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Learn how to create an EPK that makes your music easy to discover, evaluate, and share. This guide covers what musicians should include, what to leave out, how to structure an EPK, and common mistakes to avoid.
Spotify Wrapped 2026 is expected to come out on Wednesday, December 2, 2026, although Spotify has not officially announced the release date yet. Wrapped is Spotify’s annual personalized recap of your listening, including your top songs, artists, genres, podcasts, and total listening time. Here’s everything we know about the Spotify Wrapped 2026 release date, tracking cutoff, eligibility, and how to find your Wrapped when it launches. What Is Spotify Wrapped? Spotify first introduced its annua
Spotify monthly listeners can drop when people who listened to your music during the previous 28 days don't stream you again during the current rolling window. Drops can happen after playlist exposure slows, a release cycle ends, algorithmic recommendations decrease, or listeners simply don't return to your catalog. In this article, we'll break down the most common reasons Spotify monthly listeners drop, what those changes actually mean for your growth, and what you can do to turn more listener
Updated for 2026 Music metadata is the information that identifies a recording, describes a release, and credits the people behind it. It includes your artist name, song title, songwriter credits, release date, and identifiers such as ISRCs. For independent artists, getting these details right helps your music appear on the correct artist profile, gives collaborators proper credit, and supports royalty matching. Getting them wrong can mean correcting a release when you should be promoting it.
Updated for 2026 Before a playlist curator presses play, your cover art has already made an impression. Strong artwork won’t rescue a weak song or guarantee a placement, but it can signal professionalism, communicate your sound and style, and give curators another reason to take your submission seriously. In this guide, you’ll learn how album art can influence Spotify playlist consideration, what curators notice, which design mistakes can weaken your pitch, and how to create cover art that sup
Spotify’s New ‘AI Persona’ Badge Will Label AI Artists and Limit Recommendations Spotify is adding a new label to artist profiles built around AI-generated identities and changing how their music gets discovered. The streaming platform is introducing an AI Persona badge for artist profiles whose public identity may be AI-generated and does not represent a real person. More importantly, Spotify will keep music from those profiles out of its editorial and algorithmic recommendations by default.
Updated for 2026 When it comes to crafting hit songs, some advice from those who have already made it to the top can be invaluable. In this post, we'll share videos from 8 world-famous artists, each with their unique tips on songwriting. These artists have all figured out how to get on the Billboard charts within the past decade, and their insights can guide you in creating your song. In addition, we've included the top 10 tips for songwriting to help you with your music making process. Eig
Updated for 2026 Whether you’re an artist, producer, singer, manager, or label, it’s a pretty special accolade to gain traction in the upward ranks of the famous Billboard Charts. Anywhere from the mainstream “Hot 100” to the “Global 200” charts, it is something heavily recognized in the music industry, and even more so today with how much music has become a digital metric-based form of sonic consumption and business. In essence, the Billboard Charts are a weekly ranked list of songs and albums
Yes, you can message people on Spotify. This 2026 guide explains how Spotify Messages works, who you can DM, how to start a group chat, and what the feature means for artists.
Can full-length videos on Spotify help you get more streams? According to Spotify's data, the answer is yes. The company recently expanded its video offering by allowing eligible artists to upload full-length videos directly through Spotify for Artists. Instead of relying solely on distributors or label partners, many independent artists can now manage videos themselves. This is more than another feature update. It’s part of Spotify’s larger strategy to keep fans engaged inside the platform,
Updated for 2026 Independent artists today have more options than ever to access upfront capital without signing traditional label deals. One of the most common forms of independent artist funding is the music advance - also referred to as a music loan, artist advance, or royalty advance. These financing tools allow artists to obtain upfront funding based on their streaming performance and projected royalty income. This guide explains what a music advance is, how they work, and provides an ov
Last Updated: June 2026 If you’ve ever wondered how many Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, or other streams it takes to earn a Gold or Platinum record, you’re not alone. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awards Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum, and Diamond certifications based on certification units, not simply raw stream counts. Those units combine qualifying album sales, digital downloads, and eligible on-demand audio and video streams into a single total.
Spotify is introducing its new “Verified by Spotify” badge to help listeners identify authentic artists in the era of AI-generated music. Here’s what artists need to know about verification, eligibility, and improving their chances of getting verified.
Independent artists are constantly searching for the best way to promote music on Spotify. Every day, musicians spend money on Facebook ads, Instagram campaigns, TikTok content, and Spotify promotion services, hoping their latest single will explode. Most of the time, the results are disappointing. Streams spike for a few days, ad costs climb, and listeners disappear almost as quickly as they arrived. The harsh reality is that promoting one song to a cold audience is one of the weakest music mar
TikTok has become one of the most powerful platforms for music discovery, helping independent artists and major-label musicians reach new audiences every day. If your music is available on TikTok, applying for a TikTok Artist Account can unlock features designed specifically for musicians. From the Music Tab and New Release Highlights to artist profile tools that make your catalog easier to discover, a TikTok Artist Account can help you create a more professional presence and connect fans direc
What Is Spotify Release Radar Spotify Release Radar is a personalized playlist that updates every Friday and delivers new music to listeners based on their activity. According to Spotify for Artists, Release Radar includes new releases from artists a listener follows, as well as music Spotify believes they may enjoy based on listening behavior. Think of it like a custom feed built for every user. If someone follows your profile, your new track is automatically eligible to appear in their Relea
