Pre-Release Checklist: Everything Before You Hit Publish

Last updated: March 2026 · Digitalent Music

The period between finishing a recording and releasing it to the world is filled with critical details that can make or break your release. Missing a single step, whether it is incorrect metadata, substandard audio quality, or non-compliant artwork, can result in delays, rejected submissions, or a release that fails to reach its full potential. This comprehensive checklist covers every element you need to have in order before submitting your music for distribution.

1. Audio Quality Check

The technical quality of your audio files is the foundation of everything. Streaming platforms have specific requirements for audio file formats and quality, and submitting files that do not meet these standards can result in your release being rejected or, worse, sounding poor when streamed.

File Format Requirements

The industry standard for distribution is WAV format (Waveform Audio File Format). WAV files are uncompressed, lossless audio files that preserve the full quality of your recording. While some distributors accept other lossless formats like FLAC or AIFF, WAV is universally accepted and should be your default choice. Never submit compressed formats like MP3 or AAC for distribution. These formats permanently discard audio data to reduce file size, and streaming platforms will apply their own compression when encoding for delivery. Starting with an already-compressed source results in double compression, which degrades audio quality noticeably.

Bit Depth and Sample Rate

The minimum accepted standard is 16-bit / 44.1 kHz, which is CD quality. This sample rate and bit depth capture the full range of human hearing and provide professional-quality audio for streaming. Many producers work at higher resolutions, such as 24-bit / 48 kHz or even 24-bit / 96 kHz, during the recording and mixing process. If your mastered files are at a higher resolution, most distributors will accept them and downsample as needed. However, if you need to convert, it is better to have your mastering engineer provide a dedicated 16-bit / 44.1 kHz master rather than performing the conversion yourself, as proper dithering is required when reducing bit depth.

Loudness Standards

Streaming platforms normalize loudness, meaning they adjust the playback volume of all tracks to a consistent level. Spotify normalizes to approximately -14 LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale), Apple Music to around -16 LUFS, and YouTube to approximately -14 LUFS. If your master is significantly louder than the platform's target, it will be turned down during playback. If it is significantly quieter, it will be turned up.

This normalization has important implications for mastering. In the era of CDs and downloads, the "loudness war" pushed masters to extreme loudness levels, often sacrificing dynamic range for perceived volume. With streaming normalization, a hyper-compressed, extremely loud master gains no advantage because it will be turned down anyway. In fact, it sounds worse after normalization because the dynamic range has been sacrificed for loudness that the platform will remove. A well-mastered track at -14 LUFS with healthy dynamics will sound fuller, more natural, and more impactful than a brick-walled master at -7 LUFS that gets turned down by 7 dB.

2. Professional Mastering

Mastering is the final step in the audio production process and one of the most important. While it is possible to release music without professional mastering, doing so puts you at a competitive disadvantage. Mastered tracks sound polished, cohesive, and professional when played alongside other commercially released music.

What Mastering Engineers Do

A mastering engineer performs several critical functions:

• Tonal balance: They use equalization to ensure the frequency spectrum is balanced, correcting any muddiness, harshness, or thinness in the mix. This ensures the track translates well across all playback systems, from high-end studio monitors to earbuds to car speakers.
• Dynamic control: Through compression and limiting, they optimize the dynamic range of the track, ensuring it has the right balance of punch, energy, and loudness without sacrificing musical dynamics.
• Stereo imaging: They refine the stereo width and spatial characteristics of the mix, ensuring that it sounds dimensional and engaging without phase issues that could cause problems on mono playback systems.
• Quality control: An experienced mastering engineer listens with fresh ears and can catch issues in the mix that the mixing engineer or producer may have become blind to after hours of working on the same track. They check for clicks, pops, distortion, phase problems, and other technical issues.
• Format preparation: They prepare the final files in the correct format and specifications for distribution, ensuring compliance with platform requirements.
• Album cohesion: When mastering an EP or album, the engineer ensures that all tracks feel like they belong together sonically, with consistent tonal character and appropriate level matching between tracks.

Professional mastering typically costs between $50 and $200 per track from reputable engineers, though top-tier mastering studios can charge significantly more. Online mastering services powered by AI, such as LANDR, eMastered, and CloudBounce, offer automated mastering at lower price points, though they lack the critical listening and decision-making of a human engineer. For important releases, investing in professional human mastering is strongly recommended.

3. Metadata Preparation

Metadata is the information attached to your release that tells platforms, listeners, and databases what the music is and who made it. Accurate metadata is essential for discoverability, royalty tracking, and professional presentation. Mistakes in metadata can result in lost royalties, misattribution, and a release that is difficult for fans to find.

