The song is done — and then the release goes sideways because the explicit flag was wrong, the cover was 2000 pixels instead of 3000, or nobody agreed the splits in writing. Release-day mistakes are boring, expensive and completely preventable. This pre-flight checklist walks the three zones where independent artists actually get burned: metadata and rights, audio deliverables, and artwork plus rollout assets.
Tick it once per release. It runs in your browser and stores nothing, so screenshot the finished state if you want a record.
Song Pre-Flight Checklist
Metadata & rights
Audio
Artwork & release
How to use it
- Open the checklist a week before your distribution deadline, not on release morning.
- Work top to bottom: metadata and rights first — those are the changes distributors charge to fix.
- Tick items as you verify them; the progress bar shows how close to shippable you are.
- At 100%, screenshot the page for your records, then submit to your distributor.
Best use cases
- A first-time uploader who has never met an ISRC or a loudness spec.
- A busy release week where small things (lyrics typos, wrong artist spelling) slip.
- Collabs: the splits item forces the conversation before the song is public.
- Anyone burned before by a rejected upload or a wrong explicit tag.
- The two most common rejections are cover-art size and missing explicit flags — check those twice.
- Agree splits before release day; after publication it becomes a negotiation.
- Bounce the instrumental while you are still in the session — future-you will need it for sync and content.
What good looks like
A release is ready when nothing on the checklist depends on a decision you have not made: every field is final, every asset is exported, every agreement is written down. If an item stays unticked because “it is probably fine”, that is exactly the one that bites.
Frequently asked questions
Does it save my progress?
No — deliberately. It stores nothing, so you can use it on a shared machine without leaving traces. Screenshot the page at 100% if you want proof of readiness, or keep your own copy of the list next to the release plan.
Is this legal advice?
No — it is a practical checklist built from common independent-release mistakes. For contracts, splits disputes and rights questions, get professional advice; the checklist simply makes sure you ask early, while changes are still cheap.
Does it work for beats and instrumentals?
Yes — skip the lyrics-specific items and treat the beat as the master. The metadata, artwork and audio zones apply exactly the same, and the instrumental bounce item becomes your core deliverable.
Can I add my own items?
Not in this version. Tell me what is missing via the contact page — the checklist grows from what actually bites people, so your incident can save the next person a re-upload.
When should I run the checklist?
A week before your distribution deadline — early enough to fix metadata and artwork without paying rush fees, late enough that nothing changes after you tick it. Then re-run it the morning you submit, because things move.
Keep going
Pair this tool with the rest of the workshop: