The barriers to releasing music independently are essentially gone. Any producer with a finished track, a distributor account, and minimal artwork can have music on Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok within a week. The question is no longer whether you can release — it is how to do it well.
Step 1: Finalise Your Master
Before submitting to any distributor, your track needs to be mastered and export-ready.
Requirements for most distributors:
• Format: WAV (16-bit or 24-bit at 44100 Hz or higher)
• Loudness: Typically -14 LUFS integrated for streaming (some distributors accept any level and add their own normalisation guidance)
• No clipping: The file should not exceed -0.3 dBFS on any peak
If you have not mastered, FL Studio's built-in AI mastering (in the Mastering window) produces usable results. External services like LANDR or human mastering engineers are options for higher-stakes releases.
Step 2: Prepare Metadata
Metadata is the information attached to your track. If you get it wrong, fixing it later is difficult.
Essential metadata to prepare:
• Artist name: Your project name or real name, spelled and capitalised exactly as you want it everywhere
• Track title: The official title, including any featured artists
• ISRC code: A unique identifier for your recording. Most distributors assign this automatically.
• Genre: Select the most accurate primary genre
• Release date: When you want it live on platforms
• Label name: If releasing independently, use your own artist name or a basic label name
Be consistent. The same artist name spelling across all platforms matters for algorithmic recommendations and for listeners finding your music.
Step 3: Artwork
Every track and album needs cover artwork that meets platform specifications.
Standard requirements:
• Dimensions: 3000 × 3000 pixels minimum (some platforms accept 1400 × 1400, but 3000 is safe)
• Format: JPEG or PNG
• No third-party logos: Platform logos, Instagram handles in the image, or copyright symbols that are not yours will cause rejection
• No blurry or pixelated images: Distributors reject low-quality artwork
If you do not have design skills, simple, legible artwork works well. A strong background colour, your artist name, and your track title in clean typography is more effective than a busy, cluttered image.
Step 4: Choose a Distributor
Distributors deliver your music to streaming platforms. Common options:
Distributor: DistroKid; Fee Structure: Annual subscription; Notable Features: Unlimited releases, fast delivery
Distributor: TuneCore; Fee Structure: Per release fee; Notable Features: Solid analytics, editorial pitch support
Distributor: Amuse; Fee Structure: Free tier available; Notable Features: Good for limited releases
Distributor: FL Cloud; Fee Structure: Integrated with FL Studio; Notable Features: No fee-per-release on paid plan
Distributor: CD Baby; Fee Structure: One-time per release; Notable Features: Strong in sync licensing
FL Cloud's distribution feature (available on paid tiers) is worth considering if you are already using FL Cloud, as the workflow stays inside FL Studio.
Step 5: Pitch for Playlist Placement
Most distributors offer a way to submit upcoming releases to editorial playlist consideration. This requires:
• A release date at least 7–10 days in the future (editorial teams need time)
• A written pitch describing the track, its mood, and its context
Be specific in your pitch. "This track blends ambient textures with melodic techno rhythms, suitable for focus and late-night listening playlists" is more useful than "it is a good ambient track."
Not every track gets playlist placement. Pitching every release is the habit worth building.
Step 6: Post-Release Activities
Release day is not the end — it is the beginning of a promotion window.
Activities that support a new release:
• Share on all social media platforms with a link to the streaming page
• Post a process clip or behind-the-scenes content on TikTok or Instagram Reels
• Send to music blogs and playlist curators relevant to your genre
• Consider the track as social media audio (create and tag it as your own sound on TikTok)
Track your streaming data in your distributor's analytics dashboard. After 28–30 days, review: where did streams come from? Which platform performed best? What drove the most listens? This informs your next release strategy.
If you found this useful, explore more FL Studio tutorials at Zeverb.