Essential Metadata Fields

• Track title: Use proper capitalization consistent with your branding. Avoid including extraneous information in the title, such as "Official Audio" or "NEW SONG." Most platforms will reject titles that include promotional language. If the track is a remix, live version, or alternate take, include that designation in parentheses, for example: "Song Title (Remix)" or "Song Title (Live)."
• Artist name: This must be consistent across all your releases. If your artist name is "DJ Example," every release should list the artist as "DJ Example," not "Dj Example" or "DJ EXAMPLE" or "D.J. Example." Inconsistent artist naming creates duplicate artist profiles on streaming platforms, splitting your streaming history and follower count.
• Featured artists: If your track features another artist, list them correctly using the platform's featuring convention, typically "feat." or "ft." followed by the artist's name. The featured artist should be listed in the track title, not in the artist name field, unless your distributor specifies otherwise.
• Genre and subgenre: Select the most accurate genre classification for your music. This directly affects how platforms categorize and recommend your music. Choosing an inaccurate genre to try to access larger audiences backfires because listeners who discover your track through genre-specific playlists or recommendations will skip it if it does not match their expectations.
• Language: Specify the primary language of the lyrics. This affects which regional playlists and recommendations your track appears in.
• Explicit content tag: If your track contains explicit language, violence, or sexual content, mark it as explicit. Failure to properly tag explicit content can result in the release being rejected or removed. Conversely, marking a clean track as explicit can limit its exposure, as some listeners and playlists filter out explicit content.
• Release date: The date when you want the music to become available on all platforms. Allow sufficient lead time for distributor processing and editorial playlist pitching.

4. ISRC and UPC Codes

ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) and UPC (Universal Product Code) are unique identifiers that the music industry uses to track and identify recordings and releases. These codes are essential for royalty tracking, sales reporting, and chart eligibility.

An ISRC code is a 12-character alphanumeric code assigned to each individual recording. It is the unique fingerprint of a specific recording and follows it throughout its lifetime, regardless of which format it is released on or which distributor handles it. Each track on an album needs its own unique ISRC code. If you release a remix of a track, the remix gets its own separate ISRC code because it is a different recording.

A UPC code (also known as an EAN in Europe) is assigned to the entire release, whether it is a single, EP, or album. It functions similarly to a barcode on a physical product. The UPC identifies the release as a whole, while the ISRCs within it identify each individual track.

Most music distributors will generate ISRC and UPC codes for you as part of the distribution process. If you are assigned codes by your distributor, keep a record of them in a spreadsheet or database. If you ever switch distributors, you should use the same ISRC codes to ensure continuity of your streaming history and royalty tracking. Never allow a new distributor to assign new ISRC codes to previously released recordings, as this will create duplicate entries in the global database and split your streaming data.

5. Album Artwork

Your album artwork is the visual identity of your release. In a streaming environment where listeners scroll through hundreds of thumbnails, compelling artwork can be the difference between someone clicking on your track and scrolling past it. Beyond aesthetics, there are strict technical requirements that must be met.

Technical Requirements

• Dimensions: 3000 x 3000 pixels minimum. Some distributors accept 1600 x 1600, but 3000 x 3000 is the recommended standard to ensure sharp display on high-resolution devices. The artwork must be perfectly square.
• Color mode: RGB (not CMYK). CMYK is used for print production and can result in dull, desaturated colors on screens. Always design in RGB.
• File format: JPEG or PNG. JPEG is preferred for photographs and complex artwork; PNG is preferred for graphics with text, sharp edges, or transparency (though transparency should not be used in the final file).
• File size: Most distributors accept files up to 10 MB. Keep the file as high-quality as possible within this limit.
• Resolution: 72 DPI is standard for digital images, but the pixel dimensions are what matter most. A 3000 x 3000 pixel image at 72 DPI is perfectly fine.

Content Restrictions

Streaming platforms enforce strict rules about what can and cannot appear on album artwork. Violating these rules will result in your release being rejected:

• No platform logos: You cannot include the Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or any other platform's logo on your artwork. This is a common reason for rejection.
• No phone numbers, email addresses, or URLs: Contact information is not permitted on artwork.
• No pricing or promotional language: Text like "Available Now," "Download Free," or "Only $0.99" will result in rejection.
• No social media handles: Including your Instagram or Twitter handle on the artwork is not permitted by most platforms.
• No misleading information: The artwork should not include text that could be confused with a different artist or a different release.
• No explicit imagery without appropriate content tagging: If artwork contains mature content, it must be accompanied by the appropriate explicit content flag.
• No low-quality or blurry images: Artwork that appears pixelated, stretched, or generally unprofessional may be rejected.

6. Lyrics

Adding lyrics to your release has become increasingly important as more platforms integrate lyric display features. Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and others now display lyrics in real-time as songs play. Providing lyrics enhances the listener experience and can increase engagement, as listeners who follow along with lyrics tend to spend more time actively engaged with your track.

