**Guest post written by Cyber PR, originally featured on the Cyber PR Blog.

 

"Releasing music in 2025 is exhausting. When I first wrote my 12-week release timeline years ago, you could pick a date months in advance, map out a plan, and it would work.

That’s not the reality anymore. With over 120,000 tracks uploaded to Spotify every day, the landscape is completely oversaturated. Albums don’t cut through the same way because fans’ attention spans have withered down to gnat-like proportions.

And yes — it’s unfair. I know you’re tired of being told you have to always be on: posting, promoting, chasing streams, keeping up with the endless hamster wheel. But if you want to give yourself a good shot at consistently jolting the algorithms, I suggest you release singles every five or six weeks.

Why? Because every four weeks is too breakneck for most artists.

Five or six gives you a bit more breathing room.

This post is here to provide you with a step-by-step framework for how to pull this off — without losing your mind.

Why Waterfall? (Release Singles One At a Time)

The point of releasing singles on a waterfalling schedule is to keep jolting the algorithms. Every new track gives you another shot — not just at Spotify editorial consideration (where, let’s be honest, the odds are slim for most indies), but also at getting fresh attention on social media. Each release is an opportunity to showcase yourself to both your current fans and potential new listeners.

But here’s the critical part: that’s just the first step. You can’t stop at the algorithm. The next step is bond. Use the visibility to move people closer. When someone notices you on TikTok or Instagram, encourage them to like, comment, and engage. From there, you can connect in the DMs and ultimately invite them onto your email list — the place where real relationships form. That’s where fans go from casual scrollers to true supporters.
+Why No One Is Reviewing Your Album

What Hasn’t Changed (and Still Matters)

Even on a fast release schedule, some basics never go away: register your songs with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) and SoundExchange, handle copyrights and agreements with bandmates, co-writers, and session players, create strong visuals — artwork, photos, consistent branding — and keep your EPK current so you’re press-ready at all times. Skip these and you’ll regret it later.

Why We Don’t Push Pre-Saves Anymore

At Cyber PR, we’ve stopped pushing artists to obsess over pre-save campaigns. Unless your fans are diehard Spotify users, pre-saves don’t make a significant impact. Worse, pre-saves don’t build relationships — Spotify owns that data, not you. If you’re going to ask fans for something, make it count: join your email list or text list so you can actually reach them; offer early access to a track, lyric sheet, or behind-the-scenes content in exchange for sign-ups; ask for engagement that sparks conversation — a DM, a reply, a lyric vote; and celebrate superfans with polls, contests, or thank-you shoutouts. Pre-saves can be part of the mix, but they’re not the strategy. Owning your fan relationships is.
+Create a Pre-Save For Spotify and Apple Music in 4 Steps

Batching Content: The Only Way to Survive

Here’s the truth no one likes to hear: you should spend at least as much time creating your content as you do creating your music. Because the content — the 20 to 30 short videos, reels, and clips you make — is what actually gets people to the music. In 2025, they’re equally important.

Promoting a single properly takes a minimum of 10 short-form videos. Honestly? Safer to aim for 20–30 per track. Sounds like overkill until you remember how few people see each post. There’s safety in numbers.

The more content you have, the more chances you give yourself to be seen.

How to Get the Content

First, make sure the music is done — recorded, mixed, mastered — and you’re not still faffing around with it.

Once it’s finished, shift gears into visuals.

Think Through The Brand & Story

Fire up Pinterest. Build six to eight boards with moods that inspire you: think about how you’ll dress, your color scheme, the vibe, the fonts, and the energy of the track. This is your blueprint.

From there, plan your shoot (I suggest a full4-6 hours). Decide on the locations, outfits, and overall aesthetic. Hopefully, you also captured some behind-the-scenes footage while recording — use it. That raw, real material is gold for short-form content.
+The band photoshoot checklist - do's and don'ts

Ask friends for help, or better yet, hire a pro to shoot you.

Take a LOT of clips and B-Roll on the day – Stories are greedy and hog up content, and you never know when that simple cutaway of something can turn into a viral moment.

What Makes a Strong Short-Form Video

• Hook fast: grab attention in the first 3 seconds
• Keep it short: 15–30 seconds is plenty
• Show personality: let fans see you, not just stock visuals – singing and/or playing instruments is a PLUS!
• Stay on brand: visuals, colors, and vibe should match your music
• Tell a story: even a micro-story (why you wrote it, what it means) adds depth
• Think about your brand: are you funny, serious, crazy, a social justice warrior, a flirt? Make sure your personality comes through.

Why Batching Works

Consistency matters. Algorithms reward steady posting. It saves your sanity because scrambling for content on release week is misery.

It gives you variety across platforms. And not every clip will land — more content means better odds that something takes off.

