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Release the Beast

Release Guide

A step-by-step walkthrough for releasing your music.

  1. Unofficial Release 

Best for: Sharing with friends, school projects, building a portfolio, or starting out without financial investment.

Option 1: SoundCloud

Steps:

  1. Sign up at soundcloud.com

  2. Click “Upload” in the top menu

  3. Upload your mastered audio files

  4. Add a title, description, genre, and tags

  5. Choose "Public" or "Private"

  6. Add a cover image

  7. Click “Save” to publish

Option 2: YouTube

Steps:

  1. Sign up at youtube.com

  2. Go to YouTube Studio

  3. Click “Create” → “Upload Video”

  4. Upload your video file

  5. Fill in the title, description, and tags

  6. Choose your visibility setting

  7. Click “Publish”

Note: YouTube requires video files (.mp4 or .mov), so you’ll need to use tools like iMovie, Canva, or Adobe Express to pair your audio with a visual. This can be as simple as a static image (like your cover art) or a full music video. 



  1. Official Release 

Best for: Releasing on music streaming platforms, earning royalties, and building a professional profile.

Independent artists often release their music using DistroKid, one of the most popular digital distribution platforms. This allows artists to collect royalties on the Master Recording copyright. Setting up publishing is essential to collect royalties on the Composition copyright.

Releasing on DistroKid

Steps:

  1. Create an account at DistroKid.com

  2. Upload your mastered tracks

  3. Enter metadata: artist name, song titles, release date, cover art, etc.

  4. Choose your stores/platforms: Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, etc.

  5. Pay the annual fee ($24.99/year for unlimited uploads)

  6. Click “Submit” and wait for processing

Publishing

Steps:

  1. Join a PRO (Performing Rights Organization), like ASCAP or BMI

  2. Register your original songs with your PRO so you can collect performance royalties