I can remember counting down the days until the release of the latest album from my favorite bands when I was in high school.
It was something I looked forward to time and time again.
But what about now? Do albums still matter? Should we even bother with them?
I believe so.
But I don’t believe we should release albums exclusively. Or even release albums every time.
Singles, EPs, and albums all still have their place. It just depends on our goals.
Here are three ways I think about releasing music as an independent artist.
Singles only
Releasing singles is the easiest way to build a catalog of music quickly.
Make a song, put it out, and move on to the next one.
More and more artists these days are opting to release singles instead of EPs or albums and with good reason: all of Spotify’s algorithmic opportunities happen at the song level.
It used to be that singles were a way to drum up interest for an upcoming full-length release, but now that those days are behind us, releasing only singles seems to make a lot more sense.
Not only do individual songs satisfy the machine that is Spotify, but they play well on social media too.
We live in a digital culture built on the latest news and trends, and releasing singles is an excellent way to tap into that pace without needing to overthink it.
So whether or not you intend to increase the complexity of your release strategy with something more than just a song at a time, I believe every artist should spend ample time and energy releasing individual songs regularly.
Waterfall releasing
The waterfall release strategy, if done correctly, can be an effective way to maximize the benefits of Spotify’s algorithm.
The basic premise is this: you release the same songs across multiple release titles, all the while stacking the data from each preexisting track to maximize streams for each new release.
Sound complicated?
It is.
Sort of.
But also, not really.
As long as you keep the same ISRC code for each track, you’ll likely be in good shape.
Using this system you can more readily stack the data and pull the trigger on a Release Radar or Discover Weekly boost with a good song.
And while the waterfall strategy has become slightly less popular than it once was, it can still be an add-on to your artist toolbelt if you want to take the time to learn it.
If you want to go deeper with this one, I recommend this video.
An album or EP
This strategy is my personal favorite.
Out of all the musical things I’ve done, few have matched the feeling of accomplishment that came from releasing my own completed body of work.
My favorite version of the EP or album (I prefer album) strategy is one with a long list of singles leading up to the release of the full-length title.
So, for example, if you plan to release a 10-song album, you can release nine singles and then, with the tenth song, keep that one exclusive to the album when it comes out.
You end up with ten releases, nine singles, and one album when it’s all said and done.
This allows you to maximize “playing the game” while still ending the cycle with something you wanted to do for you anyway.
Singles for them.
Album for you.
Everyone wins.
I can remember counting down the days until the release of the latest album from my favorite bands when I was in high school.
It was something I looked forward to time and time again.
But what about now? Do albums still matter? Should we even bother with them?
I believe so.
But I don’t believe we should release albums exclusively. Or even release albums every time.
Singles, EPs, and albums all still have their place. It just depends on our goals.
Here are three ways I think about releasing music as an independent artist.
Singles only
Releasing singles is the easiest way to build a catalog of music quickly.
Make a song, put it out, and move on to the next one.
More and more artists these days are opting to release singles instead of EPs or albums and with good reason: all of Spotify’s algorithmic opportunities happen at the song level.
It used to be that singles were a way to drum up interest for an upcoming full-length release, but now that those days are behind us, releasing only singles seems to make a lot more sense.
Not only do individual songs satisfy the machine that is Spotify, but they play well on social media too.
We live in a digital culture built on the latest news and trends, and releasing singles is an excellent way to tap into that pace without needing to overthink it.
So whether or not you intend to increase the complexity of your release strategy with something more than just a song at a time, I believe every artist should spend ample time and energy releasing individual songs regularly.
Waterfall releasing
The waterfall release strategy, if done correctly, can be an effective way to maximize the benefits of Spotify’s algorithm.
The basic premise is this: you release the same songs across multiple release titles, all the while stacking the data from each preexisting track to maximize streams for each new release.
Sound complicated?
It is.
Sort of.
But also, not really.
As long as you keep the same ISRC code for each track, you’ll likely be in good shape.
Using this system you can more readily stack the data and pull the trigger on a Release Radar or Discover Weekly boost with a good song.
And while the waterfall strategy has become slightly less popular than it once was, it can still be an add-on to your artist toolbelt if you want to take the time to learn it.
If you want to go deeper with this one, I recommend this video.
An album or EP
This strategy is my personal favorite.
Out of all the musical things I’ve done, few have matched the feeling of accomplishment that came from releasing my own completed body of work.
My favorite version of the EP or album (I prefer album) strategy is one with a long list of singles leading up to the release of the full-length title.
