Successful Music Release | Part 1 | A Clear Objective

Finishing a record you’re proud of and releasing it to the world is a HUGE win 👏👏👏

Before you even start thinking about the tactics of releasing your music, recognize that you’ve already accomplished something significant.

You’re winning simply by bringing your music to life 💯

You’ve spent weeks, months, maybe even years working on your music. Now it’s time for the release. But before you hit that ‘submit’ button, you need to ask yourself:

What’s the real goal of this release?

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of just putting your music out there, but if you want to see real, measurable success, you need a strategy.

Without a clear plan, even the best tracks can disappear into the noise.

This is the first post in the Successful Music Release series.

We’re going to start by outlining three key objectives that should be at the center of every music release you plan.

1. Get People to Listen to the Music

Let’s be real: the number one reason you’re releasing your music is because you want people to hear it. You’re not making tracks to leave them buried in your hard drive.

Getting your music heard is the ultimate goal, and for most artists, especially newer ones, this is the biggest challenge.

It’s not just about releasing a great song—it’s about getting that song in front of the right people.

So how do you get people to listen? For most emerging artists, the answer is the same.

The Spotify algorithm.

Spotify is the biggest streaming platform in the world, and it’s pretty much the number one tool the industry uses to gauge an artist’s musical potential.

If you don’t already have a big fan base to blast your release to, you can’t just rely on word-of-mouth or organic social media shares.

The key is triggering Spotify’s algorithm and getting their little robots to spread your music for you 🤖📈

Playlists like Daily Mix and Discover Weekly are goldmines for getting your music in front of fresh ears and making some significant streaming income. Once you get enough initial traction, Spotify does the heavy lifting by pushing your song to listeners who are most likely to enjoy it.

How do you trigger the Spotify algorithm?

• The Song Comes First. I have seen artists put together the perfect marketing strategy and spend a lot of money and still not get results. And I have seen artists just upload a song with no strategy and somehow the algorithm found it. What’s the difference? The quality of the song. The algorithm knows if people want to hear it, and if they are listening over and over again.

• Boost Day One Engagement. On release day, focus on driving as many plays, saves, and shares as possible. The more interactions your song gets, the more likely Spotify is to recommend it to new listeners.

• Get on Playlists. Of course you should submit for editorial playlists through Spotify for Artists. But don’t sleep on smaller, 3rd party (user-generated) playlists. They can still trigger Spotify’s algorithm if your song gains enough traction through these channels.

We can’t talk about triggering the Spotify algorithm without mentioning social media advertising…

It takes time getting nerdy to figure out the ad platforms (like Meta), and you gotta be willing to spend some money.

But the power of ads to reach music lovers anywhere is undeniable.

Here’s a handy graphic I created for the Homies showing how to get Spotify followers and streams through Instagram Story ads (share it with your Homies):

HOME Member BONUS 🎁🎥  access the video for How to Get Spotify Followers and Streams where I walk through each step in the process.

The bottom line? If people don’t hear your music, none of the other goals matter.

Your first and biggest objective is to get as many ears on your song as possible. For emerging artists, the most powerful way to do that is through the Spotify algorithm. Let it work for you.

2. Build a Direct-to-Fan Business Model

Getting people to hear your music is one thing, but if you’re serious about building a career, you need to go beyond streams.

Music is still your core product, but how else can you monetize your audience?

The key is turning listeners into fans who support you directly—and this is where you need to start thinking like a business owner.

A direct-to-fan business model allows you to generate revenue from your fans without depending on middlemen like record labels or platforms taking a cut. It’s about making offers directly to your audience—whether that’s selling merch, offering exclusive experiences, or building a membership-based fan club.

The release is just the entry point to your world of offers.

How do you drive revenue from your release?

• Merch Drops: Tie your release to exclusive merch. Use platforms like Laylo to schedule limited-edition merch drops that create urgency and excitement.

• Fan Community & Subscription Models: Launch a Patreon, Discord, or Telegram fan club where superfans can get exclusive content, early access to music, or even personal interactions with you in exchange for a monthly fee.

• Creative Offers: Think outside the box. One of our Homies launched a coffee and tea brand tied to their music, creating a consumable product that fans keep coming back for. You could offer house concerts, custom artwork, or even poetry books.

The most crucial practice in building a direct-to-fan business is capturing fan data.

If you don’t have a way to reach your fans directly—through email addresses and phone numbers—you’re always going to be dependent on platforms.

Your release strategy should include ways to collect fan data so you can make offers and stay connected without paying for ads or influencers.

Want to learn more about how to collect fan data? Be sure to revisit the CLASSIC Formula for Music Marketing.

3. Gain Recognition from Respected Industry Professionals

Once you’ve got people listening to your music and engaging with your direct-to-fan offers, the next step is to gain recognition from professionals in your community.

This could be other artists, producers, playlist curators, A&R reps or music supervisors.

These connections are critical because they open doors to new opportunities and help you build the team to succeed.

The music industry is built on relationships, and every release is an opportunity to get on the radar of the right people. Whether you’re trying to land a feature with another artist, secure a sync placement, or find a manager, each release is a chance to showcase your professionalism and build your reputation.

How do you get on the radar of the right people?

• Professional Presentation: Make sure your release sounds, looks, and feels professional. This means high-quality audio and visuals.

• Exclusive Events: In-studio listening parties are the perfect way to create an intimate and special experience for the people in your inner circle. We book a lot of these at HOME!

• Networking with Influencers: Connect with influencers and respected industry professionals. Even smaller connections can lead to big opportunities down the road.

• Be Strategic with Your Content: When you create content around your release, make sure it’s something that shows off your style and creativity. Don’t overthink it, but don’t underthink it either. It’s your movie, just be the hero. Perfect your Persona with the Artist Branding Playbook.

The goal here is to build credibility.

Every release should move you closer to finding and attracting the right people to be your team members and collaborators.

Music is a team sport.

Whether it’s playlist curators adding your track, a sync rep getting your song placed in a film, or a producer wanting to collaborate—the connections do matter.

PRO TIP: If you are going to be pitching your music to high profile people, be sure to include a great one sheet!

Success Starts With a Clear Objective

If you’re releasing music without clear goals, you’re just throwing it out into the void.

Please don’t do that.

Focus on the three key objectives:

1. Get people to listen.

2. Build a direct-to-fan business.

3. Gain recognition from industry professionals.

Read From Goals to Greatness if you need a refresher on goal setting. Start thinking about how you can use the three key objectives to set SMARTER goals for your upcoming releases.

This is just the beginning.

In the next part of the Music Release Playbook, we’ll dive into the tactics of preparing for a successful release.

You’ve already won by making music you believe in—now it’s time to make sure the world hears it, supports it, and helps you grow!