The final mix is signed off, the master sounds great, and you want to put it online today. Don't. The work on a good release only starts once the music is done.

Back when I released music as Marc Volt through labels like Universal, Armada and Spinnin' Records, I learned that the weeks before release day matter just as much as the hours in the studio. A label handles many of those steps for you. When you release on your own, it's all on you. These ten steps help you make sure nothing slips through.

1. Check your master and your files

Listen to your master on as many systems as you can: studio monitors, headphones, car speakers and your phone. Once it sounds right everywhere, export (or ask your mastering engineer for) a 24-bit WAV. 16-bit/44.1 kHz is the minimum. Save your stems, an instrumental and a clean version if your lyrics need one. You may need them later for remixes, live shows and sync requests.

Not sure about your master yet? Read the difference between mixing and mastering, or see what we can do for you on mixing & mastering.

2. Pick a release date with room to breathe

Plan at least four to six weeks ahead. New music comes out worldwide on Fridays, so pick a Friday. More importantly, pick a period when you have the time and energy to promote. A release in a week full of deadlines or holidays can easily work against you.

3. Get your metadata and codes right

Metadata is everything attached to your track: artist name, title, writers, producers, musicians, genre and language. Spell everything exactly the same everywhere, or streams and royalties go missing. Every track needs an ISRC code and every release a UPC or EAN code. Your distributor usually creates these for free.

4. Choose a distributor and deliver on time

To get onto Spotify, Apple Music and other platforms, you need a distributor such as DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Amuse or RouteNote. A great Dutch option is Make Waves. Compare them on a few points:

Do you pay per year, per release or a percentage?
Do you keep all your rights?
How quickly does your music go live?

Deliver at least four weeks, but ideally six weeks, before release day. That gives you time to pitch and to fix any mistakes.

5. Register your rights

There are two kinds of rights. In the Netherlands, the composition and lyrics are registered with Buma/Stemra. The recording itself falls under Sena. If you release your own music, you're both the performer and the producer, so you register with Sena twice: as a musician and as a producer.

Working with a publisher or with co-writers? Put in writing before release who registers what and how the split works.

6. Claim your artist profiles

Once your music has been delivered to the platforms, claim your profiles: Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists, an official YouTube artist channel and so on. Add a current photo, a short bio and links to your socials. This is your shop window. An empty profile on release day is a missed opportunity.

7. Pitch your track

Through Spotify for Artists you can pitch an unreleased track to the playlist editors. Pitch at least seven days before release and the track also lands in your followers' Release Radar. Earlier is better: editors need time to listen.

Keep your pitch specific: genre, mood, what the song is about and what you're doing around it. Also send your track to independent curators, blogs and regional radio. Local is often the best place to start.

8. Prepare your visuals and content

Your artwork needs to be square and sharp on any screen; most distributors ask for 3000 by 3000 pixels. Also prepare a few press photos, a short bio and a batch of short videos: teasers, a studio clip, the story of how the song came together. Make all of it before release, so release week is just posting.

This is also an opportunity. Look around: how do artists in your niche approach their content? Do they keep it mysterious, or make it personal? Is their content professionally shot, or nicely DIY? Socials matter, but don't forget that a real connection with your future fans is the core. So think about that connection beyond social media too.

9. Build up to release day

Announce your release two to three weeks ahead with a pre-save link so fans can save it in advance. Then share teasers regularly. Tell the story behind the song: people connect with a story more than with 'new single out now'. And don't forget your inner circle. A personal message to fans and friends often does more than a paid ad.

10. Keep going after release

Release day isn't the finish line, it's the start. If you're planning to run ads, switch them on now: the first few days after release are very important for the Spotify algorithm.

After a week, check your stats to see where your listeners come from, and act on it. Play the song live, make an acoustic version or ask someone for a remix. You can of course plan that in advance too.

Plan your next release right away as well. Putting out music regularly almost always works better than waiting for one big hit. In the end, it's the long run that makes the difference, so keep building your momentum.

Finally

A release feels like a lot of work, and it is. But with good planning it becomes much more manageable, and you give your music the chance it deserves.

Finished a track and want to talk through the next step? Or is your master not quite there yet? Drop by Foltaazje in Leeuwarden or email info@foltaazje.com. We're happy to think along with you.