Q: How do I add a release?
A: Click “Catalogue” in the menu, then “New release”. Please pay attention to all context-help during the release submission process – it contains essential information about how to complete each field.
Select the label you wish to release on. If the release contains songs by different artists, click the grey “Compilation” box so that it becomes selected. If all the songs are by the same artist or group of artists, enter their names in the “Artist Album” option.
Add featured artists to bundle level if they feature on all the songs on a release. If different featured artists feature on different tracks, do not add them here – you will be able to add them at track level.
Add a title, select a release type and specify format information. Finally, add tracks to the release. You can either add new tracks, or choose from tracks you’ve previously loaded onto the system.
Once you have created your new release, you can begin editing metadata in the “View releases” section.
Q: Why can’t I find my release?
A: If your release is not in the list, and you’re sure that it should be, contact your label manager.
Q: Can I edit my release after I have submitted it for approval?
A: Yes – but not until we have reviewed your release.
When all the required information for a section has been entered and saved, the tab will turn green to show that the section is complete.
When all sections are complete a link will appear at the top of the page that will allow your to submit the release to your label manager for review and approval. You can continue to edit all sections of your release until you are sure that all the data has been entered completely and correctly but, when you’re ready, you need to click the link to submit the release.
Once you have submitted your release it will become locked. You can still view all of the details that were entered but you will not be able to edit any details until your label manager has reviewed your metadata.
You will be sent an email when your label manager has finished reviewing your release. In most cases it will inform you that your release has been approved but if your label manager spots any issues with the data you have entered it may ask you to login and make some changes before the release can be approved.
In either case you are then able to log in to your portal and edit most details of the release (a few details such as UPCs and ISRCs can never be edited). When you make any changes to a release after it has been approved it will return to its “un-submitted” state and digital deliveries will be paused. When you’ve finished making any necessary changes you can click the link to have it “re-approved” by your label manager.
Warning:
Although most details are editable after a release has been submitted, you should never submit a release unless you believe everything is absolutely correct. Digital releases may be delivered to stores within a minutes of your release being approved and, although it is possible to send updates for most on-line stores, we can never guarantee that the store will correctly apply any changes made after the initial delivery.
Q: Why can’t I choose physical formats?
A: If you don’t have a contract with us for physical distribution, the system will not let you submit physical releases. Get in touch with your label manager if you want to talk about setting up physical distribution.
Q: Why can’t I add digital to my physical release?
A: If you don’t have a contract with us for digital distribution, the system will not let you add a digital format to your release. Get in touch with your label manager if you want to talk about setting up digital distribution.
Q: How do compilations work?
A: We can set up new releases using tracks from existing releases – just set up a new release, and select from existing tracks. If you’re making a compilation album, we strongly advise that you add some new material to it as well as existing tracks. Release containing nothing but music which is already available on other releases hold little to attract buyers, and therefore waste both your time and our resources.
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Q: Why do some metadata elements appear differently to how I entered them?
A: If you view the overview page of a release, you may notice that some elements – for example the title – are formatted differently to how you entered them. This is because some services require metadata to be formatted in particular ways, so we gather information from you in a modular fashion and assemble it however they need it. This means your metadata might appear differently on different services. iTunes, for example, like to append things like ” – Single” to your release title – and it’s part of the requirements for supply that we format your title exactly as they require it.
Q: How do I send audio?
A: Use the file uploader tool to send audio to us. Your audio should be a CD quality lossless files i.e. 16 bit 44.1 kHz FLAC, WAV or AIFF. No other format or resolution is acceptable. For the fastest uploads (smallest files) with no loss in quality we recommend encoding your files with the Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC).
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