The music release checklist and timeline for independent artists
A week-by-week checklist from six weeks out to release day and beyond, so nothing important slips.
Updated July 2026
A release is not a day, it is a timeline. The artists who get the most out of every song are the ones who start early and work a checklist, because the highest-value promotional tools (the Spotify editorial pitch, pre-saves, curator lead time) all depend on delivering weeks ahead. Miss the window and you cannot get it back for that release. This checklist runs from about six weeks out through release day and into the weeks after. Adjust the exact dates to your situation, but keep the order, because each phase sets up the next.
Six weeks out: lock the foundation
This is the preparation phase, and it opens with a decision most artists skip: what is the story of this release? Settle on one sentence (what the song is, why now, why you) before you write a bio or brief artwork, because that sentence is what makes the assets, the one-sheet, and every pitch pull in the same direction instead of apart. With the story set, the tasks follow. Finish and master the track. Finalize your artwork to the correct specs. Write your assets: a one-line and short bio, a one-sheet for the release, and any photos press might need. Decide your release date (Fridays are the industry norm for chart and Release Radar reasons). And start building your target list of curators, blogs, and stations that fit the record, so outreach is ready to go the moment your links exist.
The reason to front-load all of this is that once the clock starts, you will not have time to make assets and pitch at the same time. Every hour you spend on a one-sheet or a target list now is an hour you are not scrambling during release week, when your attention should be on the outreach itself. Treat this phase as the calm before the work, and use it to remove every task you can from the busy weeks ahead.
Three to four weeks out: deliver and set up
This is the most time-sensitive phase. Deliver the finished master to your distributor at least three to four weeks before release. That buffer is what makes the Spotify editorial pitch possible and leaves room to fix metadata errors before they go public. Fill in metadata completely: consistent artist names, songwriter and producer credits, genre, explicit flags, and the ISRC your distributor generates. Then claim or confirm your Spotify for Artists and Apple Music for Artists access so you can pitch and see your stats.
Set up the pre-save
Build your pre-save landing page and set it live with your announcement. Front-load the announcement push and plan a second push for the final days. For the detail, see how to run a pre-save campaign.
One to two weeks out: pitch
Pitch the unreleased track to Spotify editorial through your dashboard at least seven days before release; earlier is better. In parallel, start direct outreach to the curators, blogs, and stations on your list, with a short personal pitch and a private stream. Send premieres or exclusives to press with enough lead time for them to schedule. Keep a running log of each pitch as it goes out. I keep a directory of verified contacts by genre so this step starts with the right names; The Curator Network on the playlist side and PopMatters in press are the kinds of targets you can pull in minutes.
Line up your outreach targets early
Verified curators by genre, so the outreach step of your checklist starts with the right names.
Release week and day
Release day is for activation, not just posting. Share your smart link everywhere, confirm the track is live and correct on every platform, and thank the fans who pre-saved. Post the story behind the song, not just the link. Nudge anyone who said they might cover it. Keep it up: a release day is a spike, but the week around it is where most of the early listens happen.
Do a careful check the moment it goes live, because errors are common and fixable early. Confirm the track appears on your profile with the right title, artwork, and credits, that it is not accidentally split across a duplicate artist page, and that your smart link resolves to every platform. Add the song to your own public playlists and your artist pick if the platform offers one. These are small actions, but on release day they compound, and catching a metadata error in the first hour is far better than discovering it a week in.
After release: keep working it
The release does not end on Friday. Over the following weeks, follow up with anyone who covered it and thank them, update your one-sheet and smart link with any new traction, and keep pitching curators and blogs that take already-released music. Watch your Spotify for Artists data to see where listeners are coming from, and log what worked. That record is what makes your next release sharper.
Turn the checklist into a system
Start six weeks before the date instead of six days and the calendar does most of the promotion for you. The one input no checklist can generate is the target list itself, which is exactly what the curator directory is for.
Frequently asked
How far in advance should I plan a release?
Start about six weeks out. You need three to four weeks of lead time with your distributor to hit the editorial pitch window and to fix errors before they go public, plus a couple of weeks before that to prepare assets and line up outreach. Anything less and you lose the most valuable promotional tools.
What is the single most time-sensitive step?
Delivering the finished master to your distributor at least three to four weeks early and pitching Spotify editorial before the song goes live. That pitch is only possible on an unreleased track, so if you miss the window you lose it for that release entirely.
What should I do after release day?
Keep working the release for weeks, not hours. Thank and follow up with anyone who covered it, update your smart link and one-sheet with new traction, keep pitching curators and blogs who take live releases, and log what worked so the next cycle is sharper.