Music Promotion Checklist

A music promotion checklist ensures artists complete essential tasks during the promotional cycle. Systematic tracking of activities prevents missed opportunities and helps coordinate the many moving parts of a successful release campaign.

What Is a Music Promotion Checklist

A music promotion checklist is an organized list of tasks required for comprehensive music promotion. It typically covers three phases: pre-release preparation, release day activities, and post-release follow-up. Each phase contains specific action items that contribute to overall campaign success.

Using a checklist reduces the risk of forgetting important tasks amid the complexity of release promotion. It also provides a framework for planning timelines, delegating responsibilities, and tracking progress. Artists can adapt standard checklists to their specific situations, adding or removing items based on their goals and resources.

How to Use a Music Promotion Checklist

Pre-release tasks begin four to six weeks before the release date. Distribution setup ensures music reaches streaming platforms on time. Playlist pitching through distributor tools should happen at least two weeks before release to meet curator review windows. Press and blog outreach benefits from early contact, ideally three to four weeks out. Social media content planning creates a posting schedule that builds anticipation.

Creative asset preparation runs parallel to outreach efforts. This includes finalizing cover art, creating promotional images in various sizes for different platforms, producing video content like visualizers or behind-the-scenes clips, and writing ad copy for paid promotion. Having assets ready prevents last-minute scrambling.

Advertising setup should complete before release day. Creating advertising accounts, preparing campaign structures, uploading creative assets, and setting audience targeting in advance allows campaigns to launch immediately when the music goes live. Display advertising on music websites can be arranged ahead of time, with CPM rates typically around $2.50 making budget planning straightforward.

Release day tasks focus on coordinated execution. Social media posts announce the release across platforms. Email newsletters notify subscribers. Advertising campaigns go live. Pre-arranged content like interviews or features publish according to schedule. Engagement with early listeners through comments and messages builds momentum.

Post-release activities sustain attention beyond the initial spike. Continued advertising maintains visibility to new audiences. Fresh content creation provides reasons for ongoing engagement. Performance tracking identifies what worked for future reference. Playlist promotion continues as algorithmic and user-curated playlists pick up new music.

Key Considerations

• Timelines should account for platform processing times and curator review windows
• Tasks should be assigned specific deadlines rather than general timeframes
• Checklist items can be prioritized based on available resources and expected impact
• Regular review during the campaign catches items that need attention

Common Questions

How early should musicians start their promotion checklist?

Promotion planning should begin six to eight weeks before release for comprehensive campaigns. The checklist itself becomes active around four to six weeks out when tasks start requiring action. This timeline accommodates playlist submission deadlines (typically two to four weeks lead time), press outreach (three to four weeks for longer-lead publications), and advertising account setup (one to two weeks for verification). Rushed campaigns that start a week before release miss most opportunities requiring advance notice.

What items should never be skipped on a music promotion checklist?

Essential items include: distribution confirmation that music will be available on release day, at least basic social media announcement posts, updating artist profiles on streaming platforms, and some form of advertising or outreach beyond organic followers. Many other tasks enhance results but these core items ensure the release is visible and accessible. Even artists with minimal budgets or time constraints should complete these fundamentals.

Summary

A music promotion checklist organizes the numerous tasks required for effective release campaigns. Covering pre-release preparation, release day activities, and post-release follow-up, the checklist ensures nothing falls through the cracks. Starting early, assigning specific deadlines, and tracking completion helps artists execute comprehensive promotions regardless of budget size.