Music release checklist

Exported as WAV, 24-bit / 44.1 kHz or higher, and signed off by everyone involved. Every later step depends on this file.

Spotify normalizes playback to −14 LUFS integrated and recommends keeping true peak below −1 dBTP, or below −2 dBTP if your master is louder, to avoid distortion when encoding. Source: Spotify for Artists

An instrumental, and a clean version if the song is explicit. Useful for sync, radio and some playlists.

Written permission for every sample or interpolation, or a royalty-free license that allows commercial release. Platforms take down songs with uncleared samples.

A split sheet listing every songwriter and producer with their share, signed by all of them before anything is registered or uploaded.

Register the composition with your performing rights organization (ASCAP, BMI, PRS, SOCAN…) as soon as the title and splits are final, so royalties are collected from the first play.

Friday has been the global release day since 2015: new music playlists and charts are built around it.

Square, 3000 × 3000 px, JPG or PNG in RGB, with no URL, social handle or promotional text. Check your distributor’s exact requirements.

Song title with nothing added, artist name spelled exactly as on your profiles, featured artists in their own field, genre, and the explicit flag if needed.

Songwriters, composers, performers, producers, mixing and mastering engineers. Streaming platforms display them, and they are used to pay royalties.

One ISRC code per recording. Most distributors generate it for free. Keep it: the same recording must keep the same code everywhere.

Final lyrics, checked line by line, ready for Musixmatch, which supplies lyrics to Spotify. Check with your distributor or Musixmatch when you can send them.

Around 4 weeks ahead. To be considered for editorial playlists, your release must be approved and delivered to the stores at least 2 weeks before release day.

Spotify for Artists and Apple Music for Artists, to pitch your song, update your profile and follow your stats.

From Spotify for Artists, at least 7 days before release, which also puts the song in your followers’ Release Radar. Aim for 2 to 4 weeks ahead. Only one song can be pitched at a time. Source: Spotify for Artists

Through your distributor: at least 10 days before release for full consideration, 7 days at the latest. Source: Apple Music for Artists

A smart link where fans save the song before release, on Spotify and the other platforms. On release day it becomes your streaming link.

A 3 to 8 second vertical loop (9:16, 720 to 1080 px tall, MP4 or JPG) that plays behind your song in the Spotify app. Source: Spotify for Artists

A short press release, an up-to-date bio and two or three press photos.

Cover reveal, teasers and short vertical videos, scheduled ahead so release week isn’t spent editing.

Personal messages with a private listening link, sent 2 to 3 weeks before release so they have time to listen.

Check Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon Music and YouTube Music: title, artwork, credits, and that every link works.

Make sure your pre-save page now points to the live song on every platform.

If they couldn’t be sent before release, submit them through Musixmatch now so they show on Spotify in the first days.

On your social accounts and to your mailing list, with one clear link. Thank everyone who pre-saved, shared or playlisted the song.

Acoustic takes, behind the scenes, lyric videos: most songs grow over the weeks after release, not on the day itself.

In Spotify for Artists and Apple Music for Artists: saves, playlist adds and where your listeners come from.

Send the live song to the curators and blogs who didn’t answer, and to new ones.

Note what worked and what came late, and adjust this checklist for the next release.