DISTROBOLT ARTIST GUIDES
What must be ready before you book a release date?
Treat the release date as a decision that needs evidence. Before committing publicly, confirm that the master, rights information, budget and responsible people are ready enough to support the delivery and campaign plan.
Use a readiness gate
Create four columns: item, evidence, owner and status. Include final audio, artwork, credits, recording permissions, approved collaborator arrangements, intended artist profiles and the release budget. ‘Almost ready’ needs an owner and a completion date. A filename saying FINAL is not evidence that the artist approved that version.
Define the blocking items
An unresolved right to use a recording or a missing approved master should stop the date decision. A social caption that can be completed later may be a campaign task instead. Make that distinction explicitly so the team does not treat every cosmetic issue as a release blocker while overlooking a rights problem. Ask DistroBolt about actual delivery requirements before submission.
Check money and responsibility
Separate recurring distribution fees from creative services and other campaign costs. Identify the person authorised to approve orders and the person who handles delivery corrections. Do not count expected royalties as available cash for an invoice. Confirm any existing subscription and account activation before starting another payment. These checks do not require sharing passwords, payment details or private account credentials.
Make a recorded go-or-postpone decision
For example, a completed master and artwork with one unsigned collaborator agreement is not a fully cleared release. Resolve the agreement before approving delivery. Once the blocking items are complete, choose a date with room for review and corrections. Keep the signed-off checklist with the release archive and update it if the audio, rights or intended product changes. This guide supports planning; it does not promise store acceptance.
Sources and review
Reviewed 4 November 2026. Platform requirements and plan terms can change. Examples are planning aids, not a promise of account access, release acceptance or earnings.
Continue your release planning
- Change a release date before delivery: decision checklist
- Move a release date after stores have received it
Ask the DistroBolt team about your release. Send a concise question and release reference; never send account passwords or verification codes.