Putting out new music as an independent artist can be overwhelming, even if you’ve done it before. There are so many small steps that matter, from building hype to connecting with fans, that it’s easy to forget something important.
To make life easier, we’ve put together this handy checklist of 29 practical ways to get your music in front of more listeners. Take a look and see which ideas fit your style and goals. Good luck with your release!
29 Quick Ways To Get Your Music Heard
- Make a simple lyric video for YouTube or social media.
- Share a playlist of artists who inspired your music.
- Feature a track as your Artist’s Pick on Spotify.
- Host a live session to talk about the stories behind your songs.
- Post each track in Instagram Stories with a personal note.
- Ask fans to share your songs or record short testimonials.
- Write a press release and send it to local blogs, newspapers, or weeklies.
- Submit your songs for Spotify playlist consideration.
- Add your lyrics to Musixmatch so fans can interact with lyric snippets.
- Hold a listening party on X Spaces (formerly Twitter Spaces).
- Pitch your best track to independent playlist curators via SubmitHub.
- Run a short Spotify audio ad targeting new listeners.
- Design banner ads to reach fans on music sites such as Pitchfork.
- Play your full release from start to finish at a live show.
- Launch a Show.co campaign to grow your social or Spotify audience.
- Go live on Instagram or TikTok and perform a stripped-back version of a song.
- Shoot and share an official music video.
- Send an audio update to fans via platforms such as Pandora AMP.
- Feature album content in the top section of your YouTube channel.
- Update your website, bio, and music links.
- Submit your songs to podcasts that showcase indie music.
- Create a smart link to make it easy for fans to find your music everywhere.
- Repurpose your album artwork for banners, avatars, or merchandise.
- Use Question Stickers on Stories on Instagram to get direct fan feedback.
- Run a remix contest with your stems.
- Release a karaoke or instrumental version of your song for fans to sing along.
- Share a “rig rundown” showing the tools you used to record your music.
- Make sheet music or chord charts for your songs.
- Send fans a behind-the-scenes email series with stories from your recording process.
Small, consistent steps often make the biggest difference. Best of luck with your new release and here’s to getting your music in front of the people who will love it most!
