January 8, 2025

How to Upload Music to Spotify

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You have completed your track, finished the mixing and mastering process, and are now left with the question of how to release music on Spotify.

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You have completed your track, finished the mixing and mastering process, and are now left with the question of how to release music on Spotify. This blog article will assist you in navigating the streaming world and unveiling your music to the world. 

You can submit your music to Spotify and other music streaming services like Apple Music, Deezer,  Tidal, Amazon Music, and more with one service. However, it is worth mentioning that after you have uploaded your track to a digital distribution service, it may take several days for your track to go live.

Here’s a quick checklist to do before you upload your music to the music streaming services

Finalize your track.

First, check your new music and ensure you will not need any changes or adjustments. 

Updating your track after you upload your music to your music distributor is impossible. Yes, you can delete the track and then re-upload it again, but that will mean that you will lose the streams you have and that the track will also be removed from all the playlists you have on, so make sure that the single you are uploading is the final one. 

You require a WAV file mixed down to 16-bit/44-kHz to submit it to streaming services.

Your music artwork

Every single has its artwork; it is essential to give due regard to the artwork of your song, especially since it is the first thing the listeners will see before they even listen to your track. 

It should be interesting, beautiful, and different. Please ensure that the titles of your music and artists are not small since the listeners and curators will likely view the image as a low-resolution image and not as you were viewing it when creating it. 

You don’t need to hire a designer if you have some design skills. You can find all that you need on the Internet. 

You can use photos from websites like unsplash.com or pixabay.com; these are free, and you can use them without a license. You can also generate an AI image using Midjourney.

Please credit the image creator on your website or social media as a thank-you for their work. 

You can also do it through other sites, such as Befunky or Canva, where you can design it and add titles, effects, and anything else you want. 

Another way to create artwork from scratch is to use an image generator like Midjourney, DeepAI, or others. There are so many out there; you have to search for one.  

Register your music with PRO’S

It is always advisable to register your tracks; it will help you to know when and where your track is being played, streamed, or licensed. You must ensure you get all the rights afforded to a writer or a songwriter. Performance rights organizations, or PROs, are in charge of PROs collecting play-you royalties crucial from the role of radio and ensuring television broadcasts, creators’ live performances, compensated streaming, and public TV and radio broadcasts. 

Which PRO service should I choose?

Several PROs operate globally, and every Western country has its own PRO. 

ASCAP – Collects royalties from the US.

BMI (Broadcast Music International): BMI is also one of the leading PROs in the United States, representing many music works. 

SESAC: This PRO, also based in the United States of America, manages many songwriters and publishers. 

SOCAN is a Canadian copyright collection society that governs the use and administration of copyright in musical works. 

PRS for Music (Performing Rights Society): PRS for Music is based in the United Kingdom and manages the copyright of composers, writers, and publishers. 

GEMA: Located in Germany,  GEMA is one of Performing of Right’s biggest PRO for Mechanical rights in Europe. 

APRA AMCOS covers Australia and New Zealand and represents many music composers and creators. 

Uploading your track to a music distribution service

First, you must upload your track to a digital distribution service before submitting it to various streaming services. 

While Soundcloud, for instance, allows you to upload your track, edit it, or even replace it on different streaming sites, you cannot do that directly on other streaming services.

You’ll need to upload to a music distributor,  such as CDBABY, DistroKid, Tunecore, or Awal, 

Numerous options are available for digital distribution, and every platform is different. Read our blog article to find out which is best for you.

After you have finished uploading your new song to one of the chosen distribution services, you need to upload your artwork, such as the song cover or the album artwork. If you have uploaded several songs, set the release date, and that’s it. Then you are done. 

All your music should be released simultaneously by the same service; some charge a fee per music delivery, and others take a percentage of the royalties. Hence,  you should be careful and choose the right service.

How do you get your music heard?

This is where a platform like One Submit can come in handy.  

If this is your first time using Spotify and you have just uploaded a new song, then it is doubtful that your track will get many streams at the beginning. 

It is the same as creating a new account on social networks; if you have a small number of subscribers, you will not get streams, likes, new music fans, or new listeners. 

The proper way to do it is to use a Spotify promotion service, 

One Submit for example, helps artists place their music on Spotify playlists, blogs, online radio stations, TikTok influencers, YouTube channels, music magazines, and record labels. 

Every song receives a writer review; if the curator likes your music, he will add it to his playlist, channel, or blog. 

One Submit has a TikTok tier with influencers from 500,000 to 2 million plus followers,

TikTokers must approve your music or give you a money-back guarantee. 

The platforms host music magazines such as 24HipHop, Illustrated, 1883, La Weekly, and many more. 

Claiming your profile on streaming services

After you have finished uploading your new song to one of the chosen distribution services, you need to upload your artwork, such as the song cover or the album artwork. If you have uploaded several songs, set the release date, and that’s it. Then you are done. 

All your music should be released simultaneously by the same service; some charge a fee per music delivery, and others take a percentage of the royalties. Hence, you should be careful and choose the exemplary service.

Artists Profiles on the Streaming Services

On your artist profile, you can track your streaming, statistics, the playlist you are currently on, fan locations, and many more by using artist profiles on various streaming platforms. 

Each service is free for artists and may contain the data necessary to choose the proper strategy for their musical adventures. 

To create your artist account

on Spotify, visit artist.Spotify.com 

On Apple, visit artist.apple.com

On Deezer, visit creators.deezer.com

Music streaming

Final words

Uploading your music to streaming platforms is easy and cost-efficient. It has become crucial for every independent artist to post music on Spotify and other music streaming platforms. 

Don’t remember that placing your music on Spotify does not guarantee you’ll get many streams without promoting it unless you’re a famous artist. 

author avatar
Bernard - Side-Line Staff Chief editor
Bernard Van Isacker is the Chief Editor of Side-Line Magazine. With a career spanning more than two decades, Van Isacker has established himself as a respected figure in the darkwave scene.

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