Getting a label to say "yes" to your demo is a milestone worth celebrating. But it's also just the beginning. What happens between that initial acceptance and the moment your track appears on Spotify, Apple Music, and every other platform is a process that most artists know almost nothing about — until they're in it.
At Red Star Media, we believe transparency makes for better artist relationships. So here's the full, unfiltered timeline of what happens after we sign your track. Every label operates a bit differently, but this gives you a realistic picture of how the modern indie label release process works.
Stage 1: Signing Confirmation and Paperwork (Week 1-2)
The first thing that happens after we decide to sign your track isn't a press release or an Instagram announcement. It's paperwork.
What happens:
- •We send you a formal offer outlining the terms: royalty split, licensing scope (exclusive vs. non-exclusive, territory, duration), and what rights are being licensed
- •You review the contract — and we genuinely encourage you to take your time with this. Read every clause. Ask questions. If you have a lawyer or manager, have them review it
- •Once both parties sign, the track is officially part of our release pipeline
Key terms you should understand:
- •Royalty split — The percentage of revenue that goes to you vs. the label. Modern indie deals typically range from 50/50 to 80/20 in the artist's favor
- •License duration — How long the label has rights to the track. This can range from 1-2 years to perpetuity, depending on the deal
- •Territory — Where the label can distribute (usually worldwide)
- •Exclusivity — Whether you can release the track elsewhere during the license period
We keep our contracts straightforward and artist-friendly. If something doesn't make sense, we explain it. No artist should ever sign something they don't fully understand.
Stage 2: A&R Feedback and Revisions (Week 2-4)
Just because we signed your track doesn't mean it's ready to release. This is where the A&R process kicks in.
What happens:
- •Our A&R team does a detailed listen and provides specific feedback — this might cover mix elements, arrangement suggestions, or production tweaks
- •We typically request 1-3 rounds of revisions. Sometimes a track needs minor adjustments; sometimes it needs more significant work
- •We're collaborative, not dictatorial. This is a conversation. If we suggest a change and you disagree, we talk about it
Common revision requests:
- •Tightening the low end or adjusting sub-bass balance
- •Shortening or extending the intro/outro for DJ-friendliness
- •Adding variation to the second drop or breakdown
- •Adjusting vocal levels or processing
- •Refining the overall mix balance
The goal is to get the track to the absolute best version of itself without losing what made it special in the first place. This stage takes 2-3 weeks on average, depending on how quickly revisions come back.
Stage 3: Final Master Approval (Week 4-5)
Once the production is locked, the track goes to mastering.
What happens:
- •We send the final mixdown to our mastering engineer with detailed notes about genre context, reference tracks, and any specific requests
- •The mastering engineer delivers 2-3 versions (standard master, plus variations for different loudness targets if needed)
- •Both the label and the artist approve the final master
- •We generate the final WAV files in all required formats for distribution
What mastering actually does:
- •Ensures the track translates well across all playback systems
- •Optimizes loudness for streaming platforms (targeting around -14 LUFS for Spotify's normalization)
- •Addresses any remaining frequency balance issues
- •Adds final polish — subtle stereo enhancement, harmonic saturation, or dynamic control as needed
Stage 4: Artwork and Visual Assets (Week 4-6)
While mastering is happening, we're working on the visual side of the release.
What happens:
- •Our design team creates release artwork based on the track's mood, genre, and our label's visual identity
- •We share concepts with the artist for approval and revisions
- •Final artwork is delivered in multiple formats: 3000x3000 for DSPs, social media sizes, and promotional banner formats
- •If the release warrants it, we commission additional assets: visualizers, lyric videos, or promotional graphics
Artwork specs we prepare:
- •Primary cover art: 3000x3000px, JPEG and PNG
- •Social media variants: Instagram post, story, Facebook, Twitter/X sizes
- •Spotify Canvas: looping video for the Spotify player
- •Promotional banners for website and email campaigns
Stage 5: Metadata Preparation (Week 5-6)
Metadata is the invisible infrastructure that determines how your music gets discovered, categorized, and paid for. We take this seriously.
What we prepare:
- •Track title, artist name, featured artists, remixer credits
- •ISRC codes (unique identifier for each track)
- •UPC/EAN (barcode for the release)
- •Genre and subgenre classification
- •Songwriter and producer credits
- •Copyright information (P-line and C-line)
- •Lyrics (if applicable)
Why this matters: Incorrect metadata can mean your track doesn't appear in the right genre searches, doesn't get recommended by algorithms, or — worst case — your royalties don't get collected properly. We double-check everything.
Stage 6: Distribution Submission (Week 6-7)
With the master, artwork, and metadata finalized, we submit the release to our distribution partner.
