- Releasing a single is one of the most exciting moments in any artist’s career — and one of the easiest to undercut with poor preparation. The music is only part of it. In today’s landscape, an indie artist is also their own marketing team, publicist, distributor, and content creator, and the window to make an impression on release day is smaller than most people realize. Algorithms reward early engagement. Playlists require advance notice. Content needs to be ready before the song even drops.
- The artists who break through aren’t always the most talented. They’re often the most prepared. This checklist covers everything you need to have in place before you hit publish — from the technical and legal basics to the content, promotion, and strategy that give your single a real shot at being heard.
- Professionally mixed and mastered final track, saved in both WAV and MP3 formats
- Cover art at 3000×3000 pixels that matches your artist identity and meets streaming platform specs
- A chosen digital distributor (DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Symphonic, etc.) with your release date locked in — give yourself at least 3 to 6 weeks minimum
- Song registered with a Performing Rights Organization (PRO) such as ASCAP or BMI, and with the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC)
- Royalty splits confirmed in writing with any collaborators, producers, co-writers, or featured artists
- Metadata completed and accurate — song title, featuring credits, genre, ISRC code, and release year
- An Electronic Press Kit (EPK) with your bio, press photos, song description, and streaming links
- Updated artist profiles on Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists, and any other DSP dashboards you have access to
- Spotify editorial pitch submitted through Spotify for Artists — at least two weeks before release, ideally more
- A pre-save link set up and ready to share so fans can save the track before it drops
- At least 10 short-form vertical videos filmed and ready — performance clips, lyric snippets, behind-the-scenes, acoustic takes — for TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts
- A content calendar mapped out covering the 2 weeks before release through 2 weeks after
- A smart link or link-in-bio page updated with the new release and all streaming platform links
- An email list draft ready to send on release day — if you don’t have a list, start building one now
- Outreach sent to independent playlist curators in your genre — at least 2 weeks before release
- A music video or lyric video, or at minimum a visualizer, ready to post on YouTube on release day
- Press photos that are current, high resolution, and consistent with the single’s visual aesthetic
- A release budget mapped out — even a small one — covering ads, artwork, promotion tools, and any PR outreach
- A paid social media ad ready to run on Meta (Facebook and Instagram) targeting listeners in your genre on release day
- A release day plan written out — exactly what you’re posting, where, and at what time across every platform you’re active on
- A verified artist page on all major social platforms with a consistent handle, bio, and profile image across all of them
- A website or landing page with your artist bio, links, and a way for fans to sign up to your mailing list
- A teaser post or countdown published at least one week before release to start building awareness
- The song’s lyrics proofread and ready to submit to lyric platforms like Genius and Musixmatch on release day
- A pitch email drafted and ready to send to music blogs, indie press outlets, and online publications that cover your genre
- SoundExchange registration completed so you collect digital performance royalties from streaming and internet radio
- A Bandcamp page set up with the single available for purchase and download, giving fans a direct way to support you financially
- Release day graphics sized and formatted correctly for every platform — Instagram feed, Instagram Stories, Facebook, Twitter/X, and TikTok
- A plan for the week after release — follow-up content, fan engagement, responding to comments, and tracking your streaming numbers through your distributor dashboard
- An honest assessment of whether the release date avoids conflicts with major competing releases, holidays, or cultural moments that could bury your announcement in the noise