The timeline at a glance
| When | What gets done |
|---|---|
| 6–8 weeks before | Finish the master and artwork, agree splits and credits, choose the date |
| 3 weeks before | Build the release, choose stores and Content ID, submit |
| 1 week before | Pitch on Spotify, prepare the release link and your posts |
| Release day | Check every store, share the link everywhere |
| After release | Watch the numbers, register the songs, plan the next one |
If this is your first release with TempoDigital, allow a little more time: a new account's first release is reviewed by our team before it is delivered.
6–8 weeks before: finish the music and the paperwork
- Finish the masterExport the final audio as WAV, FLAC or AIFF, 16 or 24-bit, 44.1 to 192 kHz, stereo. No MP3s. TempoDigital checks every upload for clipping, silence and format, but listen through the final files yourself as well.
- Make the artworkSquare, at least 2400 × 2400 px (3000 × 3000 is ideal), JPEG or PNG, up to 20 MB, and 300 DPI if a DPI is set. Leave off web addresses, social handles and store logos.
- Agree splits in writingWho owns what share of the recording, and who wrote what share of the song. Settle it now, not after the money arrives.
- Collect the creditsSongwriters, producers and performers, each with their role. Apple Music needs a specific performer role on every track, such as vocals or guitar; a generic "Performer" credit is refused.
- Clear what is not yoursSamples, a beat you licensed, a cover of someone else's song. Know the terms before you release, because they decide which stores and rights tools the track can use.
- Choose the release dateFriday is the usual choice, and Spotify's Release Radar updates every Friday. Whatever the day, keep it at least two to three weeks after the date you plan to submit.
3 weeks before: build and submit the release
- Enter the release detailsTitle, main and featured artists, genre, label name and release date. Credit featured artists as artists rather than writing "feat." into the title, keep titles out of capitals, and use "Various Artists" only for compilations.
- Link existing artist profilesAdd the artist's Spotify artist URI and Apple Music artist ID, so the release lands on the profile they already have rather than on a new, empty one.
- Check the codesEvery track needs an ISRC and every release a UPC. TempoDigital issues both free. If a track was released before, enter its existing ISRC so its streams and playlists stay with it.
- Choose stores and territoriesEvery plan includes every store we deliver to, so for most releases choose them all. Beatport takes electronic music only. Pick an Apple Music and iTunes price tier, and choose territories if the release should not go worldwide.
- Decide on Content ID and the rights toolsYouTube Content ID and the rights tools for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok claim every use of the audio. Turn them on only if you control the recording exclusively — not for covers of other people's recordings, uncleared samples, non-exclusive beats or public-domain recordings.
- Set the splits and submitAdd royalty splits so each collaborator is paid their share directly, then submit. We deliver approved releases within 24 hours; each store then publishes on its own schedule, most within a few days.
1 week before: pitch and prepare
- Pitch one unreleased song in Spotify for Artists at least seven days before release, earlier if the release appears there sooner. That also puts it in your followers' Release Radar. See how to get on Spotify playlists.
- Update your artist profiles on the stores: picture, bio and links.
- Get the release's landing page ready to share. Every TempoDigital release has one, listing every store it is live on, with click tracking, so one link works in your bio, your posts and your messages.
- Prepare your posts, a short video for social media and a note to your mailing list.
- Send the release to the press, radio hosts and curators you know personally.
Release day
- Open the release on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and the other stores you chose, and check it sits on the right artist profile
- Share the landing page everywhere: bio, posts, stories and newsletter
- Thank the people who add it to playlists or share it
- If anything is wrong, such as a wrong profile or a missing store, tell your distributor the same day
After release
- Watch the first weeks in Spotify for Artists and in the platform's Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music dashboards
- Register the songs for publishing, so the songwriting side is collected too — see what is music publishing administration?
- Tell whoever runs your Content ID which channels should not be claimed: yours, your label's and any licensed partners
- Expect the first money a few months out: stores report in arrears, most about two months after the month of the streams
- Plan the next release: each new one gives Release Radar something new to send your followers
On TempoDigital each month's statement closes on the 15th of the following month, and you can withdraw once your balance is above $70.