There are two types of lyrics you can provide:

• Static lyrics: The full text of the lyrics without time synchronization. These display as scrollable text that listeners can read along with the music.
• Time-synced lyrics: Lyrics that are synchronized to the audio so that each line or word highlights at the exact moment it is sung. This creates the karaoke-like experience that is becoming standard on major platforms. Time-synced lyrics are typically provided in LRC (Lyric) format, which includes timestamps for each line of text.

If your distributor supports lyric submission, always provide them. If time-synced lyrics are supported, invest the time to synchronize them accurately. Poorly synced lyrics that are off by even half a second are more distracting than no lyrics at all. Platforms like Musixmatch also allow artists to submit and correct lyrics directly, which can fill in gaps if your distributor does not support lyric submission.

7. Credits: Producers, Songwriters, and Engineers

Properly crediting every contributor to a recording is not just a matter of professional courtesy; it is essential for ensuring that everyone involved receives their fair share of royalties. In the music industry, there are two main categories of royalties: recording royalties (also known as master royalties) and publishing royalties (also known as songwriting royalties). Different contributors earn different types of royalties, and proper crediting is the mechanism that ensures the money flows to the right people.

• Songwriters: Anyone who contributed to the melody, lyrics, or musical composition of the track. Songwriters earn publishing royalties, which are collected by performing rights organizations (PROs) like ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, PRS, and GEMA, and by music publishers. If you co-wrote a song with another person, they need to be credited as a songwriter and their publishing share needs to be registered.
• Producers: The individual(s) who produced the track. Producers may earn a combination of recording royalties (from master points) and publishing royalties (if they contributed to the songwriting). Production credits should specify the producer's full legal name or registered production alias.
• Mixing engineers: The person who mixed the track. While mixing engineers typically do not receive royalties unless they have negotiated a royalty share, crediting them is professional practice and benefits the entire industry's ecosystem of attribution.
• Mastering engineers: The person who mastered the final audio. Like mixing engineers, mastering engineers are typically paid a flat fee, but crediting them is important for professional recognition.
• Featured artists: Any artist who appears on the track in a featured capacity. Featured artists may have their own royalty arrangements that should be agreed upon in writing before release.
• Session musicians: Any musicians who performed on the recording, including vocalists, instrumentalists, and programmers. Session musicians may or may not have negotiated royalties depending on their agreements.

Spotify and Apple Music now display full credits on their platforms, allowing listeners to see who wrote, produced, and performed on a track. This feature has increased the visibility of behind-the-scenes contributors and makes accurate crediting more important than ever.

8. Release Date Selection and Scheduling

Choosing the right release date requires balancing several factors. As discussed in our release strategy guide, Friday is the global standard release day. Beyond that, consider the following when selecting your specific date:

• Major release conflicts: Check whether any major artists in your genre are releasing on the same date. While you cannot always avoid conflicts, releasing on the same day as a blockbuster album from a superstar will make it harder to compete for playlist spots and listener attention.
• Seasonal considerations: Certain times of year are better or worse for releases. The last two weeks of December are generally considered poor for new releases because attention shifts to holiday music and year-end lists. Summer months can be strong for upbeat, feel-good music. Consider whether your track's mood and theme align with the seasonal listening patterns.
• Cultural moments: Aligning your release with relevant cultural events, holidays, or awareness months can provide a promotional hook. A love song near Valentine's Day, a motivational anthem near New Year's, or a track addressing relevant social themes during an awareness month can amplify your promotional narrative.
• Promotional readiness: Only set a release date when you are confident that all elements of your promotional plan will be ready. It is better to delay a release by a few weeks than to rush out unprepared.

9. Pre-Save Link Creation

Once your release is scheduled with your distributor and you have your store links or pre-release URLs, create a unified pre-save landing page. Tools like Linkfire, Feature.fm, ToneDen, and similar services allow you to create a single link that directs listeners to pre-save on their preferred platform. This eliminates the need to share separate links for Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms, reducing friction and increasing conversion rates.

Your pre-save link should be short, memorable, and included in every piece of promotional content from the moment you announce the release until the day it goes live. After release, convert the pre-save page to a streaming link page that directs fans to listen on their preferred platform.

10. Social Media Assets Preparation

Prepare all your visual and video assets before you start promoting. Creating content under deadline pressure results in lower-quality output and inconsistent branding. At minimum, prepare the following:

• Announcement graphic (square format for Instagram feed, 9:16 for Stories and Reels)
• Countdown graphics for the final week before release
• Audio snippet videos (15 seconds and 30 seconds) for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts
• Behind-the-scenes video clips from the recording or creation process
• Lyric cards or quote graphics featuring key lyrics from the track
• Release day celebration graphic with streaming links
• Banner images for Spotify for Artists, YouTube channel art, and social media headers

11. Press Kit and EPK (Electronic Press Kit)

An Electronic Press Kit is a professional package of materials that provides everything a journalist, blogger, playlist curator, or promoter needs to cover your music. A well-prepared EPK demonstrates professionalism and makes it easy for media contacts to write about you without needing to track down basic information.