Content Ideas to Batch (Per Single)

• A 5-second teaser of the hook
• A lyric snippet with text overlay
• BTS – studio or rehearsal footage
• The story behind the song
• An acoustic or stripped-down version
• Your cover art reveal
• Shoutout to a fan or collaborator
• A Shine A Light Post on your producer, mixer, masterer, co-writer, etc.
• A countdown clip with a pre-save link
• The “Out Now” announcement
• A reaction video – what does your mom think?
• A duet feature
• A Press placement or quote from the media
• A seasonal tie-in

Keep going to 20–30 with live clips, tutorials, alternate versions, fan-generated content, seasonal tie-ins, or remixes
+Easy Instagram Reels Ideas for Independent Musicians

A Word Of Warning About AI & Crap Lyric Videos

And please, for the love of everything that’s holy, do not use crappy AI videos. The novelty has worn off. Nobody likes them. Sure, use AI — but use it creatively, in a way that looks cool and is authentic to you.

Hiring someone on Fiverr to create a lyric video with stock footage is also a terrible look. Think about your brand and the message of the song before you throw money at a video. The world does not need more bad videos.

TIP: use rotor – it’s a great tool, and with a little attention, you can churn out quality and on-brand videos

How to Batch Without Burning Out

You may want to hire a video editor to help you – once the content is done, you will need it all cut down.
+Why musicians are burning out

The 5–6 Week Music Release Timeline

Here’s how to map out your cycle:


- Week 6 (Track Recorded and Mixed/Mastered)

Develop a plan for your visual story for the track, including colors, vibes, cover art, and fonts. Fire up those Pinterest Boards!

Upload to distributor and finalize metadata. Register with PRO / SoundExchange.

Batch 20–30 pieces of content.


- Week 4–5 (Build Buzz + Bond)

Start teasing snippets on socials. Don’t go too heavy on the pre-posts, as you don’t want to be like the boy who cries wolf.

Launch your fan funnel (email/SMS opt-ins with exclusives and bribes).

Make sure your Fan’s Journey is complete and it doesn’t leave fans wandering around in the ether – some raging lunatic or a cat is sure to distract them the moment you fail at shoring up your fan journey.

Schedule as much as possible in the Meta Business Suite or your content calendar.


- Release Week

Drop the single across DSPs. Announce everywhere: social media, email, and website.

Roll out 5–7 of your strongest pre-batched clips.

Host a livestream or listening party. Points for an IRL Event! Film all of that too.

Start pitching to playlists, blogs, and podcasts. Use SubmitHub; also consider using MusoSoup.
+Spotify Playlisting: How to Get Your Music on Playlists and Grow Your Own on Spotify


- Week After Release

Keep posting your remaining content.

Share press and fan reactions.

Engage directly in comments, DMs, and reposts — this is where bonds are built.

Share 3 Stories a day, mixing up your content so it doesn’t feel like rinse-and-repeat.


- Weeks 2–3 Post-Release

Go on podcasts and livestreams — even the smaller ones. They add credibility, create evergreen content, and give you clips to repurpose.

Play live if you can — whether it’s a gig, a pop-up, or a stripped-down impromptu IG live. Put the song in front of real people.

Pitch again — follow up with blogs, playlists, and curators. Use early stats, blog write-ups, reactions, or fan quotes to strengthen your pitch.

Push UGC — if it makes sense, encourage fans to make videos with your track. Repost the best ones, stitch them, duet them.

Share the “making of” — studio footage, lyric breakdowns, or storytime posts about how the song came to life.

Review your data — see what content resonated, what didn’t, and which audience responded best. Use that information to plan your next release cycle more effectively.

Mix-up your posts – don’t forget to show other posts of things that fit into your brand (this is key or everyone will think you are an arse)


- Overlap with the Next Release

While promoting this track, start preparing content for the next one.

Keep your fan funnel warm and active between drops.

Begin teasing what’s next, so your fans know you’re not disappearing.

While promoting this track, start prepping content for the next one. Keep your fan funnel warm and active between drops.
+How to build a marketing funnel to promote your music

The Bottom Line

Yes, it’s exhausting. Yes, it feels unfair. But waterfalling works — and every single you release is a new chance to share your art, bring people closer, and turn casual listeners into real fans. The buzz is nice, but the bond is where the magic happens.

When you focus on connection over streams, you’re building not just numbers, but a community and a future for your music. You can do this.

And if you’d like a capable team of grown-ups to help guide you on this journey, fill out this form — I’d love to talk to you.

Want to go deeper? Claim all my free gifts to support you on your release journey here."

 

 

Related Blog Posts:

+What Music Promo Tactics Don't Work Anymore?

+Quick tips when submitting to curators via SubmitHub

+Promoting Your Music: Email vs Social Media Marketing