Your monitor is combined and also you’re excited to distribute your new music.
However you might have some further work forward earlier than your track is prepared for world music distribution.
A rocket wants a launchpad. Cereal wants a field. And your music wants a couple of extras in an effort to attain the ears of listeners world wide
1. Good Manufacturing & Songwriting
Earlier than you consider music distribution, you ought to be pleased with your songs and recordings. There’s an excessive amount of nice music on the market to waste your valuable time selling lacklustre tracks.
Prioritize high quality in each the composition and manufacturing. In the event you lose objectivity (don’t all of us?), search the steerage of musicians, engineers, producers, or aficionados you respect.
In the event you’re a member of ReverbNation, examine the checklist of recent music promo Alternatives each month to obtain suggestions from producers equivalent to Tucker Martine and Mathew Expensive.
Put money into your music by taking the time to get it proper, whereas additionally acknowledging there’s no such factor as “perfection.” In the event you can’t obtain nice outcomes by yourself, rent the fitting collaborators.
In fact “high quality” is considerably subjective, however your music will go rather a lot additional if it sounds skilled — from recording, to mixing, to mastering.
2. Excessive-High quality, Mastered Audio
Talking of high quality, music mastering is necessary!
Mastering can add readability and punch to your combine, nevertheless it additionally readies the monitor to sit down alongside different songs on digital music platforms by adjusting the general quantity to business requirements.
As soon as your music is mastered, you’ll need:
3. Tune titles and album identify
Observe titles? You want ‘em! However hopefully this isn’t too laborious. You’ve in all probability ALREADY named the songs by the point they’re mastered.
Earlier than you formally decide to track titles although, make certain the identify is exclusive and avoids potential confusion with different artists. For example, you in all probability don’t wish to identify each track on an album “Untitled No 1” or “It is a Cardi B Tune.”
As for titling a set of songs, your EP or full-length album wants a reputation too!
The album identify CAN be the identical as one of many songs on the album, during which case that track would even be known as the “title monitor.” But it surely doesn’t should be.
In the event you’re releasing a single, the monitor and the “launch” may have the identical title.
4. Artist identify
This will sound apparent, however a novel, memorable, and constant artist identify is essential.
It ought to be distinctive so your music doesn’t get confused with different artists.
It ought to be memorable so listeners… bear in mind you.
And it ought to be constant throughout the metadata and the duvet paintings. You don’t need it to seem on Spotify as “Mizz Artist Title” if the duvet paintings says “Ms. Artist & the No Names.” Each ought to agree.
Your artist identify also needs to be constant from launch to launch. In any other case your music might be unfold out throughout a number of artist profiles, which is complicated for listeners and extra work so that you can handle. You may additionally be squandering any algorithmic traction you’ve established on your music beneath a distinct artist identify.
The various kinds of artist identify:
- Main Artist: That is the principle artist credited on the album degree. Whether or not you’re a person (Taylor Swift, Drake, Bob Dylan, and so on.) or a gaggle/band (Metallica, BTS, and so on.) you would come with that identify as the first artist.
- Compound Artist: That is two artist names which are mixed as a single entity, becuse of a shared id. Suppose Brooks & Dunn, Simon & Garfunkel, and so on. Although these artists could launch music individually, after they collaborate, the compound artist or “group identify outweighs the person names. For example, you wouldn’t see a Simon & Garfunkel launch with the artist identify “Paul Simon and Artwork Garfunkel.”
- Artist with Backing Band: In a approach, that is one other type of compound artist id. Like, Prince and the Revolution, or Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. One factor to pay attention to when you’ve got a backing band, do you have to ever launch music beneath JUST your identify, it’ll seem on a distinct artist profile from the “artist with band” profile on platforms equivalent to Spotify. That’s why Tom Petty solo albums are separate from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.
- A number of Main Artists or “Collaborative” Artists: If the general launch is the results of a top-billing collaboration between artists who don’t generally unite (Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, Jay-Z & Kanye West, and so on.), you may add extra “Main Artist” fields for the discharge. This may guarantee the discharge seems in each artist’s particular person discographies.
What about Options? So as to add a “that includes” credit score to particular person tracks, see the small print within the subsequent part!
5. Your Collaborators’ Names
Do you may have featured visitors on the monitor? Is it a remix by a proficient producer? Are you working with one other artist who ought to get equal billing within the artist identify?
