Song Distribution Checklist: What to Prepare Before Upload

Most release delays come from small mistakes that are easy to catch early. Go through this list before you upload anything.

Audio

Final master exported as WAV, normally 16-bit at 44.1 kHz.
No clipping, sudden cuts or long silence at the start or end.
Correct version: check that you have not uploaded a rough mix.
A clean version ready if your song contains explicit language.

Artwork

Square image, usually 3000 x 3000 pixels, in JPG or PNG.
Sharp text that matches the song title and artist name.
No web links, phone numbers, QR codes or social handles.
Only images you own or have a licence to use. Pictures from a search engine are not free to use.

Credits and metadata

Correct song title without extra words such as "official audio".
Artist name spelled as on your earlier releases.
Composer, lyricist and producer names.
Language of the lyrics and the correct genre.
Lyrics saved in a text file for lyric services.

Rights

This is the part that causes the most serious problems. Before release, confirm that you control everything in the track.

Beats: keep the licence. Many free or low-cost beats do not allow commercial release.
Samples: a short sample can still need permission.
Collaborators: agree on ownership and splits in writing before release.
Cover songs: you need permission for the composition. See our guide to releasing cover songs.

Release plan

Date chosen at least two to four weeks ahead.
Short video clips ready for Reels and Shorts.
Artist profiles claimed on the main platforms.
Song pitched through Spotify for Artists once it is available there.

Print this list and tick each line. Ten minutes here can save you two weeks of waiting on a rejected release.

Why stores reject releases

Stores review releases to protect listeners and rights holders. The usual reasons for a rejection are misleading titles, artwork that breaks style rules, and audio that may belong to someone else. Understanding the reason makes each rule feel less random.

Misleading metadata: naming a famous artist as a keyword, or adding a popular name you did not work with.
Style problems: ALL CAPS titles, added emojis, or "Prod. by" inside a title when it should be a credit.
Language errors: selecting Hindi for an instrumental, or writing the wrong script for your title.
Artwork mismatch: art that shows a different title or name from the release.

Audio quality checks you can do yourself

Before uploading, listen from start to finish on earphones and on a phone speaker. Check that the beginning and end are clean, and that nothing has been cut off. Listen for clicks, pops, breaths that were accidentally left in, and vocals that disappear on a small speaker. If possible, take a break and listen again later with fresh ears.

Keep your files in order

Save a folder for each release containing the master, instrumental, clean version, artwork, lyrics, credits and licences. Use clear file names such as "SongName_Master_v3.wav". Keep one copy in cloud storage and another on a separate drive. Many artists lose their only master when a laptop fails or an old phone is replaced.

Getting credits right

Credits can feel like a small detail, but they are how people get recognised and sometimes paid. Use legal names for composer and lyricist where your distributor asks for them, and use stage names for the performer. Ask every contributor how they want to be credited before you upload, as changing this after release may need extra work.

A final five-minute review

Read the title aloud and check the spelling.
Confirm the release date against your promotion plan.
Check that the artwork matches the title.
Play the uploaded audio preview in the dashboard.
Confirm the rights declaration is true before you submit.

This last check is the one that saves you. Once a release is live, even a small correction can take days, and some changes are not possible at all.

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