Get heard.

1. 1.Finish a mastered WAV (16-bit/44.1kHz or higher) and 3000×3000px square cover art with no URLs or logos of stores.
2. 2.Pick one distributor and create your artist account. Use the exact same artist name everywhere.
3. 3.Upload audio, art, songwriter credits, featured artists and genre.
4. 4.Set up splits so collaborators get paid automatically.
5. 5.Choose a release date at least 3–4 weeks out, then submit.
6. 6.Claim your Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists and Amazon Music for Artists profiles once the release is live in their systems.

ISRC — a code for each individual recording. It's how streams and radio plays are tracked back to you. Keep the same ISRC if you re-release the same recording.

UPC — a barcode for the whole release (single, EP or album).

Most distributors issue both for free. Save them in a spreadsheet — you'll need them for SoundExchange, your PRO and radio one-sheets.

• ☐Submit to your distributor 3–4 weeks before release day.
• ☐That gives time for store delivery and a Spotify editorial pitch (which must be made before release).
• ☐Releases go live on Fridays worldwide — plan your promo around a Friday.
• ☐Set up a pre-save link as soon as your distributor provides one.
• ☐Avoid stacking releases closer than 4–6 weeks apart unless you have a plan.

• ☐Mastered WAV
• ☐Cover art 3000×3000px
• ☐Correct artist & track spelling
• ☐Songwriter & producer credits
• ☐Explicit/clean tag
• ☐Lyrics ready
• ☐Split agreements signed

1. 1.Claim your profile at Spotify for Artists.
2. 2.Find your upcoming release under Music → Upcoming and choose “Pitch a song”.
3. 3.Pick one unreleased track, fill in genre, mood, instruments and culture tags accurately.
4. 4.Write a short story about the song (see the pitch template below).
5. 5.Pitch at least 7 days before release — earlier is better. Pitched songs also land in followers' Release Radar.

Claim Apple Music for Artists and Amazon Music for Artists for stats, artist images and profile control.

Apple and Amazon editorial pitching is typically done through your distributor — check your distributor's dashboard for a pitch or “marketing” form and submit weeks before release.

SubmitHub and Groover let you send music to playlist curators, blogs and radio for a small fee per submission, and curators must respond.

• ☐Target curators whose recent picks sound like you
• ☐Start with 10–20 submissions, not 200
• ☐Read every piece of feedback — it's free market research

“[Song] is a [genre/mood] track about [one-line story]. Produced by [name] in [city]. Fans of [2 similar artists] will connect with it. Release is backed by [promo: video, show, press]. Recent wins: [stat or placement].”

• ☐Under 500 characters
• ☐One clear hook — why this song, why now
• ☐Name real comparable artists
• ☐Mention concrete promo plans
• ☐No ALL CAPS, no begging

Each station has a music director who reviews new music and adds songs to rotation. Stations report what they play to charts and to royalty collectors.

1. 1.Find stations by city, genre or format at Radio-Locator.
2. 2.Visit each station's website to find the music director and their submission rules.
3. 3.Email a short, personal note with a download link (not attachments) and your one-sheet.
4. 4.Follow up once, about a week later. Thank anyone who plays you.

Register with SoundExchange to collect royalties when your recordings play on US digital and satellite radio (internet radio, SiriusXM, Pandora non-interactive).

• ☐Register as both artist and rights owner if you own your masters
• ☐Add your ISRCs to your catalog
• ☐Check periodically for unclaimed royalties

NPR Music runs a contest for unsigned artists to win a Tiny Desk concert. Rules and entry windows change each year — check the official Tiny Desk Contest page.

• ☐Film one original song live, in one take
• ☐A desk must appear in the video
• ☐Good audio matters more than fancy visuals

ARTIST NAME — Song Title
Genre: ___   Hometown: ___
Release date: ___   Label: Independent
ISRC: ___   Length: _:__   Clean: Yes/No

FOCUS TRACK: "___"
Sounds like: ___, ___

Two-sentence bio: ___

Highlights: shows, press, playlist adds

Download: [your link]
Contact: name · email · phone
Socials: @___

1. 1.6 weeks out: finish master & art, plan content, book a release show.
2. 2.4 weeks out: submit to distributor, set up pre-save link.
3. 3.3 weeks out: pitch Spotify editorial, start SubmitHub/Groover and radio outreach.
4. 4.2 weeks out: announce release date, post teasers daily.
5. 5.Release week: post every day, go live, thank every playlist and station.
6. 6.2–4 weeks after: share stats and fan reactions, pitch blogs, plan the next single.

• ☐Hook in the first 1–2 seconds — start with the best part of the song
• ☐Post 3–5 times a week; repurpose each clip across all three apps
• ☐Show the person: studio moments, writing stories, live clips
• ☐Add your song to the platform's sound library so fans can use it
• ☐Reply to comments with new videos

• ☐Short, medium and long bio
• ☐2–3 high-res photos
• ☐Links to your best 3 songs
• ☐Live video
• ☐Press quotes & highlights
• ☐Contact info & socials

Your distributor collects recording royalties — songwriting royalties are separate.

1. 1.Join a Performing Rights Organization: BMI or ASCAP (pick one) to collect performance royalties from radio, venues and streaming.
2. 2.Register every song you write, with correct writer splits.
3. 3.Register with The MLC to collect US mechanical royalties from streaming services.
4. 4.Keep a spreadsheet of titles, writers, splits, ISRCs and registration numbers.