11 Must Dos For a Successful New Music Release
- Feb 10, 2024
- 10 min read
Updated: May 1, 2024
Are you gearing up for an exciting new music release? Preparing for a successful launch requires careful planning and strategic execution. Before you publish your song or album, make sure you read on to learn how to master your next release.
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When is the Best Time to Release New Music?
TThere are several things to consider when releasing new music. Although there is technically noactual best time, it is very common these days to see new albums and new tracks hit the masses on a Friday.
Other things to take into consideration is the time of year, such as the best months for a new music release. Try to avoid planning your release around popular music events like SXSW and other large event that can take the focus away from your big day.
Consider summer months from May to August for optional time to maximize exposure and get your music in front of new listeners and fans.
And try to avoid releasing new music around the holidys when people are focused on more than new music. Unless you plan on releasing the next big holiday jingle.
What are the Stages of a Music Release?
When it comes to a new music release, it's crucial you have a thought out plan that is done well in advance of your release date. Having a solid music marketing strategy can ensure you have a step-by-step roadmap that can guide you over the finish line and well beyond release date.
There are typically three stages for releasing music that label, music management, and PR firms will follow to maximize the reach and exposureof your new music release. Here are the three stages:
Pre-release stage - this can be as far as 6 months before the release day.
Release day stage - this is all the events and promotions done the day of the release.
Post-release stage - this stage is all the efforts the day after your release and can last from a few weeks up to several weeks or months.
So now that you've learned a bit about the best times to launch your new music release and the different stages involved, let's dive in andtalk about the must do for a successful new music release.
What Do You Do for a Successful New Music Release?
1. Plan a Music Marketing Strategy
Develop a music marketing strategy outlining how you'll promote your new music release. Include details about the release date, how you plan to promote on various channels, and budgets needed to promote. Consider various goals you plan to achieve and how you will achieve them. Lay out your strategy in tune with your timeline. Also include details about what you will provide for promotional materials.. And how often you will post, and who wil.
Here are a few tips to get started:
Define your fans- Not everyone will enjoy your genre so consider this carefully. You can look at other artists who share the same genre. Research their fans to reveal the type of people most likely to enjoy your music.
Create a social media strategy - Most social media platforms have a planner toschedule posts ahead of time. Create a list of hashtags to include in your posts as well. ost teaser videos, and do anything else you can think of to generate interest.
Submit your music - Consider submitting your music to streaming services and online radio stations. Make sure your profile and media press kit is up-to-date. Include all the relevant information about your new music release.
Reach out to bloggers and other music publications - See if they're interested in premiering your song or doing a review for your new music release. If accepted, this can multiply your audience reach tenfold.
Consider an email marketing strategy - Focus on gaining new subscribers. Also include in your strategy a sequence of emails that will keep subscribers in the know. Provide updates about your progress that follows with your timeline. Give sneak peaks, insider access and captivate your subscribers with exclusive content.
With a little effort, you can make sure your next release gets the attention it deserves!
2. Choose a Release Date
When you've finally completed your music and are ready to share it with the world, it's time to chose a release date. This can be a tricky task, as there are a lot of factors to consider.
But here are a few things to keep in mind when selecting a date for your new music release.
Timing is everything - If you want your music to have the biggest impact, you need to choose a date that's strategic. Consider the time of year, holidays, and any other events that could impact how well your music does.
Promotions and marketing - An important factor to consider is how much promotion you can do leading up to the release date. If you have a limited budget, you might want to select a date that's further out. That way you have more time to spread the word or build up your marketing budget.
Competition - It's also important to be aware of any major new music releases. If there's another big artist dropping an album on the same day as you, it could make it difficult for your music to get noticed.
3. Define Your Goals
Before diving into the new music release process, take some time to define your goals. You can brainstorm by asking the following questions:
Do you want to expand your fanbase?
Do you want to increase revenue with album sales?
Do you want to sell more merch?
Are you seeking to gain recognition within the industry?
These are some of the questions you can ask. Having clear goals will guide your strategy and keep you focused on the process. But goals must also be realistic and reachable. Try not to set the bar too high. Especially if you are new on the music scene.
One way to set good goals for your new music release is to use the SMART goal method.
SMART refers to the following:
Specific - be specific with the type of goal you are setting. Do you want more revenue sounds great. But wanting more revenue from t-shirt sales is much more specific.
Measureable - make sure goals are measureable. If you plan to create a goal to generate more revenue, define how much revenue.
Attainable - make your goals achievable and realistic. Setting the bar too high can lead to unattainable goals and disappointment. For example, increase revenue for album sales by 10% is more attainable than 80%.
Relevant - goals should be relevant to your music goals. Drop goals that do not serve a relevant purpose or benefit for your music.
Time-bound - set your goals on a time limit. For instance, to increase record sales by 10% in the next 30 days.
4. Create a Timeline for Your New Music Release
When releasing any music, create a realistic timeline that outlines specific tasks. This timeline can keep you focused on short-term goals that finally lead to the release of your music. Also, divide your release schedule into three stages: pre-release, release day, and post-release.
Each will have designated tasks that contribute to the success of your release. The pre-release is typically the stage of major preparations. Release day is everything you do the day the music goes live. And once you release your music, promotions shouldn't stop. Continue to promote your new music release in the post-release stages.
Although this list can very from artist to artist, here are a few ideas of tasks to include on your timeline:
Recording, mixing/mastering
Artwork creation
Hiring a photographer
Creating a press kit
Promo activities.
Take the time to plan out your tasks. Put thought into when you should begin planning or executing each task. Some tasks will fall on your timeline well in advance of your release. Some tasks will need to be completed before you can start other tasks. And some tasks will only be done the day of the release or after the release.
