Music Release Checklist for Independent Artists

A release checklist is not a marketing plan. It is a reliability checklist. It exists to make sure the release gets delivered once, delivered correctly, and delivered on time.

Content: master files in the right format, cover art at the correct size, credits for everyone who contributed, ISRC codes for every track, UPC codes for the album, and a distribution date with room for error.

Metadata: exact title spelling, exact artist name, featured artists in the right order, genre, track number, disc number, length, and copyright year. These values should be consistent on every platform.

File checks: artwork above 3000 pixels on the longest side, JPEG or PNG in RGB, no outlines, no watermarks, and no text too small to read on a phone. Panel art for video platforms should be separate from the music cover.

Rights: copyright notice, ISRC assignment, and UPC assignment are done before the release ships. This is the step that makes the release payable and playable.

A final pre-ship check: re-read the credits, verify the artwork, confirm the release date, and schedule a review for the day after release.