What happens:
- •We upload all assets to our distributor's platform
- •We set the release date (usually 3-4 weeks out from submission to allow time for editorial playlist pitching)
- •The distributor delivers the release to all DSPs: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Beatport, and 150+ others
- •Each platform processes and ingests the release on their own timeline
Platform-specific notes:
- •Beatport has a separate submission process and typically a 2-week exclusive window for dance music
- •Spotify requires at least 7 days advance notice for editorial playlist consideration
- •Apple Music and others generally need 1-2 weeks for processing
For a deeper look at how distribution works, check out our guide on understanding music distribution.
Stage 7: Marketing Plan Creation (Week 6-8)
Parallel to distribution, we build the marketing strategy for the release.
What we develop:
- •Social media calendar — Teaser content, announcement posts, release day pushes, and post-release content
- •Playlist pitching strategy — Which editorial and independent playlists to target, personalized pitch notes for each
- •Press outreach — Blog features, premiere opportunities, and interview pitches for larger releases
- •Email marketing — Newsletter announcements to our subscriber list
- •Artist collaboration — What you'll post, when, and how we'll coordinate
We share this plan with you and work together on execution. The best release campaigns happen when the label and artist are aligned and both putting energy behind the release.
Stage 8: Pre-Release Activities (Week 8-10)
The weeks leading up to release are when everything comes together.
What happens:
- •Pre-save links go live (we create these through platforms like Feature.fm or Linkfire)
- •First teaser content goes out on social media
- •We submit the track for Spotify editorial playlist consideration
- •Independent playlist pitching begins
- •Press premieres are scheduled (if applicable)
- •The artist shares preview clips and builds anticipation with their audience
Pre-save campaigns matter because:
- •Every pre-save converts to a day-one stream, which signals to algorithms that the track has demand
- •Pre-saves give us data on audience interest before release
- •They create a mechanism for fans to commit to listening on release day
Stage 9: Release Week (Week 10-11)
Release day is not the finish line — it's the starting gun for the most important week of the release's life.
What happens on release day:
- •Track goes live on all platforms at midnight (local time in each territory)
- •We push across all social media channels with the prepared assets
- •We monitor playlist placements in real-time
- •The artist posts release day content
- •We send release announcement to our email list
What happens the rest of the week:
- •We monitor streaming numbers and playlist additions daily
- •Independent playlist pitching continues
- •We engage with any press coverage or blog features
- •Social media engagement stays high — responding to comments, sharing fan reactions
- •We adjust strategy based on real-time data (if a certain platform is performing well, we lean into it)
Stage 10: Post-Release (Week 11+)
The release doesn't end after the first week. Here's what we continue doing:
- •Ongoing playlist pitching — Independent playlists don't have the same timing constraints as editorial. We continue pitching for months
- •Performance analysis — We track streaming numbers, playlist additions, save rates, and audience demographics
- •Sync opportunities — We pitch the track for film, TV, and advertising placements through our sync partners
- •Catalog marketing — The track becomes part of our active catalog, getting featured in future marketing and playlist pushes
- •Royalty reporting — You receive regular royalty statements showing streams, revenue, and platform breakdown
The Full Timeline at a Glance
| Stage | Timeframe | Key Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Signing & contract | Week 1-2 | Terms, review, signatures |
| A&R & revisions | Week 2-4 | Feedback, 1-3 revision rounds |
| Mastering | Week 4-5 | Final master, approval |
| Artwork & visuals | Week 4-6 | Cover art, social assets, Canvas |
| Metadata | Week 5-6 | Credits, ISRC, genre tagging |
| Distribution | Week 6-7 | Upload, delivery to DSPs |
| Marketing plan | Week 6-8 | Strategy, playlist targeting |
| Pre-release | Week 8-10 | Pre-saves, teasers, pitching |
| Release week | Week 10-11 | Launch, monitoring, engagement |
| Post-release | Week 11+ | Ongoing pitching, sync, reporting |
Total timeline from signing to release: approximately 10-12 weeks. This can vary — some releases move faster, some take longer depending on revision needs, scheduling, and strategic timing.
Why This Matters to You as an Artist
Understanding this timeline helps you in several ways:
- •Set realistic expectations — If you just got signed, your track isn't coming out next week. Plan accordingly.
- •Be a better collaborator — When you understand each stage, you can contribute more effectively and respond to revision requests faster.
- •Appreciate the work — A lot happens behind the scenes that artists never see. Every release represents dozens of hours of label work beyond the music itself.
How Red Star Media Can Help
Whether you're submitting your first demo or your fiftieth, we bring this full process to every release. Our goal is to make your music reach as many ears as possible while keeping you informed and involved at every step. Learn more about our services or explore more from our Label's Perspective hub.