Here are 10 things that you can do pre-release of your music to help gain traction for your music artistry:

1. Get a Music Distributor
   Spotify recommends several distributors here. Their preferred distributors for individuals are DistroKid, CD Baby, EmuBands, and Record Union.

2. Get a Pre-Save Link through Your Distributor
   Getting a pre-save link allows for listeners to hear your music IMMEDIATELY which allows Spotify’s algorithm to see that your song is gaining traction from the start, thus more likely to push it out automatically

3. Submit to Spotify Playlists
   Get your music in front of Spotify’s playlist editors and have your music added to your followers’ Release Radar playlists by pitching your unreleased song AT LEAST one week in advance, but earlier if possible! Two to four weeks in advance is recommended as it provides Spotify’s editors with enough time to listen to the track. Spotify provides some tips on pitching here.

4. Update Social Media Pages with the Pre-Save Link or Release Date

   Make sure that your pages are linked to the pre-save button for your release or that your pages have banners or photos with your release date.

5. Announce Your Release on Social Media

   Create an exciting and engaging image or video that lets your followers know about your release.

6. Set a Goal

   Decide on a measurable goal to determine how well your song is doing. This could be a number of streams that you’d like to hit per week or the number of followers you’d like to obtain after 4 weeks. Whatever it is, be specific.

7. Set a Timeline
   Outline when you want to achieve your goal. Typically, you want to have at least a 2 month timeline when planning to send out press releases
   Tentative Timeline

   - 4 weeks prior to release: pre-saves, blog features, build awareness
   - Release Track
   - 4 weeks post-release: build streams, engage fans, achieve end goal

8. Have Updated Artist & Cover Art Images
   Prepare high resolution photos of both your cover art and yourself that represent you and your music as a whole. Media reporters are much more likely to feature you in an article if they feel like you fit in with their brand.

9. Blog Features
   Pitch your music to multiple blogs weeks in advance of your release. If you don’t have the contacts or the time, you can pay to submit your music to bloggers on SubmitHub.

10. Get Radio Play
    Reach a large audience and build the buzz before release day by writing a press release with a downloadable music link and pitching to radio stations that play music from your genre.

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Have questions? Comment below or email us at arabadam@finessed.media

Finessed Media, Inc. is a startup based out of NYC that provides educational material to aspiring artists in the music industry.