Independent Artist checklist

Make sure the recording, mix, and master are final.

If you didn’t make it, make sure you have the proper license or agreement.

If you used someone else’s recording or composition, make sure you have permission where required.

Everyone who helped write the song should agree on ownership percentages before release.

Double-check artist names, features, writers, producers, song title, and explicit-content status.

Use high-quality artwork you have permission to use and make sure it meets your distributor’s requirements.

A beat lease gives you permission to use a beat under certain terms. The producer can usually still lease that same beat to other artists.

An exclusive license usually gives you broader rights and stops the producer from selling new licenses to other artists. Always read the agreement because “exclusive” does not automatically mean you own the beat completely.

Look at the stream limits, sales limits, producer credit, publishing split, music-video rights, Content ID rules, and whether the license can expire.

Only if the producer clearly gives you permission or you purchase the proper license. “Free for nonprofit use” usually does not automatically mean you can commercially release it.

Potentially, yes. Using another recording can involve rights to both the original recording and the underlying composition.

Agree on the terms before release. Decide whether the featured artist is getting a flat fee, royalties, songwriting credit, ownership, or a combination.

No. Their rights depend on what they contributed and what everyone agreed to.

Yes. Put the payment, credits, royalties, ownership, and permission to release the song in writing.

The master is the actual finished recording of your song. It is separate from the songwriting itself.

That depends on your agreements. If you funded and created the recording independently, you may own it, but producers, labels, or other parties can have rights depending on what you signed.

Publishing deals with the song itself — mainly the lyrics, melody, and composition. It is separate from ownership of the master recording.

You generally own the original parts you create, but co-writers, producers, samples, contracts, or work-for-hire agreements can affect ownership.

Copyright protects original creative work such as songs and recordings. Music can involve separate copyrights for the composition and the sound recording.

A split sheet shows who owns what percentage of the songwriting. Everyone involved should agree on the percentages before the release.

Not always. A producer may receive a fee, royalties, publishing, ownership, or a combination depending on the agreement..

Not automatically. A feature can be paid a flat fee, receive royalties, receive songwriting ownership, or have another arrangement depending on what was agreed.

Keep your song information and ownership percentages accurate everywhere, register your works with the appropriate organizations for your situation, and regularly check your distributor and royalty accounts.

You usually use a music distributor. The distributor sends your release to streaming platforms for you.

Use your final high-quality master. Most distributors prefer an uncompressed file such as WAV.

Metadata is the information attached to your release, like the artist name, song title, featured artists, writers, producers, genre, and explicit-content status. Check it carefully before submitting.

An ISRC is an identification code for a specific recording. Your distributor can usually provide one if you don’t already have it.

A UPC identifies the overall release, such as a single, EP, or album. Distributors commonly provide this too.

Choose it before submitting and give yourself enough time to promote the song. Avoid uploading at the last minute if you want time for content, pitching, and artist-profile updates.

Yes, if the song contains explicit content. Your distributor will usually ask during the upload process.

Yes. Claiming profiles like Spotify for Artists and Apple Music for Artists gives you more control over your profile and access to performance data.

Check the audio, artwork, song title, artist name, features, writers, producers, release date, and explicit status one final time.

No. Your distributor generally handles money connected to your sound recording from services it distributes to, but other royalties may be handled by different organizations.

A Performance Rights Organization helps songwriters and publishers collect certain performance royalties when their compositions are performed publicly, including some streaming, radio, TV, and live uses.

Examples include ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.

The MLC collects certain U.S. digital mechanical royalties from eligible streaming and download services and pays qualifying songwriters, publishers, and administrators.

An ISRC is an identification code for a specific recording. Your distributor can usually provide one if you don’t already have it.

A UPC identifies the overall release, such as a single, EP, or album. Distributors commonly provide this too.

SoundExchange collects certain digital performance royalties for sound recordings from non-interactive services such as Pandora, SiriusXM, and internet radio. It pays eligible recording artists and sound-recording owners.

Publishing money comes from the song itself — the lyrics, melody, and composition. This is separate from money earned by the actual recorded master.

Master royalties are connected to the actual recording people listen to. Whoever owns or controls the master may receive this income according to the agreements involved.

Keep your song information and ownership percentages accurate everywhere, register your works with the appropriate organizations for your situation, and regularly check your distributor and royalty accounts.

If money, ownership, royalties, or long-term rights are involved, getting the agreement in writing is usually a good idea.

Check who owns the music, how long the deal lasts, how you get paid, what rights you’re giving up, and how you can end the agreement.

A record deal is an agreement between an artist and a label. The label may provide money, marketing, distribution, or other support in exchange for certain rights and a share of income.

An advance is money paid to an artist upfront. In many deals, that money is recoupable, meaning certain earnings may go toward paying it back before the artist receives additional royalties.

A 360 deal can give a company a share of multiple parts of an artist’s income, such as music, touring, merchandise, endorsements, or other revenue.

You do not need an LLC just to release music. It may become useful as your career grows and you start handling business income, contracts, expenses, or employees.

If you’re treating music like a business, keeping business money separate from personal money can make tracking income and expenses much easier.

A manager helps guide an artist’s career, coordinate opportunities, and handle parts of the business side. Their pay is often based on an agreement with the artist.

Not necessarily. A manager becomes more useful when you have enough activity, opportunities, and business responsibilities that you need help managing them.

Consider an entertainment attorney when dealing with major contracts, label deals, publishing agreements, ownership disputes, or anything you do not fully understand.