Total Guide for Spotify Music Artists on Uploading Music And Creating a Release Plan

The constant evolution in the music industry and the growing number of music artists are making it very competitive for the merging musicians to stand out. Spotify is considered to be one of the most influential music platforms in the world. Get to know how you can upload a track here and what comes after uploading.

Spotify is surely making a lot of impact in the music industry by introducing some of the best music artists through the platform. With over 182 million premium subscribers over the platform, every other music artist is gathering over the platform to try their luck and talent. However, there are many emerging indie music artists who are still unaware of the process of uploading music.

If you are a music artist yourself and looking forward to some guidance to upload your music on Spotify, here is a step-by-step guide to help you out. Following these easy steps will help you initiate your journey on Spotify as a certified music artist.

  1. Get started

It starts with opening an account on Spotify for Artists where you are able to see the audience statistics, manages your artist profile, and make promotions. The account is handled by several people so either you can create one or ask your team to create one for you and share the admin access. Similarly, you can send them invites as well while you are the admin.

Create a label team and ask them to join too. Production and record labels offer authenticity to your musical project.

  2. Look for a suitable DSP

Digital Service Provider helps with music licensing, distribution and streams and so you would require one to get your music on Spotify. There are many DSPs available like RouteNote, AWAL, TurnKey, and many others who help to get your music on Spotify but some of them can charge a fee. The DSPs that do not charge any fee cut 15% from the Royalties from streaming. So you need to look for a suitable one.

  3. Team Management

In order to keep good communication between the teams, you need to provide access and engage them for different works related to the profile. It could be keeping track of the audience status or making promotions, each designated team will help your Spotify profile gain more exposure.

You can invite multiple team members and also can remove them. In case you have removed yourself. You can always ask your team to provide access. Remember when you are establishing a brand, team management is crucial.

  4. Manage your artist profile

Your artist profile is where your fans get to explore you more. It consists of various elements such as artist images, bio, featured playlists, fund-raising options, and many others. Each of these elements is capable of churning out more legitimacy. So, make sure to provide all the necessary information for the listeners. The monetizing options are,

• Fundraising link – A perfect option for the rising independent music artists or artists in crisis to generate donations.

• Shows and concerts – In case the artist has an upcoming gig or music festival, the tickets of the show can be shown on the profile via any ticketing partner site such as Songkick, Ticketmaster, DICE, AXS, Resident Advisor, and many others.

• Merch – this option allows merchandise through Spotify. The artists can add their products and musical collectibles by adding a Shopify link to it.

The artist profile should be checked and maintained at regular intervals for more engagement.

  5. Playlist and Promotion

You might have already known that Spotify playlists are important for promotion and getting featured in the top playlists is crucial. Your music needs at least 2 listeners for web users and 25 listeners for application users, in order to show in playlists.

The ‘New Music Friday’ is celebrated across the platform and new music artists and their music gets introduced. Wait for the perfecting time, and get your music featured on Friday to gain more exposure.

  6. Audience Stats

Spotify for Artists updates all the stats once a day, around 3 PM EST or 8 PM UTC. Since it follows the UTC time zone, it is better if you follow the same when you are uploading. The artists are able to get the live stream count for the first seven days after the release and the live stream count is updated every two seconds after that. Make sure to keep a good eye on the stats to witness the change through your music.

Now that you are aware of how to upload your music, it is time to proceed with a fruitful and effective release plan that can help you gain more attention from the potential listeners as well as music personas from the music industry.

However, proceeding with a release plan is not as easy as it sounds. You have planned till your upload and now let’s plan for further promotion.

   i) Pitch for the curated playlists on Spotify

Many music artists over Spotify share their success stories of how got featured in the editor’s playlists and how it skyrocketed their popularity over the platform. Perhaps, you should follow the same route and pitch your track to the editorially created playlists. Pitching a song for playlist consideration should be done at least seven days before the release date. Make sure to add the key details, genre, and mood of the track to find a suitable playlist for it.

   ii) Refresh your profile

No matter how much people say, “don’t judge a book by its cover”; in reality, only the first impression can attract a person to proceed. That is why crafting an attractive Spotify profile is as important as creating a piece of good quality music. Utilize captivating profile images of album covers to put a deeper impact and get more recognizable. Make your bio fresh and updated to offer the latest news along with your social media handles.

   iii) Add a Canvas

Spotify now allows adding three to eight seconds of looping visuals which are known as the canvas. You can utilize these before your release date to make a grand opening. Simply head to the music tab on Spotify for artists and click on the option called ‘Upcoming’. Then click on the ‘+’ button next to the track to which you want to add a canvas too. These loops will be shown when a listener streams your track. According to a recent report, quality canvases can enhance your listener base and stream count.

   iv) Keep building your followers

Connectivity and interactions are the key features that help to expand the fan base. Since your fans are eager to know about the first track or upcoming music, it is your responsibility to offer them what they are looking for. Guide them to your official website, Spotify account, and other media profiles to generate a huge buzz. Spotify algorithms work in a way, the more followers you have, the more number of playlists you will be featured in on this platform.

   v) Don’t just create tracks, create playlists

Listeners and fans of yours are not just interested in what you create but also what you listen to. Create Spotify playlists based on your taste and obsession that can make an audience connect on a deeper level. When a fan finds out that the idol also shares the same taste, it instantly motivates every fanatic. It is also a great way to connect with the audience amidst the busy schedule.

   vi) Marquee and Ad Studio

Marquee is a commercial tool that can effectively reach potential listeners based on ad campaigns and their musical tastes. After each campaign, a detailed analytical report is sent to the artists to show how the listeners have engaged with the new campaign. You are also able to create audio ads through an ad studio to generate ample buzz before the release of the track.

   vii) The importance of Artist Pick

One of the first elements that a listener notices on your profile are the Artist Pick. Here you can draw the attention of the listeners to the latest album or single. It makes your profile look fresher and updated with a sense of regular activity on the platform. You can add a bit of text to make the profile look more personalized, reflecting your individual essence.

   viii) Utilize Social media

Social media networks such as Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Snapchat, Twitter, etc are some of the best platforms to share your music outside Spotify. As most of the listeners these days are active on these websites, it gets pretty easy to reach them via posts, stories, videos, and images. Generating social media buzz does not only churn out more exposure and potential listeners but a huge number of loyal fanatics who turn into followers as well.

   ix) Concentrate on the mobile app

Most listeners or users these days are active through their smartphones. Download the Spotify for Artists mobile application to keep an eye on the real-time data after your music is being uploaded. The stats tab cab offers you ample opportunities to track your exposure and the effectiveness of the campaign. Thus, you are able to calculate the impact and evaluate the success of the promotional campaign.

   x) Stay motivated and confident

The struggle of an independent or an emerging artist diminishes their confidence in them. However, always remember that this is not a sprint but a marathon and to happen anything with greater results. It requires an ample amount of time. Haste only makes waste and it is true in the case of the promotion. Follow the aforementioned steps and stay confident with your craft in order to keep up with your consistency.

Final Take

Whether you are looking forward to uploading your first track or the fifth one, the steps will same in every case and it is applicable to every music artist on the platform. Stay confident and consistent with your craft and embark on a renewed musical journey by following the aforementioned steps. Make good music and Spotify will help you reach your goals.