The Independent Artist Guide
Your comprehensive playbook for building a sustainable career in music.
Mastering the Release Cycle
Releasing music is more than just uploading an audio file. It takes planning, the right metadata, and follow-through long after release day. This guide covers the whole cycle in eleven parts — from the two copyrights in every song to the checklists you can print and tick for every release you put out.
Own What You Make
Masters, publishing, and the two royalty streams every song generates.
Getting Release-Ready
Audio specs, artwork rules, and the metadata stores actually read.
Identifiers and Store Profiles
ISRC, UPC, and why linking Spotify and Apple profiles matters most.
The Release Timeline
An eight-week plan, from locked masters to the week after release.
How Distribution Works
Delivery, ingestion, territories and the optional services worth electing.
Pitching and Playlists
Editorial submission, algorithmic surfaces, and what moves each one.
Getting Paid
Where the money comes from, splits, and collecting what you are owed.
Protecting Your Work
Content ID, takedowns, impersonation and streaming fraud.
Building an Audience
Turning individual releases into a catalogue people follow.
Checklists
Print-and-tick lists for pre-release, release day and the weeks after.
Glossary
Every term in the guide, defined plainly.
PDF · 20 pages · free, no sign-up required