Roadmap
to Release
Six steps to sharing your song with your world and the world.
Welcome to your
celebration.
You've made it this far, and yet what lies ahead may be the most meaningful step of all. Sharing is a courageous creative act. It is boldly saying: I am, and I did.
We believe that a creative work is not complete without being witnessed by another. So many songs are written behind closed doors and never given the chance to reach another set of ears. We are here to change that.
A work needs to be witnessed for it to embody its full value. The other half of your song's life is realized when someone else hears it and is moved. This guide is here to help you take that step with confidence and joy.
We know sharing can feel confronting. If it didn't, everyone would do it fearlessly. So we've put together everything you need to move forward, one step at a time. We've been honored to walk alongside you.
With so much love,
I'm so excited to be with you in this space. This part of the journey (what I call the gauntlet of celebration) is one of my favorite things to witness, and I get to sit right alongside you through it.
I'll be honest: I went through this process myself and it opened up something in me I wasn't expecting. I originally wasn't going to release my own songs. And then I did. That decision changed things for me in ways I'm still discovering. You can read more about that over at lauracooper-martin.com if you're curious.
All of this is to say: I believe in what you've made. I'm here to support you every step of the way, and I mean that. If you have questions, run into anything confusing, or just want to share a milestone, please reach out.
laura.brotherskoren@gmail.comReceive Your
Recording
Your final mixes have arrived. Listen deeply. Cry, smile, cry, smile and maybe cry again. Yes, that's really your voice. Yes, that's really your song.
Getting to this stage is a triumph and you should be so proud. Once you've soaked it all in, it's time to give others the same chance to be moved by what you've made.
It's time to get ready for your release.
Decide on a
Release Date
After receiving your final mix, it's time to choose when you want to share it with the world. Is there a meaningful date connected to your song?
An anniversary? Your birthday? Another important milestone? If not, commit to a date within two months while the momentum is alive and the people in your world still know about the journey you've been on.
Once you have your release date, you can work backwards and plan for that special moment.
Design Your
Artwork
Artwork is how your song shows up in the world before anyone presses play. It tells part of your story. Creating it has never been easier.
- Head to canva.com, search "album cover," and choose from hundreds of free templates.
- Edit with your artist name and song title. Canva has free stock images, or you can upload your own.
- Download as a JPEG or PNG file. You'll use this when uploading to DistroKid.
Your artwork must be at least 1000 x 1000 pixels, a perfect square, with no blurriness or white space. The artist name on your artwork must match exactly what you use on DistroKid.
Upload to
DistroKid
We recommend DistroKid to distribute your music to Spotify, Apple Music, and hundreds of other platforms worldwide. Use our referral link for a discount: distrokid.com/vip/seven/4524147
We recommend the Musician Plus plan at $44.99/year. Upload two to three weeks before your release date to allow time for platform approval. You'll need:
- Your artist name and song or album title (please use only your own artist name, not Brothers Koren or Isaac & Thorald Koren)
- Primary genre, language, and release date
- Your .wav audio file (16-bit, 44.1kHz, stereo). You'll receive this from Kyle
- Your cover artwork (see Step 3)
- Legal names of all songwriters. Please include Isaac Koren & Thorald Koren
We recommend releasing worldwide on all platforms, at midnight in your time zone.
If you don't plan to release music regularly, consider the Legacy option. It lets you pay a one-time fee to keep your music live permanently so you can cancel your annual subscription without your song ever disappearing from streaming platforms. A wonderful option for Songwriter's Journey participants who may not release again for a while.
Spread
the Word
Start sharing at least two weeks before your release date. DistroKid makes it easy to set up a pre-save campaign so people can save your song on Spotify or Apple Music before it's even out.
The best places to share: social media (Instagram, Facebook), communities you're already part of, and email. Share with people who knew about your journey and people who who didn't. You may surprise them. They will be glad you did.
When you share, tell the story. What was the Songwriter's Journey like for you? What is your song about? What did you discover about your voice? Who are you now that you're releasing it?
If you're releasing on DistroKid, take advantage of their HyperFollow page. It is one of the most useful tools they offer. Before your release date, it acts as a pre-save page so fans can save your song the moment it drops, and becomes a landing page for your song where listeners can choose whichever streaming platform they prefer. One link, every platform. DistroKid generates it automatically with no extra setup required.
When you post, please mention that your song was created on the Songwriter's Journey with @brotherskoren. Every share helps grow our voice-positive community and helps us celebrate you.
Release
Day
The day has come. If you can stand it, stay up until midnight the night it goes live. There is nothing quite like seeing your name and your song on Spotify for the first time. You might cry. That is more than okay.
On release day, the theme is: share, claim, and celebrate! Post about it. Send the link to your friends, your family, everyone you know. Brag about yourself and be proud. Own this moment. It's yours, and you earned it.
We would be honored to share your release with the BK community. To be featured on social media or in our quarterly Sonicgram newsletter, fill out our release form below.
Submit Your Release โOther ways to share
your voice.
Releasing to Spotify is just one path. Whether you've recorded your song or written it, these are beautiful ways to share what you've made and some may feel like a better fit for where you are right now. Every form of sharing counts.
Bandcamp
Bandcamp lets you sell your music directly to your listeners, set your own price, and keep most of the revenue. If you want to recoup some of your investment, raise money for a cause close to your heart, or simply give people a way to support your voice with a few dollars. Bandcamp is a wonderful option. Many Brothers Koren journeyers have released there and been genuinely moved by people's generosity.
Patreon
If you have a community, a following, a class, a group of people who've been cheering you on, Patreon lets you share your music (and more) in an ongoing, intimate way. It's a home for your creative life, not just a single release. If this work has opened something in you that wants to keep going, Patreon is worth exploring.
Music Videos & Lyric Videos
You don't need a film crew. A lyric video made in Canva or CapCut can be a beautiful, shareable way to bring your song to life visually. Several journeyers have done this and found it dramatically amplifies the reach of their music and it's genuinely fun. Even a simple phone video of you sharing a moment with your song can be powerful.
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is a free, easy way to share your audio online with a simple link, no streaming account or annual subscription required. Great for sharing privately with loved ones or publicly with a wider audience, especially before or alongside a streaming release.
Listening Parties & Personal Sharing
Host a gathering, virtual or in person, and play your song for the people who matter most to you. This is one of the most powerful ways to be witnessed. A voice memo texted to someone you love also counts. A handwritten note with a link. A quiet moment where you press play and let someone hear you. All of it is real. All of it matters.
A few more
resources.
You may have more questions as you move through your release. Here are a few optional resources if they call to you. All of this is completely optional. The only thing that truly matters is that your voice made it out into the world.
"The only thing that truly matters is that your voice made it out into the world. We are so proud of you."
