How to Release a Song, Step by Step
Guides & Playbooks

Releasing a song comes down to ten steps. Do them in this order and nothing on release day will surprise you. Each step links to the detail if you want it.

1. Finish and master the track

Export your final master as WAV, FLAC or AIFF, at the sample rate and bit depth you mastered at. Don't convert it down "to be safe".

Then play the exported file from start to finish, once. It catches a cut-off ending or a missing vocal before anyone else hears it.

More: Supported Audio Formats

2. Make sure it's yours to release

You need the rights to everything on the recording: you made it, or you have permission from whoever did. Covers, remixes and samples each have their own rules, so check which one applies before you upload.

More: Copyright Basics for Artists, Cover Songs on MOOSYC, Remix Releases Explained

3. Get the metadata right

Metadata is how stores file your music and connect it to your artist profile. The rules that matter most:

• Spell your artist name exactly the same on every release
• Featured artists go in the artist field and in the title as (feat. Name)
• Version tags go in parentheses: (Acoustic), (Radio Edit)
• No ALL CAPS titles
• Mark any track with explicit lyrics as explicit

More: Metadata Guidelines, Explicit Content Explained

4. Make the cover art

• Square, 3000 × 3000 pixels or larger
• JPG or PNG, in RGB (not CMYK)
• Your artist name and the title are fine on the cover. URLs, social handles, prices and "OUT NOW" aren't.

More: Cover Art Requirements

5. Pick a release date, weeks ahead

Aim for 3 to 4 weeks out. That gives you time to pitch, build pre-saves, and fix anything before the date arrives.

The hard minimum, if you want to pitch to Spotify's editors, is 7 days. Spotify asks you to deliver at least 7 days before release so its editors have time to listen, and a song pitched at least 7 days ahead goes into your followers' Release Radar.

Your release goes live at midnight local time in each country, so it's out in New Zealand while it's still the afternoon before in the US.

More: Custom Release Dates

6. Upload through a distributor

Spotify requires all music to come through a label or distributor, so this is where your distributor comes in.

With MOOSYC, one upload goes to 43+ platforms. You pay $50 a year for unlimited releases, take home 100% of your royalties, and keep 100% of your rights. A person reviews every release, usually within an hour, and approved releases go to the stores straight away. If anything needs fixing, we tell you exactly what, and resubmitting is free.

We issue your ISRCs and UPC, or you can use your own.

More: Minimum Requirements to Release Music, How Long Review Takes, How to Get Approved First Time, Supported Platforms

7. Share a pre-save link

Every MOOSYC release comes with a smartlink, pre-saves and share cards. Once your release is scheduled, start sharing the link everywhere you talk to fans. Before release day, fans can pre-save it on their streaming platform, or leave their email to hear when it drops.

Your smartlink has its own analytics in MOOSYC. We measure it ourselves, so it isn't waiting on a store's report.

More: Understanding Your MOOSYC Analytics

8. Pitch to playlist editors

On Spotify, you pitch in Spotify for Artists:

• Pitch one unreleased song, at least 7 days before release
• You can't pitch compilations, or songs you're only featured on
• You can pitch one song at a time, and once it's live it can't be pitched any more
• More detail in the pitch gives your song a better chance

(Spotify: Pitching music to playlist editors)

With MOOSYC, playlist pitching is part of the plan. Open Priority Pitch from Home. Releases submitted at least 4 weeks ahead qualify.

9. Claim your artist profiles

To pitch on Spotify and see your own listener data, you need access to your artist profiles. You can claim Spotify for Artists before release day. Apple Music for Artists opens up once your music has been live on Apple Music for five business days.

More: How to Get Verified on Spotify, How to Claim Your Apple Music for Artists Profile

10. Release, promote, and read the numbers

• On release day, post your smartlink and update your bios.
• In the weeks after, watch which platforms and songs are moving, and put your energy there. Store data runs a few days behind, so a flat last couple of days on a chart is usually just a report still to come in.
• Never buy streams. Services that sell streams or guaranteed playlist spots get songs' royalties withheld and can get music removed. See Stream Manipulation Policy Explained.
• Add more later. You can add a Dolby Atmos mix to a release after you've submitted it.

The short version

1. Master exported and played through
2. Rights cleared
3. Metadata consistent
4. Cover art 3000 × 3000, RGB
5. Release date 3 to 4 weeks out, never under 7 days if pitching
6. Uploaded and approved
7. Pre-save link shared
8. Pitched
9. Artist profiles claimed
10. Released, shared and measured

Ready for step 6? Start on moosyc.com by looking up your artist name.