No label? No problem.
This is a LOUD WOMEN DIY guide to releasing your music without a label. It’s practical, step-by-step, and assumes absolutely no prior knowledge.
Some of this might feel obvious. Sorry not sorry – we are going to teach you to suck some eggs. Because for every artist who already knows this stuff, there are plenty more quietly wondering how it all works.
If that’s you, you’re in the right place.
Get your ducks in a row before you tell anyone anything
Before you even think about announcing a release, you need your assets ready to go. And by “assets”, I mean the actual, practical stuff that makes up a release.
The music: finished, periodt
You need your song recorded, mixed and mastered exactly as you want it. Not “nearly there”, not “we’ll fix that later”, not “no one will notice that slightly dodgy vocal”. Done.
You’ll want a WAV file (this is what you upload to your distributor), an MP3 (useful for sharing), and optionally an Apple Digital Masters version if you have it.
Explicit lyrics, radio edits, and jazz odysseys
If your track contains explicit lyrics, you might want to think about whether you also want a radio edit. (If you’re not entirely sure what counts as explicit, here’s a list – which also just happens to be a list of my favourite words.)
A radio edit can be as simple as silencing the offending word, or replacing it with an alternative lyric that you’ve recorded. It’s something to sort at the mixing stage if you can.
Radio edits can also be useful if your track is very long. It’s still the case that most radio DJs are more likely to play something under three minutes.
This is presuming you even care about being played on the radio – if you’re not bothered, swear your heart out on your 10 minute jazz odyssey. All good.
Artwork: tiny square, big decisions
You’ll need artwork for your release. This needs to be at least 2000 x 2000 pixels, high resolution, and – crucially – readable when it’s tiny. Because that’s how most people will see it. Small, on a phone, in a sea of everything else. Big, bold visuals and clear typography tend to work best.
Video: at least something, ideally something good
If you upload via a distributor, they’ll usually generate a YouTube video using your artwork. That’s fine. But you can do better. Make something.
It doesn’t have to be big budget. Simple, fun videos made on phones, with a bit of thought behind them, can be really effective.
Other options include lyric videos, visualisers, or editing together stock footage – have a dig around Archive, there’s loads in there.
If you’re on a Mac, iMovie will do the job. Canva also works well.
The point is: having a video (or more than one) gives people more ways to discover your music, and more reason to engage with it.
The other bits people forget
Alongside all that, make sure you’ve got:
- a decent artist photo
- a short bio that actually sounds like you
- links ready to go
Do not announce anything yet
Seriously. Do not announce a release date until all of the above is done. Because something will go wrong. The vocalist realises they sang the wrong lyrics. The cover artist gets sick. The mix isn’t quite right. The bassist wants one more overdub. (Add your own personal catastrophe here.) Get everything finished first.
Once your assets are ready, now you’re actually ready to plan your release.
Give yourself more time than you think you need
Most distributors recommend at least six weeks between uploading your release and the release date. That gives time for:
- streaming platforms to process everything
- your distributor to flag errors
- you to fix anything that needs fixing
Choose a release date: Friday is not mandatory
Friday release dates are popular. Which is exactly why you might not want one. If your promotion relies on social media, a weekday can work better.
You can also tie your release to something relevant – there are “international days” for everything. Here’s a calendar if you want one.
None of this is essential. What matters is choosing a date you can realistically support.
Getting your music online (no gatekeepers required)
If you’re releasing DIY, you’ll use a digital distributor. Popular ones include DistroKid, CD Baby, TuneCore, Ditto Music, Amuse, and AWAL (which is a bit more selective). They charge a fee and deliver your music to streaming platforms.
Bands: have the money conversation now
Setting up your digital distributor account is something you should do together. Agree in advance:
- royalty splits
- who controls the account
Splits can be track by track, or you can agree to split everything equally. (A word to the wise: equal splits often save a lot of arguments, and could extend the longevity of your band). Whatever you decide, write it down. Do not rely on memory or goodwill alone.
Uploading your release: don’t rush this bit
Your distributor will guide you through uploading your music and filling in all the information.
This may sound basic, but make sure you know exactly how your song title is spelled. Check with your bandmates if needed – especially if it’s something unusual or made up. Because once it’s submitted, changing it is a nightmare.
You’ll also be adding credits, genre, explicit content flags, and your release date.
Take your time. Do it properly.
Register your music or leave money on the table
Uploading your track to DSPs is not the same as registering it for royalties.
In the UK, you should sign up to:
- PRS for Music
- PPL
This is how you get paid when your music is played on the radio, performed live, or broadcast.
Promotion: do what you can, ignore the rest
This is often the bit DIY artists stress about. But if noone’s told you so yet, allow me: you do not have to spend your life making reels. You do not have to go viral. (You are really very, very unlikely to go viral.)
If you want to promote your music, keep it simple: tell people it’s coming, remind them, share it when it’s out, and mention it again afterwards. That’s enough.
If social media makes you want to scream, then don’t do it. Or do less of it. Or get someone else to help. There is no law that says you have to engage with social media at all.
Alternatives include email lists, newsletters, or just quietly releasing your music and letting it exist. You are allowed to opt out of the noise.
Pitch it if you want people outside your circle to hear it
If you want blogs, radio or playlists to pick up your track, you’ll need to tell them it exists. Keep it simple:
- Short email
- Clear description of your sound
- One or two strong links
No attachments. No essays. No generic copy-and-paste.
(There’s another LOUD WOMEN DIY guide on pitching that goes deeper into this.)
Don’t abandon your release the second it’s out
Release day is not the end. It’s the start. Keep talking about it. Share your video. Play it live. Give it time.