The Release Day Checklist: 13 Steps From 4 Weeks Out to 1 Week After

Most releases don't fall flat on release day. They fall flat four weeks before it, when nobody's been told yet.

So here's the checklist. Every step, and exactly when to do it, from four weeks out to a week after release. Screenshot it, or let droplr build it for you, dated back from your release date.

Four weeks out

1. 1Announce it. Your music should already be with your distributor, and your pre-save page should be live. Post the cover with "pre-save now", and put the link in your bio.
2. 2A separate link for every place you'll post. Instagram, TikTok, your bio. Do it the next day, not later. That's how you'll know which post actually worked.

Three weeks out

1. 1Pitch it to Spotify's editors. In Spotify for Artists. Spotify needs it at least seven days before release, but earlier gives them more time to listen.
2. 2Post a teaser. Fifteen seconds of the hook or the drop, vertical, with a link sticker. Post it just before your fans' busiest hour.

Two weeks out

1. 1Send it to DJs, blogs and playlist curators. A short personal message, the pre-save link, and a private stream. Ten personal emails beat a hundred copy-pastes.

The last ten days

1. 1Ten days out — tell the fans who said yes to news. Only them. They're the ones who asked to hear from you.
2. 2Seven days out — post your countdown. And reply to every comment.
3. 3Three days out — give people a reason to share it. A studio clip, or the story behind the track.
4. 4The day before — check every store link. Beatport, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, wherever your fans actually listen.

Release day and after

1. 1Release day — post your out now graphic. At your fans' busiest hour. With droplr, every pre-saver already got an email at 9am in their own timezone, with their store right at the top.
2. 2The day after — thank your fans. And repost anyone who shared it.
3. 3Three days after — add any store links that went live late. They often do.
4. 4A week after — look at what worked. Which post brought the pre-saves, which country, which hour. That's your plan for next time.

Thirteen steps, over five weeks. You can run it from a spreadsheet, or droplr builds the whole plan for you, dated back from your release day, with the graphic or link each step needs. Move the release date and every step moves with it.