Releasing a new album or solo track can be fun, but it can also be anxiety-inducing. In fact, it’s a good idea to know what to expect when releasing your own music so you can have the best response and so you can use the experience to make future releases even more successful.
Read on to know what you should expect when the time comes to upload and release music on Spotify or any other popular distribution platform.
Excitement and Anxiety
For starters, you should expect a certain amount of excitement and anxiety when releasing your own music. This is natural; after all, you’ve worked very hard on the to-be-released music, and you want people to like it.
It’s normal to feel a little jittery up until release day. But that excitement and anxiety can’t stop you from doing what needs to be done, like staying calm, distributing your music properly, and looking at analytics (see more below).
Low Numbers at First
Furthermore, you should expect relatively low numbers when releasing music, especially at first or if you are releasing tunes for the first time. Low numbers are nothing to worry about, particularly if you are an unknown artist.
If thousands of people don’t listen to your music on the first day, don’t sweat it. You’ll gradually build up an audience and sooner or later, those first-day numbers will be much higher than you expect.
Distribution Platform Matters a Lot
You should also expect the distribution platform you choose to matter quite a lot in terms of first-day numbers and how many people get access to your new tunes. It’s a good idea to choose the right distributional platform prior to releasing your music so you can reach as many people as possible and so you know how the platform’s distribution process works, including how much money you’ll make, where your music will be posted, etc.
For example, if you need to know how to upload music to Spotify, be sure that you know how to do that by reading a tutorial prior to release day. Pick a platform and stick with it. Many platforms, just like Spotify, offer profile pages or other tools you can use to maximize your audience reach and make your new release as big of an event as possible.
Generally, you’ll want to go with a distribution platform that is free or very cheap and that allows you to release singles and albums as you build your career.
Comparisons to Other Artists/Bands
It’s not uncommon for new artists to be compared to other artists and bands in the same genre or who have similar sounds. If you look at reviews for your newly released music and see comparisons, don’t be insulted. In fact, consider it to be a compliment! If someone already likes a band and says your music reminds them of that music, it’s a good thing, especially since it means they may come back for more.
That said, pay attention to what those comparisons really say. If people say your music is too similar to another artist or band, it may be time to grow or shift your style to make something more unique.
Spend Time on Analytics
Many of the best distribution platforms offer music analytics tools, which tell you how many people listen to your music, when your music gets the most traffic, and so on. These analytics tools are invaluable when trying to grow your brand as an artist and when trying to release successful tracks in the future.
Be prepared to spend much more time than you think on these analytics data sets. In fact, you should try to spend at least a few hours on analytics when releasing your music every time. In this way, you’ll better understand what your audience wants and how to take advantage of your chosen distribution platform for better release day results.
Don’t Expect Instant Fame
Lastly, let’s discuss something you shouldn’t expect when releasing your own music: instantaneous fame and fortune. Even if you are the best musician in the world, people won’t know it until your music has a chance to permeate through your target audience and spread throughout the globe.
It’s okay to have dreams of making it big. But you’ll set yourself up for disappointment if you expect to make it big in the first week or month after releasing your songs. Be prepared to give your artistic journey some time.
In the end, releasing your own music will always be an exciting – and intense! – time. But if you keep the above things in mind, your next release will go much more smoothly and you’ll have no trouble at all retaining that information for future releases as you build your career. Good luck!