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Releasing your first single is a milestone in every artist’s journey – but to make everything run as smoothly as possible, there are a few things to prepare. By having access to the right information in advance, you can both reduce stress and maximize the impact of your release. This article covers what you should consider before your first single release – from memberships in the right organizations to preparing your presence on social media.
Rights and registrations: the foundation you don’t want to miss
Before you even think about release dates or marketing, you should make sure you’re a member of the organizations that ensure you get paid for your music. Two of the most important in Sweden are STIM and SAMI.
STIM collects and pays out compensation to those who write music and/or lyrics – that is, songwriters, lyricists, and composers – when your music is played on the radio, on Spotify, on stage, or in other public settings. When you register your music with STIM, it’s important to remember that you need access to your IPI number, which you can find under your account information on STIM’s website.
SAMI ensures that you as a performing musician or artist receive compensation when recordings you participate in are played publicly. If you are both a songwriter and a musician, you can receive money from both – but only if you’re registered with both STIM and SAMI. To register music with SAMI, you need access to your and all participants’ IPN numbers (your IPN number is found under My Information on SAMI’s website), as well as the ISRC codes for the songs you want to register.
While registering with these rights organizations, you should also take the opportunity to check your artist name. A quick search on Spotify, Google, and YouTube helps you avoid name conflicts – both legally and brand-wise. Your name is a big part of your artistry, so think long-term and choose something that feels unique and sustainable.
If you’re not visible, you don’t exist – build your digital presence
It’s not enough to make great music – you also need people to hear it. That’s why it’s crucial to have a well-thought-out presence on social media even before you release anything. We recommend that you create or optimize your presence on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Think of these platforms as your own little PR machine – they help you build an audience, create hype, and tell your story.
Start gathering content now: photos, phone videos, studio clips, small interesting moments from daily life. Everything can be useful, and the more material you have to work with before the release, the easier it will be to market your music with continuity and creativity. Try planning some posts in advance, so you can focus on being present when the music actually drops.
Smoother collaboration with the right tools
Working smart digitally makes the whole process much smoother – both for you as an artist and for everyone you collaborate with. If you’ve chosen to work with us at KMR in connection with your music release, we recommend getting a Dropbox account. There you can easily receive mixes, master files, artwork, and press photos. Having a Dropbox account not only facilitates collaboration with us at KMR – it will also likely make it easier to send files to distributors, photographers, and others you work with.
In collaboration with KMR, we also recommend the app Samply: a listening tool where you can provide clear feedback on mixes and versions directly in the audio file. For those working on video with us – such as a music video or short clips for social media – Frame.io is the tool we use for feedback and collaboration.
In conclusion
We know it can feel both exciting and a bit overwhelming when entering the music industry as a new artist. There’s a lot to keep track of, and even though it’s good to understand how music releases work, you don’t have to do everything yourself. At KMR, we also offer help with music releases, so everything looks professional, structured, and correct across all streaming platforms when release day arrives! Don’t hesitate to reach out if you want support in the process – we’re here to help make your first release truly successful!
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Over the past few years, KMR Studios has released hundreds of songs by a wide range of artists. To make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for, we’ve organized the music into various playlists. Click the link below to explore our music by format (stereo or Dolby Atmos) or genre.
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