The Album Release Checklist from Michele McLaughlin

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We have had the privilege of working with a fantastic solo piano artist, Michele Mclaughlin, for the past year, and she continues to impress us with her active marketing approach and attention to detail.

For example, she recently released a checklist to her fans of every single step she takes prior to releasing an album — for free. It was a great piece of content and appropriate considering she just released a new album! 

Michele has also released sixteen albums independently, so she knows the game.

Go grab an album, seriously, she’s great.

Anyway, this list was too good not to share, so we asked if we could share it with our readers — fortunately for us, she said yes!

We’ve highlighted some our favorites, so that’s why some of them are bolded.

Without further ado, Michele Mclaughlin’s Album Release Checklist:

  1. Write and compose the music

  2. Title the songs

  3. Title and theme the album

  4. Write the liner notes for the album

  5. Design the artwork for the album (I use Matt Strieby at NewLeaf Design)

  6. Design the artwork for the songbook (I use Matt Strieby at NewLeaf Design)

  7. Record the album

  8. Master and Engineer the album (I use Joe Bongiorno at Piano Haven Studios)

  9. Send recordings to transcriptionist to make the sheet music (I use Rebecca Oswald or John Zechiel)

  10. Have the transcriptions proofed for errors (I use Kathy Parsons at MainlyPiano)

  11. Set up the album on CD Baby (I prefer CD Baby over Tunecore)

  12. Send barcode to designer for final design

  13. Add ISRC codes to final master for manufacturing

  14. Send CD artwork and mastered files to manufacturer (I use Diskmakers)

  15. Send Songbook artwork and final PDF’s to printer (I use Shelton Turnbull)

  16. Add songs and artwork to All Music and Gracenote Database

  17. Setup pre-sale through iTunes, Bandcamp, Amazon and Website

  18. Add album and image files to Advantage Amazon account

  19. Add songs to PRO for both accounts (I’m with ASCAP)

  20. Add songs to SoundExchange Repertoire

  21. Send album to US Copyright Office (file online)

  22. Add album and all components to my business intellectual property database

  23. Create a pre-sale landing page on website for promotion

  24. Add album to website (I use 12South Music for my website design)

  25. Add songbook and sheet music to website

  26. Create website slider images for promotion

  27. Create promotion banners for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and Instagram

  28. Create banner image for email blasts

  29. Add album to Bandcamp

  30. Add album to Bandage

  31. Add album to Reverberation

  32. Add album to Soundcloud

  33. Add sheet music to MusicNotes

  34. Add sheet music to Sheet Music Plus

  35. Add to Earbits

  36. Add to Noisetrade

  37. Announce the album via all social networking and mailing lists

  38. Write a blog post to promote

  39. Schedule Radio promotion campaign with a radio promoter (I use Ed Bonk at LAZZ Promotions or Kevin Wood at New Vision Promotions)

  40. Make a one-sheet and album bio

  41. Apply with Pandora advocate about possibly doing a Pandora Premiers

  42. Send album to Whisperings

  43. Send album to SoloPiano.com

  44. Send album to Pandora (wait at least a month after it’s released, selling and has reviews)

  45. Create and order promotional postcards (I use Overnight Prints)

  46. Send promotional postcards to entire physical mailing list

  47. Send album to the following reviewers:

  48. Kathy Parsons (send songbook as well for review)

  49. Bill Binkelman

  50. RJ Lannan

  51. Alejandro at RNA

  52. Steve Sheppard at OWM

  53. Stephen Cairns at Piano Heaven

  54. Michael Diamond

  55. Keith Hannaleck

  56. Dick Metcalf

  57. Heath Andrews

  58. Do a complete OWM Radio Package for (featured artist, album show, album review, artist interview, etc.)

  59. Do a 3 month Advertising banner on ZMR home page at the same time as radio campaign

  60. Do a 3 month Advertising scroll on ZMR pages at the same time as radio campaign

  61. Sign up as a ZMR Sponsor

  62. Send album to all music friends and family (complimentary)

  63. Enter album and songs into the following awards and music competitions:

  64. HMMA Awards

  65. USA Songwriting Competition

  66. International Acoustic Music Awards (IAMA’s)

  67. International Songwriting Competition (ISC’s)

  68. Just Plain Folks

  69. Academia Awards

  70. Indie Music Channel (IMC Awards)

  71. Independent Music Awards (IMA’s)

  72. John Lennon Songwriting Competition

  73. Grammy’s

  74. Do a 3 month online promotional campaign (I use CyberPR)

  75. Work with my marketing team to promote the album (I use 12South Music)

  76. Set up radio interviews

  77. Do a Live CD Release concert

  78. Do an Online CD Release concert with tipping incentives (I use Concert Window)

  79. Submit music for licensing in film and TV.

  80. Release album videos (YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, etc.)

  81. Do Facebook and Google advertising campaigns for promotion

  82. Market and promote like crazy

  83. Tour to promote new album

 

And there you have it! It’s lengthy, but it really pays to be thorough. Thanks again to Michele for letting us show this off, and make sure you go listen to her new album!

Have your own album release checklist? Share it in the comments below!

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