INDIE MUSIC ARTIST · RELEASE GUIDE
Your song is finished. How do you get it out?
From the final audio file to the moment somebody can play your song on Spotify or Apple Music.
You’ve got the final mix on your laptop. You played it in the car, sent it to your cousin, and listened one more time to make sure that harmony was sitting right. Now how does somebody who lives across the country find it on Spotify?
If you’re figuring out how to distribute your music to Spotify and Apple Music, the process starts with a music distributor. You send it a release package. It delivers that package to the platforms you choose, and the platforms process and schedule it for listeners.
1. What a music distributor actually does
For an independent artist, Spotify for Artists is where you manage your profile, see listener data, and pitch eligible upcoming music. To get a song into Spotify’s catalog, you deliver it through a distributor. Apple Music also directs independent artists to distribution partners to get their music onto the service.
The distributor packages your audio, cover art, track information, and release date for delivery. Each platform then processes that submission for its own catalog. Your distributor is usually your first contact if the release stalls, the title needs correcting, or your song gets attached to another artist’s page.
The handoff Your laptop → Music distributor → Spotify and Apple Music → Listeners
2. Get your files ready before you open the upload form
Make one folder for the release. Put the files you’re actually submitting in there so you aren’t choosing between final.wav, final-new.wav, and this-one-for-real.wav with the upload form open.
- Final stereo master. Export the finished song as a single audio file. A lossless WAV is a common choice. Check your distributor’s file requirements, then play the export from beginning to end.
- Square cover artwork. Use artwork you have permission to distribute. Check the distributor’s requirements for dimensions and file type before exporting it.
- A release notes document. Keep the exact track title, artist name, credits, genre, lyrics if needed, explicit-content status, and proposed release date together.
- Permissions and artist links. Keep any beat licenses, sample clearances, or other required permissions on hand. Save your existing Spotify and Apple Music artist profile URLs if you have them.
Play the beginning and ending of the export closely. Catching a chopped-off fade or an accidental scratch vocal takes a minute here. Once the release has been delivered, a file replacement can take longer.
3. Get the titles, artist names, credits, and genres right
Metadata is the information that tells the platforms whose song this is, what to call it, and how to display it. It also helps distinguish your recording from other music with the same name.
- Song title and version
- Enter the title as you want it displayed. If the form offers a separate version field, use it for labels such as Acoustic or Live, where applicable.
- Primary and featured artists
- Use the artist fields for each role. If you already have a profile, match it by URL or ID when the distributor offers that option. Double-check before selecting an artist who shares your name.
- Contributor credits
- Confirm names and roles with your collaborators. A vocalist, songwriter, and producer may each need their own credit, even when one person filled several roles.
- Genre and explicit status
- Choose the closest genre from the options available and mark explicit content accurately. If you’re releasing separate clean and explicit versions, check that each label matches its audio.
You may also see an ISRC for the recording and a UPC for the release. Your distributor may assign these if you’re releasing a new single. If you’re transferring an existing recording, ask the new distributor how to reuse its ISRC.
4. Pick a release date that leaves room for corrections
Check your distributor’s recommended lead time before announcing a date. For a first single, I’d give myself several weeks if possible. That leaves room for a cover art correction, a credit change, or a conversation with support about which artist page should get the song.
If you plan to pitch an eligible unreleased track through Spotify for Artists, Spotify recommends delivering it at least seven days before release. Give yourself additional time for the distributor to review and deliver it, then pitch once the track appears under Upcoming. Editors decide which songs they place.
Read Spotify’s playlist pitching guide →
5. Walk through a typical upload, screen by screen
The screen names and order vary by distributor. Here’s what you’re likely to be asked for when you submit a single.
- Create the release. Choose a new single. Enter the release title and primary artist name.
- Add the track. Upload the final master. Enter the track title, contributor credits, and explicit status. Add an existing ISRC if applicable, or follow the form’s instructions for assigning a new one.
- Upload the artwork. Check the preview to make sure you selected the correct cover and that it displays clearly at a small size.
- Choose platforms and a date. Select Spotify and Apple Music. Confirm the release date and any territory options that apply.
- Match your artist profiles. Supply your existing profile links if the form requests them. For a debut, follow the distributor’s instructions for a new artist profile.
- Review and submit. Compare the summary with your release notes. Check the audio, spelling, credits, platforms, and date. Save the submission confirmation and any release codes.
If you feel rushed on the last screen, step away for five minutes and come back. That’s a good time to catch that your producer’s name has an extra letter or that you picked the wrong Friday.
6. What happens after you submit, and how to fix a mistake
Your distributor may review the release first and flag an issue for you to correct. Once it sends the package, Spotify and Apple Music process it. A status like delivered usually means the distributor sent the files. On release day, open both platform links and confirm the song plays and appears on the right artist page.
Found a mistake? Start with your distributor.
- Before delivery. Check whether the submission is still editable. If it’s locked, contact support with the release title and the exact field or file to change.
- After delivery. Ask whether the distributor can send an update for the affected platform. Audio, artwork, and credits may follow different correction procedures. If the date is close, ask whether there’s time to make the correction.
- Wrong artist page. Send support the track link, the ISRC, and the correct artist profile URL if you have one. Specify whether the issue is on Spotify, Apple Music, or both.
- Missing on release day. Check the scheduled date and delivery status for that platform. If it’s still missing, share the release title, UPC if available, and the affected platform with support.
If you uploaded the wrong audio, confirm the replacement process before removing or resubmitting the release. Your distributor can tell you whether a change requires a fresh delivery and how it may affect the release date or existing links.
7. Pick a distributor that fits this release
Start with three practical questions. Does it deliver to Spotify and Apple Music? Can you schedule the date you want? Is it clear how to contact support or request a correction after delivery?
For a first single, a dashboard you understand and a support process you can find are worth paying attention to. You can also use Apple’s directory to see which distributors Apple Music lists as partners.
Explore the Apple Music distributor directory →
Ready to choose a distributor?
Start with the fee and royalty breakdown. Then use the first-release budget guide to decide what to spend on this single.