How to Get Your Music on Streaming Platforms

Before uploading anything, ensure your tracks are properly mastered for streaming. Files should be in WAV format at 16-bit/44.1kHz or higher. Loudness should target -14 LUFS integrated, which is the normalization standard used by most streaming platforms. If your masters are louder, platforms will turn them down automatically, potentially affecting dynamic range. Have a professional mastering engineer prepare streaming-optimized masters if your budget allows.

Research distributors based on your needs and budget. DistroKid charges an annual fee (around $22/year) and lets you upload unlimited music while keeping 100% of royalties. TuneCore charges per release but also passes through all royalties. CD Baby takes a one-time fee plus a small commission but handles more administrative tasks. Amuse offers a free tier with basic features. Consider factors like payment frequency, additional services (sync licensing, publishing administration), customer support quality, and whether you want to retain full ownership of your catalog.

Sign up with your chosen distributor and complete your artist profile thoroughly. Claim your artist profiles on each major streaming platform through the distributor or directly through services like Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists, and Amazon Music for Artists. These verified profiles give you access to analytics, editorial pitch tools, and the ability to customize your artist page with images, bios, and featured content.

Upload your mastered audio files following your distributor's specifications. Add cover artwork that meets platform requirements: minimum 3000x3000 pixels, RGB color mode, JPG or PNG format. Your artwork must not contain website URLs, social media handles, pricing information, or explicit references to streaming platforms. Ensure the artwork is original or properly licensed to avoid takedown notices that can derail your release.

Metadata is the information attached to your tracks that helps platforms categorize, search, and recommend your music. Enter your artist name exactly as you want it displayed (consistent across all releases), track titles, featured artists, genre tags, release date, and songwriter/producer credits. Assign ISRC codes to each track (your distributor can generate these). Add your label name or use your own imprint. Complete metadata dramatically improves your discoverability in search results and algorithmic recommendations.

Schedule your release at least 3-4 weeks in the future to allow time for platform processing and editorial playlist consideration. Most distributors recommend Tuesday or Friday releases, as Friday is the global new music release day. Set up pre-save links through your distributor or services like Feature.fm, which allow fans to save your release to their library before it drops. Pre-saves signal demand to platform algorithms and can boost your initial streaming numbers.

Through Spotify for Artists, you can pitch unreleased music to Spotify's editorial playlist team up to 7 days before release. Write a compelling pitch that describes your song, its story, the mood, and why it fits specific playlists. Include genre, mood descriptors, and any notable context like upcoming tours or press coverage. While acceptance is not guaranteed, this is the most direct path to editorial playlist placement. Apple Music and other platforms rely more on distributor relationships and algorithmic signals for playlist placement.

Once your music is live, drive traffic from your existing audience. Share across all social channels with direct links. Encourage fans to save the song to their library, as saves weight heavily in streaming algorithms. Submit to independent playlist curators through platforms like SubmitHub or Playlist Push. Monitor your analytics through both your distributor dashboard and platform-specific tools to understand where listeners are coming from, which playlists are driving streams, and how your audience is growing.