channel brings together the artist’s personal YouTube channel and the auto generated Topic Channel into one place. Once this is approved, all audio releases appear on the official channel alongside music videos and other content. The artist also receives the verified music note badge, showing that the channel is the authentic home of their music. Most importantly, everything lives in one place.
WHY MANY GOSPEL ARTISTS HAVE NOT DONE THIS
From conversations and observations, many artists have not taken this step simply because they do not know it exists. Others assume that once a song is distributed, everything is already set up properly. Some were never guided by their distribution company. Others think it requires payment when it does not. The truth is that most distribution platforms allow artists to request an Official Artist Channel at no extra cost.
A GENTLE CALL TO AWARENESS
This piece is written to create awareness. As gospel artists, excellence matters. Stewardship matters. How our music is presented matters, because it carries a message that points people to Christ.
If you are a gospel artist releasing music on YouTube, it may be worth checking where your songs are currently living and taking the necessary steps to bring them into one home. Sometimes, one simple adjustment can make a significant difference in how far the sound travels.
