Releasing music involves more than simply putting out a track—it requires planning, marketing, and connecting with your audience. To unlock the full potential of your music, having a solid release strategy is key. Whether you’re a new or seasoned artist, following these best practices will help ensure your release gets the attention it deserves across major music platforms.
Plan Your Release Timeline
A well-organized timeline can make a big difference in your release’s performance. Here are some key tips to help your music stand out.
- Submit Your Release Early: Submitting your release 4-6 weeks in advance ensures it’s properly ingested on DSPs and reduces the chance of delivery errors. This lead time also improves your chances of landing on playlists or editorial features.
- Set Up Pre-Orders: For platforms like iTunes, Amazon, and DJ stores, setting up pre-orders in Label Engine can boost sales on release day. Pre-orders allow fans to purchase your music in advance, and these sales count toward your chart position, giving you a visibility boost right at launch.
- Apple Official Pre-Add: Apple Music offers pre-adds for EPs and albums with a pre-order and at least one instant gratification song. Contact us if you’d like this set up!
- Pre-Save Links: Pre-saves automatically add your track to users’ libraries as soon as it’s available. At Label Engine, we can help create pre-save links that convert into smart links on release day, directing fans to the streaming platform of their choice.
To set up an Apple Pre-Add or Pre-Save campaign, reach out to us via the chat box on Label Engine or email support@label-engine.com with your release’s UPC.
Pre-Release Marketing & Pitching
Build anticipation and use the pre-release period to keep your audience excited about your upcoming music.
Pitching
Submit your music for editorial playlist consideration on popular platforms:
- Spotify: Once your release has been distributed, Spotify recommends pitching your focus track at least two weeks before the release date. This gives playlist editors ample time to make potential editorial playlist placements based on what they think will resonate most with fans. Learn more about Spotify pitching.
- Amazon Music: Once your music is delivered, Amazon Music for Artists allows you to pitch one track per new release. Learn more about Amazon Music pitching.
Countdowns
Social Media Countdown: Platforms like Instagram and Facebook offer countdown stickers that you can easily add to your Stories. Use this feature to remind fans of the release date and build anticipation as the day approaches. By sharing this countdown on Instagram Stories, you create regular engagement and keep your followers in the loop.
Spotify Countdown Pages: Spotify now offers Countdown Pages to help artists generate excitement for upcoming releases. This tool lets you engage your audience directly on the platform, allowing them to track your release and stay informed. This feature is currently only available for EPs or Albums. To learn more, visit our blog here.
Teasers
Social Media Teasers: Sharing sneak peeks on platforms like TikTok or Instagram is a great way to build anticipation for your release. If you plan to post your music pre-release, make sure it is set to go live on these platforms the day you start teasing to avoid potential copyright flags. Contact our support team for assistance in scheduling this.
SoundCloud Teaser Campaign: Upload a 30-second snippet of your track as a preview and notify fans via social media and direct messages. If you’re a Next Pro user, you can swap the audio to the full track on release day to retain plays, likes, and comments. If distributing through Label Engine’s feed, check with our support team to confirm whether your teaser can merge with the full release for a seamless transition.
Paid Campaigns
Spotify Marquee: Promote your release with a full-screen, sponsored recommendation displayed to both free and premium Spotify users. You can schedule a Marquee campaign through Spotify for Artists (SFA) by choosing your budget, target country, and fan type.
Spotify Showcase: For maximum visibility, place an ad directly on Spotify’s homepage. This can be set up through your SFA account.
Prepare Assets
Ensure you have eye-catching visual assets, such as cover art, teaser videos, and promotional posts, ready to go before your release. Here are some additional assets stores provide:
- Apple Music Custom Assets: Celebrate milestones, playlist additions, and new releases with custom shareable assets. Select your achievement, customize the image, and post to social media using Apple’s provided Linkfire link, which directs fans to Apple Music.
- Spotify Canvas: Upload short, looping visuals to enhance each track in Spotify for Artists (SFA).
- Spotify Clips: Prepare under-30-second vertical videos that showcase your artistry and welcome fans. However, you can only upload these clips after your song is live on Spotify. Once the song is live, you can link the clips to it through Spotify for Artists (SFA).
- Spotify Promo Cards: Request a promo card from Spotify to share on social media for new releases or playlist spots.
- Pandora One-Liners: Short promotional messages, or “one-liners,” can be uploaded to highlight your release on Pandora. These can be added either pre- or post-release.
Leverage Release Day
Release day is your big moment—maximize this opportunity to engage with your fans and push for streams.
- Feature your release in playlists: Place your new release at the top of your artist-curated playlists to encourage followers to listen right away. On Spotify, you can also pin your new release to your profile for maximum visibility.
- Promote Across All Platforms: Announce your release across every social media platform—share direct links to streaming platforms and encourage fans to listen, share, and add your release to their own playlists.
- Email Your Fanbase: If you have a mailing list, send out a newsletter announcing your release. Include links to your music, as well as any bonus content, such as a behind-the-scenes video or an artist interview
- Engage with Your Audience: Interact with your fans throughout the day by responding to comments, sharing fan stories, and posting live reactions. This level of engagement can help strengthen your connection with your audience and encourage them to support your release. Consider hosting a live Q&A or going live on Instagram or TikTok to discuss your music in real time.
Keep the Momentum Post-Release
It doesn’t end on release day—keep promoting your track to maintain audience engagement with these store promotional tools:
Amazon Intros: A brief promotional liners (up to 15 seconds) for new releases that artists can create within Amazon Music for Artists. Intros are inserted into the Amazon Music playback experience for fans to discover.
Amazon Spotlight: Connect with fans by sharing any song, album, or playlist alongside a personal voice message through Amazon for Artists.
Apple Motion Graphics: Now that your release is live, we can upload Artist and Album motion graphics. Please review the specifications below and note that we require at least one week of lead time for submission.
Beatport DJ Charts: If you’re distributing on Beatport, consider adding your release to DJ charts for additional exposure among DJs and fans.
SoundCloud AMAs: Connect with your fans by hosting an AMA (Ask Me Anything) directly on your track’s waveform. This interactive format allows listeners to ask questions and share their thoughts
Spotify Clips: Now that your release is live, you can link your Spotify Clips. Upload them directly through Spotify for Artists (SFA) to connect with your fans.
Leverage Social Trends: Consider creating a challenge or trend around your song on social media. If it catches on, it could lead to viral growth, significantly boosting your streams and visibility across platforms.
Share Post-Release Content: After your track is out, keep the momentum going by sharing additional content, like lyric videos, live performance clips, or fan-made videos. Regular content keeps your audience engaged and encourages repeat listens.
Conclusion
A well-prepared and engaging release strategy is key to maximizing the potential of your music. By staying connected with your audience, you’ll not only increase visibility but also grow your fanbase and set yourself up for continued success with future releases. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at support@label-engine.com.