You’ll want to have these discussions along with your collaborators about if and the way they’d wish to be credited. In the event that they do need public credit score included within the metadata for the discharge, you’ll want to format the collaborators’ names accurately. (Extra on that beneath).
You possibly can credit score the next sorts of contributors on your monitor:
- Arranger
- Choir
- Conductor
- Engineer
- Ensemble
- That includes
- Mixer
- Orchestra
- Performer
- Main
- Producer
- Remixer
- Soloist
- Author
Take into account that whereas collabs will be nice for reaching different artists’ viewers, not each musician you’re employed with will mechanically wish to seem in your discography (and vice versa).
Now, in the event that they do need a contributor credit score, listed below are…
Three issues to know about featured artists:
- Options ought to NOT be credited on the album degree. They’re related to particular person tracks.
- Do NOT checklist all session gamers as featured visitors. The aim of the that includes credit score is to focus on very particular standout contributions (a duet vocal, a rap verse, a notable guitar solo, and so on.) These are NOT liner notes.
- As a common guideline, if the individual already has their very own artist profile on DSPs, chances are you’ll wish to take into account itemizing them as a featured artist. In the event that they don’t? Don’t. Not solely does that standards show you how to assess whether or not the contributor deserves the credit score, nevertheless it additionally determines whether or not there’s any cross-audience promotional profit from the official “featured artist” credit score.
6. Cowl artwork and related visuals
Talking of canopy artwork, you’ll want a picture for each launch you join music distribution.
The duvet paintings on your album or single usually creates the primary impression somebody has of your music on a streaming platform, even earlier than they hear the songs. Don’t look novice.
If you have already got design abilities, you in all probability know your approach round Photoshop. Lack confidence in Photoshop? Canva is a straightforward software that may ship nice outcomes. Obtained a imaginative and prescient on your paintings however zero design abilities? Picture-generation instruments like Midjourney or Dall-E could be a large assist.
Your cowl design ought to replicate your music’s temper and style in a compelling approach. It CAN include textual content, however doesn’t have to. If it DOES include textual content, it’s advisable that the textual content match the artist identify and album title precisely.
So far as visible content material, your cowl artwork could be a picture of you, an summary portray, an AI-generated daydream, or some other method. But it surely ought to comply with DSP cover-art pointers and be distinctive to your launch. You don’t wish to use the identical cowl artwork for a number of albums or singles.
Though many individuals will solely view the picture as a thumbnail or on their smartphones, it’s at all times advisable to add the highest-resolution picture file potential if you distribute your music, as a result of a whole lot of listening occurs on good TVs.
Your cowl paintings ought to be:
- JPG or PNG format
- A minimum of 3000×3000 pixels in dimension
- An ideal sq. (1:1 side ratio)
Additionally, remember that sure platforms (equivalent to Spotify) prioritize looping vertical video above static cowl paintings. Which is why we suggest you create a Spotify Canvas for each monitor previous to launch.
7. Correct Music Metadata
Metadata is only a fancy phrase for “further details about your music.”
It’s all of the OTHER stuff that will get delivered together with the monitor. And in reality, we’ve already talked about a couple of key factors of metadata above.
Metadata can fall into three essential classes:
- Descriptive — serving to folks discover the precise music they’re trying to find:
- Artist identify
- Tune title
- Launch date
- Cowl artwork
- Principal style
- Possession — serving to the right folks and corporations receives a commission:
- Label identify
- Tune writer
- Songwriter (composer & lyricist)
- Suggestion — serving to listeners and algorithms floor the fitting music for a temper or event:
- Sub-genres
- Temper
- BPM and key
- Specific Content material / Parental Advisory
- Instrumentation
Not all DSPs request or show metadata in the identical approach, so simply you’ll want to present your distributor with as a lot correct data as they permit in the course of the music distribution signup course of.
If you’re given the chance to offer additional information in a separate course of — as an illustration, by way of Spotify for Artist’s direct pitching software — do it! It could look like a small factor, however sturdy metadata can imply the distinction between obscurity and discovery.
IMPORTANT: A whole lot of artists are inclined to checklist fashionable genres and sounds-like artists, considering it’ll convey their music extra consideration. However accuracy is way extra necessary than trendiness.
Suggestion engines are designed to ship the fitting music to the fitting folks. The extra that listeners interact, the extra broadly the platform will share your music.