A comprehensive EPK should include:

• Artist biography: A concise, third-person biography written for media use. Include a short version (one paragraph) and a longer version (three to four paragraphs). Mention notable achievements, influences, and the narrative arc of your career.
• High-resolution press photos: Professional, high-quality images in both landscape and portrait orientations. These should be at least 2000 pixels on the longest edge and available for download without watermarks.
• Music: Streaming links and, ideally, private download links for the specific release you are promoting.
• Release information: Track title, release date, genre, a description of the music, the story behind the track, and any notable credits or collaborators.
• Social media and streaming links: Links to all your active profiles and platforms.
• Contact information: A press contact email address where media inquiries should be directed.
• Previous press coverage: Links to any notable articles, reviews, interviews, or features about your music.

12. Distribution Submission Timeline

Different distributors have different processing times and lead time requirements. Understanding your distributor's specific timeline is critical to ensuring your release goes live on the date you planned. As a general guideline:

• Minimum lead time: Most distributors require at least 5-7 business days to process and deliver a release to all platforms. Some require more.
• Recommended lead time: 3-4 weeks is ideal. This gives you enough time for the distributor to process the release, for the release to appear on platforms for pre-save/pre-add, and for you to pitch to Spotify's editorial team through Spotify for Artists.
• Rejection buffer: If your release is rejected for any reason (metadata issues, artwork problems, audio quality concerns), you need time to fix the issue and resubmit. Building in a buffer of at least one extra week prevents a rejection from derailing your release date.

13. Final Listening Check on Multiple Devices

Before submitting your final master, listen to it on as many different playback systems as possible. What sounds perfect on studio monitors may reveal problems when played through earbuds, a Bluetooth speaker, a car stereo, or a phone speaker. Each playback environment exposes different aspects of the mix and master.

• Studio monitors or reference headphones: Your primary reference for overall quality and balance.
• Consumer earbuds or headphones: Test how the track sounds on the listening devices most of your audience uses daily. AirPods, standard earbuds, and mid-range headphones are the most common playback devices for streaming.
• Phone speaker: Mono, small, and bass-deficient. If your track still sounds clear, engaging, and balanced on a phone speaker, it will translate well everywhere. This test is particularly important for checking vocal clarity and overall tonal balance.
• Car stereo: The car is one of the most common music listening environments. The enclosed space, road noise, and typically bass-heavy response of car speakers provide a unique listening perspective.
• Bluetooth speaker: Portable Bluetooth speakers are ubiquitous. They typically have limited bass response and can sound harsh in the upper midrange. Checking your track on a popular Bluetooth speaker reveals potential issues with brightness and bass translation.

14. Spotify for Artists Profile Verification and Setup

If you have not already claimed and verified your Spotify for Artists profile, do so before your release. Spotify for Artists provides essential tools that directly impact your release's performance:

• Editorial playlist pitching: The ability to pitch unreleased tracks to Spotify's editorial team is only available through Spotify for Artists. Without a verified profile, you cannot access this tool.
• Artist Pick: Pin a specific release, playlist, or event to the top of your artist profile to direct listener attention.
• Canvas: Upload short looping videos that play on the Now Playing screen when listeners stream your tracks. Canvases have been shown to increase engagement and sharing.
• Profile customization: Upload a header image, artist bio, and profile photo that represent your brand.
• Analytics: Access detailed streaming data, listener demographics, playlist placements, and engagement metrics that inform your promotional strategy.
• Marquee and Showcase: Paid promotional tools that allow you to promote new releases to targeted audiences within the Spotify app.

Also verify your profiles on Apple Music for Artists, Amazon Music for Artists, YouTube for Artists, and any other platforms where your music will be available. Each platform provides its own set of tools and analytics that are valuable for understanding and growing your audience.

Final Summary

Preparing a release for distribution involves far more than simply uploading audio files. Every element, from the technical specifications of your audio to the accuracy of your metadata, from the design of your artwork to the completeness of your credits, contributes to the professional presentation and commercial viability of your music. Rushing through these steps or treating them as afterthoughts is a disservice to the creative work you have invested in your recordings.

Take the time to get every detail right. Your future self, your collaborators, and your listeners will all benefit from the professionalism and care you put into the pre-release process. A well-prepared release sets the stage for everything that follows: promotional campaigns, playlist pitching, press coverage, and ultimately, a track that reaches the audience it deserves.