So, for example, if you plan to release a 10-song album, you can release nine singles and then, with the tenth song, keep that one exclusive to the album when it comes out.
You end up with ten releases, nine singles, and one album when it’s all said and done.
This allows you to maximize “playing the game” while still ending the cycle with something you wanted to do for you anyway.
Singles for them.
Album for you.
Everyone wins.
I can remember counting down the days until the release of the latest album from my favorite bands when I was in high school.
It was something I looked forward to time and time again.
But what about now? Do albums still matter? Should we even bother with them?
I believe so.
But I don’t believe we should release albums exclusively. Or even release albums every time.
Singles, EPs, and albums all still have their place. It just depends on our goals.
Here are three ways I think about releasing music as an independent artist.
Singles only
Releasing singles is the easiest way to build a catalog of music quickly.
Make a song, put it out, and move on to the next one.
More and more artists these days are opting to release singles instead of EPs or albums and with good reason: all of Spotify’s algorithmic opportunities happen at the song level.
It used to be that singles were a way to drum up interest for an upcoming full-length release, but now that those days are behind us, releasing only singles seems to make a lot more sense.
Not only do individual songs satisfy the machine that is Spotify, but they play well on social media too.
We live in a digital culture built on the latest news and trends, and releasing singles is an excellent way to tap into that pace without needing to overthink it.
So whether or not you intend to increase the complexity of your release strategy with something more than just a song at a time, I believe every artist should spend ample time and energy releasing individual songs regularly.
Waterfall releasing
The waterfall release strategy, if done correctly, can be an effective way to maximize the benefits of Spotify’s algorithm.
The basic premise is this: you release the same songs across multiple release titles, all the while stacking the data from each preexisting track to maximize streams for each new release.
Sound complicated?
It is.
Sort of.
But also, not really.
As long as you keep the same ISRC code for each track, you’ll likely be in good shape.
Using this system you can more readily stack the data and pull the trigger on a Release Radar or Discover Weekly boost with a good song.
And while the waterfall strategy has become slightly less popular than it once was, it can still be an add-on to your artist toolbelt if you want to take the time to learn it.
If you want to go deeper with this one, I recommend this video.
An album or EP
This strategy is my personal favorite.
Out of all the musical things I’ve done, few have matched the feeling of accomplishment that came from releasing my own completed body of work.
My favorite version of the EP or album (I prefer album) strategy is one with a long list of singles leading up to the release of the full-length title.
So, for example, if you plan to release a 10-song album, you can release nine singles and then, with the tenth song, keep that one exclusive to the album when it comes out.
You end up with ten releases, nine singles, and one album when it’s all said and done.
This allows you to maximize “playing the game” while still ending the cycle with something you wanted to do for you anyway.
Singles for them.
Album for you.
Everyone wins.
Whenever you're ready, there are four ways I can help you:
Subscribe to the Newsletter: Join our growing network of artists, creators, and entrepreneurs by receiving The One Thing directly to your inbox every week.
Book a Consultation: Schedule a one-on-one call with me to improve your marketing across paid advertising, social media, and more.
The Spotify Traffic Accelerator: Join the hundreds of artists who have successfully learned to automate their growth on Spotify using paid ads on Instagram.
Become a DuPree X Artist: Hire our team to manage your marketing across streaming platforms and social media so you can focus on what matters most—making music.
Whenever you're ready, there are four ways I can help you:
Subscribe to the Newsletter: Join our growing network of artists, creators, and entrepreneurs by receiving The One Thing directly to your inbox every week.
Book a Consultation: Schedule a one-on-one call with me to improve your marketing across paid advertising, social media, and more.
The Spotify Traffic Accelerator: Join the hundreds of artists who have successfully learned to automate their growth on Spotify using paid ads on Instagram.
Become a DuPree X Artist: Hire our team to manage your marketing across streaming platforms and social media so you can focus on what matters most—making music.
Whenever you're ready, there are four ways I can help you:
Subscribe to the Newsletter: Join our growing network of artists, creators, and entrepreneurs by receiving The One Thing directly to your inbox every week.
Book a Consultation: Schedule a one-on-one call with me to improve your marketing across paid advertising, social media, and more.
The Spotify Traffic Accelerator: Join the hundreds of artists who have successfully learned to automate their growth on Spotify using paid ads on Instagram.
Become a DuPree X Artist: Hire our team to manage your marketing across streaming platforms and social media so you can focus on what matters most—making music.