The hook arrives fast
Listeners decide in the first seconds. Get to the hook or a strong line early, and make the first 10 seconds work alone as a short video.
Hits & ideas
What helps a song travel, what to post, how artists get paid and what to clear before you release. Have a question? Ask the AI.
What helps a song travel today
One line people can repeat
A simple phrase, a dance move or a sound people can reuse in their own videos travels further than a complex verse.
Short-form video first
Most songs are discovered on TikTok, Reels and Shorts before streaming. Prepare several clips of the same moment before release.
Your story is the difference
Fans attach to a person, not only a beat. Your storytelling page here feeds your captions and interviews.
Consistency beats one viral moment
Release regularly and keep posting between releases so each song starts with more fans than the last.
Check live charts every week
Trends change weekly. Check Spotify Charts, Apple Music, Boomplay and Audiomack trending and TikTok Creative Center for your country.
Content ideas for artists
- Song lyrics on screen
- Merch you have available
- Your writing process
- Your workspace
- Songs that inspire you
- In the studio
- Favourite childhood songs
- Singing or playing videos
- Behind the scenes of the current project
- Your goals
- Music video snippets
- Why you are an artist
- Sneak peek of upcoming releases
- How you beat writer’s block
- Upcoming show dates
- Cover art reveal
- Personal life updates (what you choose to share)
- Your work from 1, 5 and 10 years ago
- Live sessions
- Duets and remixes with fans
30 days of content
- Day 1Show your studio or rehearsal spaceReel
- Day 2Official photo with a short line about who you arePhoto
- Day 3How you write a song: from idea to hookReel
- Day 4Clip of your latest performanceReel
- Day 5What inspires you (place, artist, moment)Carousel
- Day 6A fun fact about youStory
- Day 7Where you always hang out in your cityReel
- Day 8A quote that drives youPhoto
- Day 9Where you are from: your roots and your soundCarousel
- Day 10Another live or freestyle clipReel
- Day 11A day in your life (morning to studio)Story
- Day 12Your latest song with the link in bioReel
- Day 13Candid behind-the-scenes photoPhoto
- Day 14Sneak peek of a new song (10 seconds)Reel
- Day 15Last sound check before a showStory
- Day 16Tools or apps you use to make musicCarousel
- Day 17You rehearsing or recording vocalsReel
- Day 18Press, reviews or fan comments about your workCarousel
- Day 19Funniest moment on stage or in the studioReel
- Day 20A book, film or album you love right nowStory
- Day 21Selfie with a question for your fansPhoto
- Day 22Your favourite moment on stageReel
- Day 23Audio clip of your song with lyrics on screenReel
- Day 24Thank you to your fans (names, comments)Story
- Day 25Official photo of your new eraPhoto
- Day 26Performance clip with a call to streamReel
- Day 273 things your fans do not know about youCarousel
- Day 28Give something: free download, merch, a shout-outPost
- Day 29You and your fans (repost their videos)Reel
- Day 30Answer your fans’ questions (Q&A)Live
What your social media should look like
- Post 2 to 6 times a week
- 1 to 2 Reels or TikToks a week minimum
- Never let your stories run out
- Use a few precise hashtags (genre, city, song title)
- Reply to comments and messages
- Engage in your niche: comment on artists and pages in your genre
Artist weekly routine (30 minutes a day on top of studio time)
| Day | Session | Tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Content creation | Film your process, a new Reel, a photo shoot, sort your live photos and videos. |
| Monday | Clean up and organise | Answer emails, update your planner with releases, shows and ideas. |
| Tuesday | Social media calendar | Plan the week’s posts here in the planner. |
| Wednesday | Brand research | Study what works for artists you admire. |
| Thursday | Content creation | Selfies, a Reel, a video of a spontaneous beat or verse. |
| Friday | Release management | Update your release calendar, plan the next drops. |
| Saturday | Industry research | Find promoters and festivals, go to a local show, meet people. |
How one song keeps paying
Performance royalties
Radio, TV, live venues and streaming. Collected by collecting societies (GHAMRO in Ghana, BUTODRA in Togo) and paid to writers and publishers.
Mechanical royalties
Each reproduction of a composition (streams, downloads, CDs). Collected for writers and publishers.
Master / streaming income
Paid by your distributor to the owner of the recording. Rates vary by country, platform and subscription, so never trust a single "per stream" figure.
Sync licensing
Your song in a film, series, ad or game. Needs permission from both the master and the publishing owners.
Neighbouring rights
For performers and recording owners when recordings are played in public or on radio.
Shows, merch and partnerships
Live shows, T-shirts and products, brand deals and features often earn more than streams early in a career.
Music rights clearance
Master vs publishing
The master owner owns the sound recording. The publishing owner owns the composition (melody and lyrics). Clearing one does not clear the other.
Clear samples and beats
Using part of another song, or a beat you did not make, needs written permission or a licence before release.
What changes the price of a licence
Territory, media (TV, radio, internet), term, length used, exclusivity, lyric changes and the size of the client.
Split sheets
Write down who wrote and produced what, and the percentages, the day the song is made. It avoids most disputes.
Distribution checklist
- Audio: WAV or FLAC master (MP3 accepted for review here)
- Cover art: JPG, RGB, at least 3000 × 3000 px, no logos or links
- Primary and featured artist names, exactly as on your profiles
- Song title, genre, language, explicit or not
- Release date and the platforms to deliver to
- ISRC (one per song) and UPC (one per release), if you already have them
- Credits: writers, composers, producers
- Splits: name, email, role and percentage of each rights holder
- Sample or beat licences, if any
Plan the real cost of a release
List each stage with a low, medium and high option before you start. Distribution and promotion are the two lines artists forget most often.
| Stage | Low | Medium | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Songwriting / composition | … | … | … |
| Production (beat) | … | … | … |
| Vocal recording (studio) | … | … | … |
| Mixing and mastering | … | … | … |
| Cover art | … | … | … |
| Music video (optional) | … | … | … |
| Distribution | … | … | … |
| Marketing and promotion | … | … | … |
Branding map
- StrategyWho you are for, what you stand for, where you want to be in 2 years.
- IdentityLogo, colours, fonts, photo style: the same everywhere.
- StoryYour storytelling: origin, struggles, message. It feeds press and captions.
- CollateralCover art, flyers, merch, stickers, press kit, business cards.
- OnlineWebsite or link page, SEO, email list, social media, streaming profiles.
- MarketingContent, ads, press, playlists, collaborations.
- EngagementReplies, lives, fan groups, shows: fans who feel close stay.
Your music business model
Partners
Manager, label or distributor, producers, promoters, media, collaborating artists.
Key activities
Writing, recording, posting, shows, networking.
Value you bring
Your sound, your story, the feeling fans get.
Fans and audiences
Who listens, where they live, which platforms they use.
Channels
Streaming, social media, radio, shows, your own website.
Costs
Studio, beats, videos, ads, travel, team.
Revenue
Streams, shows, merch, sync, features, brand deals, teaching.