Don’t attempt to recreation the system by gaining the improper type of early consideration; it is going to be counterproductive. The algorithms may have “proof” that individuals don’t like your music. When in truth, all that occurred was you gave inaccurate metadata that brought on the monitor to be shared to the improper viewers.
8. UPC and ISRC codes
Don’t fret about these an excessive amount of. They’re each offered by most distributors in the event you don’t have a UPC and ISRCs assigned already.
The UPC is a product identifier for the general album/launch. It’s just like the barcode on a field of cereal that will get scanned on the grocery retailer.
ISRCs are track-level identifiers. Sound-recording codes.
UPCs and ISRCs assist music platforms preserve monitor of what’s being listened to, and who to pay for that exercise.
IMPORTANT: In the event you launch a track as a single, after which later embody that very same recording in an album, you’ll want to preserve the ISRC the identical. That’s what’s going to tally stream counts collectively so all of the performs the one already garnered get related to the identical monitor on the album. You are able to do this so long as it’s the identical recording (not a drastically totally different combine, model, or edit).
9. Launch date
That is easy. And likewise not that easy.
When would you like the track to seem for listeners? Easy! Present that date. Your music distributor will inform the streaming platform, and the platforms will do their greatest to publish the music on that day.
Nonetheless, the half that wants some further consideration is…
… will your required launch date offer you sufficient time to plan promotion?
… to make the most of associated alternatives equivalent to Spotify’s playlist pitching function (which requires supply of the monitor greater than per week upfront of its launch)?
… and are you giving your self sufficient wiggle room for second-guessing and your individual human error in the course of the distribution course of?
You won’t assume that final one is frequent, however I can inform you after 18 years expertise in music distribution, musicians change their minds about issues last-minute on a regular basis.
Whenever you set your launch date, be certain to strike a steadiness between pleasure, persistence, and realism.
10. One of the best distribution on your music
Regardless of which distributor you select, you’ll want the primary 9 issues on this checklist.
Then it’s time to decide about which service is greatest on your music distribution, royalty assortment, and promotion.
There isn’t any one-size-fits-all answer, and totally different artists will favor one distributor over one other for various causes.
Some issues to contemplate when evaluating music distributors:
- Measurement of the distribution community
- Further promo, monetization, or A&R options
- Commissions
- Responsiveness to your questions
- Neighborhood and schooling
- Whether or not there are one-time signup charges, annual charges, or — like with BandLab’s music distribution —the providers comes included with membership
In the event you’re a career-minded musician who desires reliable distribution, rock-solid consumer help, and a fully unstoppable roster of recent, status, promo alternatives coming your approach each single month, be a part of ReverbNation at present!
Frequent Errors to Keep away from
A few of these had been talked about above. However let’s evaluate.
Be sure you DON’T:
- Rush your launch. You don’t get one other probability for this music to satisfy the world, so plan, be affected person, and do it proper.
- Credit score the improper folks as “featured artists”: Once more, these aren’t liner notes. Be selective about who you shine the highlight on.
- Put “Options” within the Main Artist Title: That’s an enormous no-no! Appears sloppy and it’s a ache for a lot of distributors to repair (if they comply with tackle it in any respect).
- Underestimate metadata. Inaccurate data can result in discoverability points.
- Have inconsistent ISRCs between the one and album: If it’s the identical recording between the one and a later album look, preserve the ISRC an identical!
- Use the identical cowl paintings for 2 or extra releases: DSPs and distributors gained’t at all times catch this one, nevertheless it’s technically frowned upon and COULD get your music eliminated.
- Listing the improper writer: Royalties and rights administration are necessary. If it’s a canopy track, know the right writer. If it’s a standard or Public Area monitor, checklist the writer as Public Area.
- Have a disagreement between the metadata and the textual content on the duvet paintings: The album identify and artist identify you checklist ought to match the way in which it’s written in your paintings.
- Ignore Pre-Launch Promo. Whilst you’re prepping for distribution, you’ll want to construct anticipation so your launch can have the largest affect as soon as its dwell.
By checking off the gadgets on this checklist and steering away from frequent pitfalls, you’ll set your self up for a profitable music launch and painless music distribution.
And as you launch extra music sooner or later, chances are you’ll have to refer again to this checklist once more. We hope to see you then as your music catalog continues to develop.
Better of luck in your musical journey!
Try our video dialogue about Music Distribution 101:
