Updated April 2026.
What you do before releasing a song matters more than what you do on release day. Most independent artists spend months making a track and then spend about five minutes planning how to release it. One “out now” post, a couple of Stories, maybe a pre-save link — and that is it.
That is not a release strategy. That is hoping the algorithm does you a favor.
The artists who actually get traction are the ones who start preparing weeks before releasing a song. Not because they have bigger budgets or better connections — but because they treat the release like a campaign, not a single moment.
This is the first post in a three-part series covering what to do before releasing a song, on release day, and after release. Start here.
Timeline: How Early to Start Before Releasing a Song
Give yourself a minimum of four to six weeks before your release date. Eight weeks is better if this is your first structured release.
Here is the general timeline:
- 6–8 weeks out: Finalize the song, register it, choose a distributor, plan your content
- 4 weeks out: Upload to your distributor, start creating visual content, pitch playlists
- 2 weeks out: Begin teasing the release on social media, notify your email list
- 1 week out: Ramp up content, finalize your release day plan
- Release day: Execute (covered in part two)
If you are reading this and your release is in three days — do what you can, but plan better next time. The prep window is where most of the impact is created.
Step 1: Finalize the Song Before Releasing
This sounds obvious, but it trips up more artists than you would think. Your song needs to be fully mixed and mastered before you do anything else. Do not start planning promotion while you are still tweaking the mix. The song needs to be locked.
Once it is done, collect all the metadata you will need:
- Track title (exactly as you want it displayed)
- Artist name and any featured artist credits
- Songwriter and producer credits
- Genre and subgenre tags
- ISRC code (your distributor will usually generate this)
- Lyrics (typed out — you will need these for Genius, Musixmatch, and lyric videos)
Have all of this in one place before you move to the next step.
Step 2: Handle the Legal and Business Side Before Releasing a Song
This is the step most independent artists skip — and it costs them money later.
Register with a PRO
Register your song with a Performing Rights Organization — ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC in the US. This ensures you collect performance royalties whenever your song is played on radio, in venues, on streaming platforms, or in any public setting.
If you have not joined a PRO yet, do it now. This is non-negotiable.
Register with the MLC
The Mechanical Licensing Collective handles mechanical royalties from streaming in the US. Register your songs at themlc.com so you do not leave money on the table from Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms.
Confirm Splits
If anyone else was involved in writing or producing the song, confirm royalty splits in writing before the release. This includes co-writers, producers, featured artists, and anyone who contributed to the composition or recording. Get it documented — even if they are your best friend.
Step 3: Choose a Distributor and Upload Early
Your distributor is how your song gets onto Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, YouTube Music, and everywhere else.
Popular distributors for independent artists include DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Amuse, and Ditto. Each has different pricing models and feature sets — research which one fits your situation.
Upload at Least 4 Weeks Before Releasing a Song
This gives you time to:
- Catch and fix any metadata errors before the song goes live
- Get the song registered on Spotify for Artists so you can pitch it to editorial playlists
- Set up pre-save and pre-add links
- Avoid last-minute delays from distributor processing times
Rushing this step is one of the most common mistakes independent artists make. Upload early.
Step 4: Pitch to Spotify Editorial Playlists
Once your song is in Spotify’s system (usually 7 to 14 days after uploading through your distributor), log in to Spotify for Artists and pitch it to their editorial team.
This must be done before the release date — Spotify only accepts pitches for unreleased tracks. You get one pitch per release, so make it count.
In your pitch, include:
- A clear description of the song’s genre, mood, and instrumentation
- The story behind the track
- Any relevant context (upcoming tour, social media momentum, press coverage)
- The release date
Landing an editorial playlist is not guaranteed, but not pitching at all guarantees you will not get placed. Even if you do not land an editorial spot, pitching helps Spotify’s algorithm understand your music, which can improve your placement in algorithmic playlists like Discover Weekly and Release Radar.
Step 5: Set Up a Pre-Save Campaign Before Releasing a Song
Pre-saves let fans save your song to their library before it officially drops. On release day, the song automatically appears in their library and counts as a save — which sends a strong signal to the streaming algorithm.
Set up a pre-save link through your distributor or a tool like Feature.fm, Linkfire, or ToneDen. This gives you a single link you can share across all platforms.
Pre-saves are not the entire strategy — but they are a free way to boost your Day 1 engagement. Share the pre-save link in your bio, Stories, email list, and any teaser content you post.
