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How to Prepare For Your First Release?

When you release music for the first time, each DSP creates and manages artist profiles differently. Some platforms allow you to claim your artist profile before your release goes live, while others require the release to be live first. Because of this, we recommend submitting your release early and giving yourself enough time to claim your profiles, update your artist image, add your bio, and make sure your music is mapped correctly.

Important things to know before claiming your profiles

If this is your first release, your artist profile may not exist on every DSP right away. In most cases, DSPs create the artist profile after your release has been delivered to their platform.

Some DSPs allow you to claim your profile before release day once your release has been delivered and an artist profile link exists. Other DSPs require your song to be fully live before you can claim your profile.

Before starting the claiming process, make sure you have:

  • Your artist name exactly as it was submitted
  • Your release title
  • Your UPC
  • Your ISRC
  • Your DSP artist profile links, if available
  • Your artist social media links
  • The email address you want connected to your artist profiles
  • Your artist image and bio, if you plan to update your profiles

Your artist name should be spelled and capitalized the same way across every platform. If the spelling or capitalization is different, DSPs may create a new profile or place your release on the wrong artist page.

When should I start claiming my profiles?

We recommend submitting your first release at least 2 to 4 weeks before your release date.

This gives DSPs time to process the release, create your artist profiles, and give you enough time to request access before release day when possible.

If you submit your release too close to your release date, you may not have enough time to claim your profiles before the song goes live.

Need your Spotify or Apple Music profile links before release day?

If this is your first release and you need your Spotify or Apple Music artist profile links ahead of your release date, you can submit a support ticket so our team can help retrieve them once they are available.

When submitting your ticket, please include:

  • Project name
  • UPC
  • Artist name
  • A note that this is your first release
  • A note that you are requesting your new Spotify and/or Apple Music artist profile links ahead of release day

Suggested message:

Hi, this is my first release on EngineEars. I would like to request my new Spotify and Apple Music artist profile links ahead of my release date so I can claim my artist profiles.

Project Name:
UPC:
Artist Name:

Please note that profile links can only be retrieved once the DSP has processed the release and created the artist profile in their system. Some profile links may not be available immediately after submission.

Spotify

Spotify will allow you to claim your artist profile before your first release goes live, but only after your release has been delivered and a Spotify artist profile link or URI exists.

Steps to claim Spotify for Artists

  1. Go to Spotify for Artists.
  2. Select Get Access.
  3. Choose Artist or Manager.
  4. Search for your artist name or paste your Spotify artist link/URI.
  5. Select the correct artist profile.
  6. Follow Spotify’s verification steps.
  7. Connect your social accounts or provide the requested verification information.
  8. Submit your request and wait for approval.

Spotify is one of the most important profiles to claim early because it may allow you to prepare your profile and pitch eligible unreleased music before your release date.

Apple Music

Apple Music may allow you to claim your profile before the release date if your artist page or release link already exists in Apple’s system.

Steps to claim Apple Music for Artists

  1. Go to Apple Music for Artists.
  2. Sign in with your Apple Account.
  3. Select Request Artist Access.
  4. Search for your artist page using your Apple Music artist page link, album link, or iTunes Store link.
  5. Select the correct artist page.
  6. Choose your role, such as artist, manager, or label representative.
  7. Complete the verification steps.
  8. Submit your request and wait for approval.

If your artist page does not appear yet, you may need to wait until Apple has processed your release.

YouTube Music

YouTube Music works differently from other DSPs. For a new artist, your music will first appear under an auto-generated Topic Channel.

To manage your full artist presence on YouTube, you may need to request an Official Artist Channel.

Steps for YouTube Music / Official Artist Channel

  1. Make sure you have a standard YouTube channel under your official artist name.
  2. Wait for your release to appear on YouTube Music or under a Topic Channel.
  3. Collect your:
    • Artist YouTube channel URL
    • YouTube Music Topic Channel URL, if available
    • UPC
    • Artist name exactly as submitted
  4. Request an Official Artist Channel through your distributor or music service partner.
  5. Once approved, YouTube will merge your artist content into one Official Artist Channel.

In most cases, this cannot be fully completed before your first release exists in YouTube’s system.

 Learn More.

Amazon Music

Amazon Music may allow you to claim your artist profile once the artist profile appears in their system.

Steps to claim Amazon Music for Artists

  1. Go to Amazon Music for Artists.
  2. Select Get Started.
  3. Log in with an Amazon account.
  4. Search for your artist name.
  5. Select the correct artist profile.
  6. Select Claim.
  7. Complete the application fields.
  8. Connect your social media or distributor information if requested.
  9. Submit the claim for review.

If your artist profile is not showing yet, wait until your release has been delivered or is live, then try again.

TIDAL

TIDAL allows artists to claim their public artist profile through TIDAL Artist Home once the profile exists in their catalog.

Steps to claim TIDAL Artist Home

  1. Go to TIDAL Artist Home.
  2. Enter the email address you want connected to the account.
  3. Create or log into your TIDAL account.
  4. Search for your artist profile.
  5. Select the correct profile.
  6. Complete the verification steps.
  7. Once approved, you can manage your artist image, bio, links, and insights.

If your artist profile does not appear yet, you may need to wait until your release is live or fully processed by TIDAL.

Recommended claiming order for a new artist

  1. Submit your release at least 2 to 4 weeks before your release date.
  2. Wait for the release to be delivered to DSPs.
  3. Check your DSP links once they become available.
  4. Claim Spotify first, especially if you want to pitch your release.
  5. Request your YouTube Official Artist Channel once your Topic Channel or YouTube Music presence exists.

What if my release is on the wrong artist profile?

If your release appears on the wrong artist profile, or if a DSP created a duplicate profile, collect the following information:

  • Artist name
  • Release title
  • UPC
  • ISRC
  • Correct artist profile link
  • Incorrect artist profile link
  • DSP where the issue is happening

Then contact support so the profile mapping issue can be reviewed.

Final note

Each DSP has its own process and timeline for artist profile claiming. Some profiles can be claimed before the first release goes live, but only after the DSP has received the release and created an artist profile. Other DSPs require the song to be live before access can be requested.

To avoid delays, submit your release early and give yourself enough time to claim your profiles before release day whenever possible.