Music release checklist.
From the first master to release day and beyond. A practical checklist for the people making it happen.
Use these 24 checks for a digital single, EP or album. Assign an owner and a due date in your team’s working plan. Add release-specific work such as physical production or a video rollout where needed. Your ticks stay in this page: download or print them before leaving.
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Use real deadlines, not a universal countdown.
Work backward from the release date using your distributor’s lead times and the campaign you actually plan to run. A checklist gives the work structure; it cannot establish a delivery deadline for every distributor or store. The release planner turns your date into one.
Spotify’s current guide recommends delivery at least seven days before release and explains how pitching an unreleased song at least seven days ahead affects Release Radar eligibility. Editorial placement is not guaranteed. Read the official Spotify pitching guidance before setting your schedule.
For artwork, check the Apple Music cover art guidance alongside your distributor’s requirements. Requirements can change; the service’s current documentation takes precedence.
Turn the checklist into a shared release plan.
A checked box works for a personal review. A team also needs ownership, dates and the release context. mgmtOS for Labels connects the schedule to each release and keeps the details close to the work.
Published by mgmtOS. Reviewed September 26, 2026. This is a general operational checklist; adapt it to your release and distribution agreement.
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