Step 6: Create Your Visual Content Before Releasing a Song
This is where most artists run out of time and end up scrambling on release day. The fix is to batch-create all your visual content before the release window begins.
What you need:
Cover art — 3000 x 3000 pixels, high resolution. This is the first thing people see on streaming platforms. Make it professional and visually distinctive.
Press photos — Clean, high-quality images of you as an artist. You will need these for your website, social media, playlist pitches, and any press outreach.
Short-form video content — This is the most important asset for promotion. Plan to create 15 to 25 short clips that you can post across Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts over the course of the release campaign. This includes:
- Teaser clips with snippets of the song
- Behind-the-scenes footage from recording or production
- You talking about the song — the story behind it, what it means to you
- Performance clips — you singing, playing, or performing the track
- B-roll footage you can pair with the audio later
Shoot all of this in one or two dedicated sessions. Having a library of content ready means you will never be stuck thinking “I don’t know what to post” during the release window.
Music video (optional but valuable)
A full music video is not required for every single, but having one gives you an anchor piece of content to build around. Even a simple performance video or a visualizer can serve as the centerpiece of your release campaign.
Step 7: Prepare Your Social Media Rollout
With your content created, plan exactly what you will post and when. Build a simple content calendar for the two to three weeks leading up to release.
2–3 weeks before releasing a song:
- Start teasing that something is coming. Do not reveal everything at once.
- Share your pre-save link and explain what it does. Many fans do not know what a pre-save is.
- Post consistently — three to five times per week across your main platforms.
1 week before release:
- Reveal the cover art, the song title, and the release date
- Share a longer teaser clip — 15 to 30 seconds of the strongest moment in the song
- Post your pre-save link multiple times across different formats (feed post, Story, Reel)
- Send an email to your list with the release date and pre-save link
Day before release:
- Post a countdown or reminder
- Go live on Instagram or TikTok to talk about the song and build excitement
- Prepare your release day content so you can post immediately when the song drops
Step 8: Prepare Your Outreach Before Releasing a Song
Beyond social media, there are other channels worth targeting before release day.
Independent playlist curators
Research curators in your genre on platforms like SubmitHub and Groover. Reach out with a personal, professional pitch — not a mass email. Include a private listening link, a brief description of the song, and any context about your artist story. Do this two to four weeks before release.
Music blogs and press
If press coverage is part of your strategy, prepare a press release and reach out to blogs and publications that cover your genre. Include your electronic press kit — bio, press photos, links, and a private listening link. Start local and niche before going broad.
Your existing network
Do not underestimate the value of personal outreach. Text your most engaged fans, DM people who have supported your previous releases, and ask collaborators to share. Genuine one-on-one outreach often drives more Day 1 engagement than any social post.
Step 9: Update Your Online Presence
Before the song goes live, make sure everything a new listener would find looks current and professional.
- Update your Spotify for Artists profile with new photos, bio, and artist pick
- Update your website with the upcoming release information
- Make sure your Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube bios reflect your current project
- Update your electronic press kit with new materials
- Pin a strong recent post to the top of your Instagram grid
When new listeners discover your song and click through to learn more about you, everything they find should look intentional and current — not like an abandoned profile from six months ago.
Quick Reference Checklist: What to Do Before Releasing a Song
6–8 weeks out:
- Song fully mixed and mastered
- Metadata collected and organized
- Registered with PRO and MLC
- Royalty splits confirmed in writing
- Distributor selected
4 weeks out:
- Song uploaded to distributor
- Cover art and press photos finalized
- Spotify editorial playlist pitch submitted
- Pre-save link created and live
- Content shoot scheduled or completed
2 weeks out:
- Social media teaser campaign begins
- First email to your list about the upcoming release
- Playlist curator and blog outreach underway
- Content calendar built for release window
1 week out:
- Cover art, title, and release date revealed publicly
- Pre-save link shared multiple times
- Release day content prepared and ready to post
- Online profiles updated
Day before:
- Final reminder post and countdown
- Release day plan finalized
- Content queued and ready
Up Next
This is part one of a three-part series. Next up: What to Do on Release Day So Your Song Doesn’t Flop — covering exactly how to execute release day for maximum impact.
Need Help Planning What to Do Before Releasing a Song?
If you want a structured release strategy built around your specific situation — not a generic checklist — I can help.
At Wolfson Marketing, I work directly with musicians and artists to build music marketing campaigns around releases that actually drive streams, followers, and real fans.
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