Artist guides

Guides for independent artists and labels

Fourteen field guides on the things that actually move a release: the platforms, the money, and the plan. Pick one and we will send it straight to your inbox.

  • Independent artists and labels

    Spotify rewards the artist who shows up early. Build the pre-release run instead of starting on drop day.

  • Independent artists and labels

    YouTube is the biggest music platform on earth. Treat it like one instead of a video site.

  • Independent artists and labels

    A viral moment is not a career. Turn the first one into a repeatable system.

  • Independent artists and labels

    SoundCloud pays you from your own fans, not a shared pool. Learn to use the fan-powered model.

  • Dance artists and labels

    Dance music does not follow the streaming rules. Different platforms, gatekeepers and economics.

  • Independent artists and labels

    Close to a third of your income is publishing, and most artists never collect it. Part 1 shows where it comes from.

  • Independent artists and labels

    Most artists sign their publishing away for an advance they never recoup. Part 2 helps you read the deal.

  • Songwriters and artists

    Your recordings and songs earn eight royalty streams. Most artists collect from two. Get the other six flowing.

  • Independent artists and labels

    A single sync placement can pay more than 20,000 dollars. Shift the odds toward writing songs eligible for one.

  • Songwriting sessions

    A one-page template to lock in songwriter splits before anyone leaves the room.

  • Independent artists

    The artists who break out in 2026 are planning now. Five decisions and one calendar for the year.

  • Independent artists

    Drop day is when marketing should peak, not start. A week-by-week checklist that flips it right side up.

  • Artists switching distributors

    Switching distributors is the fastest way to vanish from Spotify. This prevents it from happening to you.

  • Growing labels and artist teams

    Most indie labels are one person doing six jobs. See which jobs to outsource first.