Here's a look at how your timeline could look like with a few tasks:
3 months from release:
Finalize the master and album art.
Create new music video and 1 minute promo video.
2 months before release:
Create or update your music press kit with new assets.
Create new graphics for website, merch site, and social media.
1 month before release:
Pitch to Spotify editorial playlists.
Develop a digital marketing release strategy.
1 week before release:
Send follow-up email to list of media outlets.
Release day:
Release new video on video platforms, website and social media.
Post release announcement on social media.
Post-release:
Post release announcement on social media.
There are a ton more tasks to include. But you get the idea. Plan your timeline well in advance of your new music release. Create tasks in increments that allow them to be checked off when completed. Begin your timeline months before your release and divide tasks as necessary. Setting deadlines for each task will help you stay on track and stay organized. And it will ensure everything is on time for the release.
5. Invest in Quality Productions
Quality is key when it comes to music production. Too often quality assets are under budgeted. This results in poor brand presentation and does more harm than good for your new music release. Allow a reasonable budget for:
Official videos and promotional videos
Website redesign and updates
Professional photography
Music press kit creation or updates
6. Build Anticipation
Start building anticipation for your new music release well in advance. This doesn't mean too far in advance though. Dropping hints and sending out emails to fans can be something you do around 3 months out. Provide teasers to build initial awareness. Send out an email every couple weeks to keep fans in the loop.
You can increase awareness over time. Your biggest push should be the one month before your new music release. Drop behnd-the-scene footage and start enaging your fans with quality content on socials.
Around the two week mark, double down on your promo efforts. Run awareness ads with video teasers to promote your new music release date. And start reaching out to media outlets and music influencers. Continue to send out emails and teaser videos. Remember, anything too far out and potential fans can lose interest or forget.
Try to keep your best promo material for the last week before the release. This will have the biggest impact on your audience and leave a more memorable impression. Engage with your fans on socials. Encourage them to sign up for special offers or exclusive content. Ask them to spread the word to create excitement leading up to the big release day.
7. Secure Press Coverage
Reach out to blogs, magazines, and podcasts to secure press coverage for your release. Make a list of potential industry tastemakers relevant to your genre. Craft compelling press releases, a music press kit, and personalize your pitches. Grab the attention of tastemakers in your genre by being professional yet creative. Send emails that have compelling headlines. Write a message that is to the point, respectful, and has info and links relevant to your new music release.
View examples of an epk to send to press and media professionals.
If this task seems a bit overwhelming, consider hiring a PR service to handle this for you. PR professionals can quickly introduce your music to their connections in the music industry. In turn, you get more exposure and more time to work on other parts of your release strategy.
8. Create Compelling Visuals
Invest in visually appealing assets for your new music release. This includes album artwork, promotional photos, social media graphics, and music videos. Strong visuals can help capture attention and convey the mood and vibe of your music. In turn, making your release more memorable to listeners.
Use a service like Canva or similar content creation service to create original graphics or use templates to inspire your creativeside. You can make visually stunning show flyers, merchandise combo packages and sales copy imagery to draw your fans in.
9. Engage Your Fans
Interact with your fans regularly. Respond to comments on social media. Hosting Q&A sessions using Live can be a great way to interact with fans. And make sure you are sharing personal updates on a regular basis. Building a strong connection with your audience increases their excitement for your new music release. So when the day finally arrives, they will be excited and ready to listen. Plus, it fosters long-term loyalty and support.
Another great way to engage fans is through email campaigns. Email marketing has one of the best returns on investments and can yield up to $38.00 for every $1 spent. We recommend ConvertKit email system to set up your email campaign and funnels to maximize your engagements and generate sales.
Also, make sure to engage your fans at each of the three stages of your release strategy. Don't wait until release day to start showing your interest in your fans. Start engaging them weeks in advance and build the momentum up to your release day.
Finally, keep the momentum going and engage your fans long after release day. Create a schedule and decide which days you'll make posts on social media or send emails out to fans to keep your music top of mind.
10. Collaborate
Collaboration can be a powerful tool for promoting your music release. It can provide an opportunity to connect with other musician's fans. This could bring awareness to your new release and increase your fanbase.
Consider teaming up with other musicians, influencers, or brands to create joint campaigns. Look for cross-promotional opportunities, or even collaborative tracks. Pool your resources and networks in your genre. This can amplify your reach to generate more buzz around your release.
11. Measure Your Success
Once your release is out in the world, don't forget to track its performance and measure your success. Remember, set some goals that are measureable. You can define key performance indicators (KPIs) such as:
Streams/downloads
Social media engagement
Press mentions
Revenue generated
Website traffic
Email opens and click thru rates
Use analytics tools to track your progress. Social media platforms provide ways to analyze insights like engagements and reach. Ad insights can provide reach, click thru rates and cost per click/engagements. Website analytics can measure traffic, time spent on site, bounce rates, and bahaviors. Email analytics can measure open rates, bounce rates, unsubscribes, and click thru rates. All these metrics will help you test the effectiveness of your strategy. And metrics will help you identify areas for improvement for future releases.
Conclusion
Follow these eleven tips and you'll be set for a successful new music release. Define your goals using the SMART method. Create a timeline to stay on track. Invest a budget in quality productions like photography and videos. Build anticipation with teasers and by dropping hints about new releases. Secure press coverage and make compelling visual content to engage your fans. Plan a release strategy that effectively outlines your promotional goals. Collab with industry leaders in your genre to get more reach and expand your audience. And measure your progress to stay on track and make improvements.
Remember, stay organized, stay focused, and stay true to your artistic vision.
Article by Lance Ziegler, CDMP
Lance is a certified digital marketing pro with over 12 years in the music industry. He specializes in auditing, website design and development, press kit development and music marketing release strategies. Contact me today to help you plan your next release.
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