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KEY DATES AT A GLANCE

KEY DATES AT A GLANCE

We recommend you release a single first

 

A single helps you establish your presence. Build an audience before you drop an album!

 

Sign up for distribution

by 

Get music delivered to platforms

by 

Create Spotify pre-save

by 

Claim or update streaming profiles

by 

Pitch music to Spotify

by 

Set up your smartlink

by 

Share your music

on 

DISTRIBUTION SETUP

Finalize Your Cover Artwork

FINALIZE YOUR COVER ARTWORK

by 

We recommend a JPG or PNG file that is 3000×3000 pixels.

Need help creating cover artwork? 

Get Your Music Mastered

GET YOUR MUSIC MASTERED

by 

You’ll need a 44.1 kHz, 16bit stereo WAV or FLAC file.

Want to make your mix sound great? Get quick, automated mastering!

Submit your music for distribution

SUBMIT YOUR MUSIC FOR DISTRIBUTION

by 

Sign up for global music distribution, monetization, and more.

Double-check all your metadata before submitting!

Verify your music has been delivered

VERIFY YOUR MUSIC HAS BEEN DELIVERED

by 

Has your music been sent to streaming platforms? Here’s how to check.

IMPORTANT: Platforms will not publish your music UNTIL your chosen release date.

PROMO PREP

Music PR

DOING A PR CAMPAIGN FOR YOUR RELEASE?

 

YOU’LL NEED ADVANCE PREPARATION OF:

  • 3-4 months for national or international media
  • 2-3 months for online media (blogs, podcasts, etc.)
  • 1-2 months for local press (weeklies, newspapers, etc.)

 

Here are some other things you should do BEFORE your release date…

Create your Show.co account

CREATE YOUR SHOW.CO ACCOUNT

Between  and 

Grow your Spotify engagement with these FREE tools.

SET UP A SPOTIFY PRE-SAVE

by 

Let your fans save your music on Spotify before it’s released!

UPDATE YOUR SPOTIFY PROFILE

by 

Claim your Spotify for Artists account.

UPDATE YOUR APPLE MUSIC PROFILE

by 

Get verified with Apple Music for Artists.

UPDATE YOUR AMAZON MUSIC PROFILE

by 

Access Amazon Music for Artists.

UPDATE YOUR YOUTUBE OFFICIAL ARTIST CHANNEL

by 

Get verified for an Official Artist Channel on YouTube.

Get your lyrics on Instagram Stories

GET YOUR LYRICS ON INSTAGRAM STORIES

by 

See your lyrics on major digital services via Musixmatch.

Pitch your music to Spotify

PITCH YOUR MUSIC TO SPOTIFY

by 

Submit a track to Spotify’s editorial team.

Do this at LEAST seven business days before your release. 

CREATE A SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

by 

Build a playlist related to your music so it’s ready to go!

Then add YOUR music on the release date.

Set up your smartlink

SET UP YOUR SMARTLINK

by 

With HearNow, your customized smartlink:

  • Can be created instantly
  • Gives you an attractive promo page
  • Directs fans to their preferred platforms

You can even collect virtual tips with links to Patreon, PayPal, and Venmo.

OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE

Your music is available

YOUR MUSIC IS AVAILABLE

on 

Verify your music is live on all the big platforms.

Update your online presence

UPDATE YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE

on 

Add new photos, bio, and links to your social profiles and website. 

Tell the world

TELL THE WORLD

on 

Share your new music with your audience via:

  • Email & social posts
  • Website announcement bar
  • Blog or news updates on your website
  • Editing your featured playlists
  • Updating your Spotify bio
  • And much more

Be sure to share your smartlink rather than pasting a dozen URLs!

FOLLOW-UP PROMO

Run a 'Social Unlock' campaign

RUN A “SOCIAL UNLOCK” CAMPAIGN

on 

Drive Spotify streams, follows, and saves by offering secret content or giveaways.

PITCH MUSIC TO INDIE CURATORS

on 

Reach out to playlisters interested in your genre.

Post supporting visual content

POST SUPPORTING VISUAL CONTENT

Between  and 

There are countless ways to SHOW the story of your songs:

Shine a light on different aspects of your music!

RUN AN INTERACTIVE AD

on 

Spread awareness with interactive ads that:

DO A FIRST-WEEK AUDIT

on 

Where is your music performing best? Check your analytics on:

  • Spotify for Artists
  • Next Big Sound
  • Amazon Music for Artists
  • Apple Music for Artists
  • Facebook Ads Manager
  • Google and YouTube

 

RELEASE A SUPPORTING SINGLE

on 

Keep your algorithmic energy going with a follow-up song!

READY?

Releasing singles on Spotify

RELEASE MUSIC THE RIGHT WAY!

 

  1. Keep ALL your music available online with no annual fees.

2. Find a global audience on 150+ platforms.

3. Make the most money with sync, publishing, social videos, and more.

 

 

Release Music

 

 

 

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EXTRA CREDIT

GOT MORE TIME BEFORE YOUR RELEASE?

 

Sweet! Do these things too.

Document The Creative Process

DOCUMENT THE CREATIVE PROCESS

Capture video and take pics. Also, keep detailed notes about:

  • The meaning of the lyrics
  • The story of the recording
  • The gear you used
  • Working with collaborators

This stuff will come in handy later for promo content and social posts.

Figure Out Your Story

FIGURE OUT YOUR STORY

Find your hook for press & playlisters by asking:

Distill that into an elevator pitch! You’ll have a leg up in your promotion.

BOOK YOUR RELEASE PARTY

Public events aren’t advisable now, but there are other ways to celebrate, including:

  • Livestream concerts
  • Listening parties on Instagram Live, Twitter, etc.
  • Behind-the-scenes experiences

Plan ahead so you can host a memorable event for your fans.

Get more from every recording session

GET MORE FROM EVERY RECORDING SESSION

Before you close down your session or leave the studio:

  • Burn instrumental mixes for sync licensing
  • Print stems for remixers
  • Try a stripped-down alternate mix

Save yourself the time later by doing this stuff NOW.

We’d appreciate your feedback with this really short survey! Thank you!