Getting your music onto Spotify is not complicated, but there are steps involved that are easy to get wrong if nobody explains them. I went through this process with my own releases, and there are things I wish I had known before my first upload. This is the guide I would have wanted.
You Cannot Upload Directly to Spotify
This surprises a lot of new artists. Unlike SoundCloud or YouTube, where you create an account and upload your track, Spotify does not accept music directly from artists. You need a music distributor to act as the intermediary between you and Spotify (and every other streaming platform).
A distributor takes your finished track, your artwork, and your metadata, then delivers it to Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, and dozens of other platforms on your behalf. Think of them as the delivery service that gets your music from your computer to every streaming platform in the world.
Step 1: Choose a Distributor
I use Symphonic Distribution and have written about why in detail elsewhere on this site. But there are several options depending on your needs and budget:
Symphonic Distribution offers hands-on support, white-listing for social media profiles, and a human team that helps when things go wrong. Their starter plan is $19.99 per year and you keep 100% of royalties.
DistroKid is the fastest and most automated option. Upload and your track can be on platforms within days. The annual subscription covers unlimited releases. Less personal support, but the speed and simplicity appeal to high-volume releasers.
TooLost is a newer platform with a technology-forward approach and competitive analytics tools.
TuneCore charges per release rather than a flat annual fee. You keep 100% of royalties. Better for artists who release infrequently.
Each distributor has different strengths. I have compared several in my distributor comparison article if you want to go deeper. See Symphonic vs Distrokid vs TooLost for a more in depth look at these distributors. The important thing is to pick one and move forward rather than spending weeks researching.
Step 2: Prepare Your Release
Before you upload anything, you need:
Your finished track in WAV format (16-bit or 24-bit, 44.1kHz). MP3 is not accepted by most distributors for delivery to streaming platforms. Always export your final mix as a high-quality WAV.
Album artwork at 3000x3000 pixels, in JPEG or PNG format. This is the square image that appears on Spotify, Apple Music, and everywhere your track is displayed. It needs to be high resolution, visually clear at small sizes (it will appear as a tiny thumbnail on mobile), and must not contain any URLs, social media handles, or pricing information. Platforms reject artwork that includes promotional text.
Metadata: Track title, artist name, genre, release date, and any contributing artists or songwriters. Get this right the first time. Changing metadata after release is possible but involves contacting your distributor and waiting for platforms to update, which can take weeks.
ISRC code: Most distributors generate this automatically. An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a unique identifier for your recording. It follows the track everywhere and is used for royalty tracking. If your distributor does not auto-generate one, you can obtain them through your local rights organisation.
Step 3: Upload and Schedule
Log into your distributor's dashboard, create a new release, upload your WAV and artwork, fill in the metadata, and set your release date.
Here is the crucial part: schedule your release at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance. This gives you time to pitch your track to Spotify's editorial playlist team through Spotify for Artists (more on that shortly). If you set the release date for tomorrow, you miss the playlist pitching window entirely.
Your distributor will deliver the track to all selected platforms. Most platforms process new releases within a few days, but Spotify typically makes the track available on the scheduled release date, not before.
Step 4: Claim Your Spotify for Artists Profile
If you have not already, go to artists.spotify.com and claim your artist profile. You will need to verify your identity, which usually involves having at least one track already on Spotify (a chicken-and-egg situation for your first release, but your distributor can help with verification).
Spotify for Artists gives you access to:
- Streaming data and listener demographics
- The ability to customise your artist profile (bio, photos, artist pick)
- Playlist pitching for upcoming releases
- Canvas (short looping videos that play behind your track on mobile)
The playlist pitching tool is the most important feature here. For any upcoming release that is scheduled at least 7 days out, you can submit it for editorial playlist consideration. You fill in the genre, mood, instruments, and a short description of the track. There is no guarantee of placement, but you cannot be considered if you do not submit.
Step 5: Promote Your Release
Spotify is not a discovery platform for unknown artists in the way that YouTube or TikTok can be. Getting your music onto Spotify is the starting point, not the finish line. You need to drive listeners to your tracks.
Pre-save campaigns: Share a pre-save link before your release date. When fans pre-save, the track automatically appears in their library on release day and signals to Spotify's algorithm that there is interest.
Social media: Share snippets, behind-the-scenes content, and the story behind the track across your platforms. TikTok and Instagram Reels are particularly effective for short audio previews.
Your website and mailing list: If you have built an audience through your site (and you should), email your subscribers about the release. Direct traffic from outside Spotify tells the algorithm that real listeners care about your music.
Independent playlist curators: Beyond Spotify's editorial playlists, thousands of independent curators run genre-specific playlists. Research playlists in your genre and reach out to curators. Some accept submissions through platforms like SubmitHub or Playlist Push.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Rushing the release date. Give yourself enough lead time for playlist pitching and promotion. A track released with zero preparation reaches zero listeners.
Poor artwork. Your artwork is the first thing a potential listener sees. A blurry image or generic stock photo undermines the music before anyone presses play.
Ignoring metadata. Misspelled names, wrong genre tags, and missing songwriter credits cause problems that are painful to fix after the fact.
Never claiming Spotify for Artists. Without it, you have no control over your profile, no access to data, and no ability to pitch to playlists. Claim it as soon as your first track is live.
Releasing and going silent. A release needs sustained promotion for at least two weeks after it goes live. The algorithm rewards consistent engagement in the days following release.
It Gets Easier
Your first release involves the most setup. Once your distributor account is active, your Spotify for Artists profile is claimed, and your workflow is established, subsequent releases are straightforward. Upload, schedule, pitch, promote. The process becomes routine and lets you focus on what matters most: making music worth listening to.
