What to Do Between Music Releases: A Guide for Independent Artists

Let’s start with one of the least glamorous – but arguably most practical – ways to spend the time between releases. Organizing your assets, handling administrative tasks, and finally tackling the items that have been sitting on your to-do lists for months can help keep your music career running smoothly and prevent small issues from turning into bigger problems later on.

Downtime can be ideal for this kind of work. Without the demands of a release campaign, you can take the time to get organized and put systems in place before you start working on a new project

This can include:

• Updating or creating an effective EPK (electronic press kit)

• Auditing and refreshing your artist profiles and websites

• Organizing metadata, masters, and other important files

• Registering tracks with collection societies

• Reviewing publishing and royalty information

• Creating content and promotional assets in advance

• Updating contact lists and industry connections (more on this later)

• Reviewing your release strategy and setting goals for the next cycle

Naturally, these tasks may not be as exciting as writing songs or performing live, but they can help you build the structure and foundation you may need for a sustainable career. A well-organized, functioning infrastructure can save you time (especially when you need it to make music), reduce stress, and ensure you have the capacity to take advantage of opportunities when they arise.

One of the best things you can do between releases is to dive into the data. Every release offers valuable insights that can improve the next one – the key is knowing what to look for. Start by reviewing the release itself. Analyze its streaming performance across key platforms, whether the major ones or those most relevant to your genre, and identify which songs resonated most with your audience.

Speaking of your audience, it's important to know who’s actually listening to and connecting with your music. Examine listener demographics, locations, and listening habits. Are you still reaching the same audience, or has your listener base changed? The answer can significantly influence your strategy for future releases, from marketing campaigns and content planning to complementary activities such as touring and live performances.

Your previous marketing campaigns and initiatives are also worth evaluating. Look at what worked and what didn’t. Perhaps a certain type generated strong engagement and thus deserves more attention, while other formats failed to gain traction. Maybe your approach to a particular social media platform didn’t deliver the results you expected, or perhaps your artistic identity wasn’t coming across clearly in the content you share.

The goal isn’t just to measure performance. It’s to identify patterns, learn from them, and apply those insights into your next release cycle.

So, while analyzing data is important, it can also be helpful to look beyond streams, followers, or playlist placements and examine your music career from a broader perspective.

Have your goals stayed the same? What does success look like for you this year? Has that definition changed since your last release?

Perhaps your original objective was to grow your audience, but you're now more interested in pursuing live shows. Maybe you've realized that you enjoy collaborating with other artists more than pursuing a solo project. Or perhaps you've achieved a goal you once worked hard toward and are ready to set a new one.

Taking the time to revisit your goals and reassess whether you’re still moving in the direction you want to go can help ensure your day-to-day efforts align with your long-term ambitions. It can also prevent you from chasing metrics that might look impressive on paper but don't necessarily contribute to the career you want to build.

E-mail remains one of the most valuable tools for building and maintaining an audience. That’s because, unlike social media, it gives you direct, permission-based access to your fans’ inboxes. You’re not at the mercy of changing algorithms, and your message isn’t competing with countless other posts for attention.

Perhaps most importantly, you completely own your subscriber list. When someone signs up, they give you permission to contact them, meaning they are actively choosing to hear from you. This gives you the opportunity to build a more personal relationship with your audience through targeted, measurable communication that can deliver strong long-term results.

The key to growing your list is offering fans a compelling, almost irresistible incentive to subscribe. Most people already receive dozens of e-mails every day, and so they need a good reason to join yet another mailing list. This is where a so-called “fan magnet” comes in. Typically, it’s something exclusive that fans can’t easily access elsewhere, such as unreleased demos, exclusive tracks, merch discounts, VIP access to announcements, new music videos, or presale concert tickets.

Once you’ve decided what you’ll offer, the next step is making it easy for fans to sign up. Here are a few effective ways to grow your list:

• Add a “Join my mailing list” to your social media bios, streaming platforms profiles, and smartlinks.

• Embed a simple sign-up form on your artist website, ideally in the footer or on the homepage. If possible (and appropriate), you can also use a non-intrusive pop-up window with the form.

• Run targeted social media ads, for instance on Meta (Facebook or Instagram), that direct users to an opt-in landing page where they can access your exclusive content in exchange for their contact information.

• Collect e-mail addresses at live shows using QR codes on your setlist, posters, or merch table, or by providing a physical sign-up sheet.

Once your release is out – and your next one is still some time away – you might find yourself wondering what to post about next. The good news is that your latest release still has plenty of life left in it. In fact, a single song can generate weeks’ worth of content without necessarily overwhelming your audience.

Many artists make the mistake of treating a release as a one-time event. Instead, you can think of it as a starting point for conversations, stories, and insights that help fans connect more deeply with your music.

These are some content formats you can explore:

• Behind-the-scenes stories about how the song came together

• Songwriting breakdowns and creative decisions

• Studio footage and production insights

• Lyrics explanations and the meaning behind specific lines

• Fan Q&As sessions

• Unused demos or alternate versions

• Performance clips, whether live or recorded at home

• Gear and production breakdowns

• Stories about the inspiration behind the song

• Reactions, covers, or user-generated content from fans

Not every follower will see every post you share, so don’t be afraid to revisit the same release from different angles. Each piece of content can reveal something new about the song and your creative process – sides of your music that many fans are often interested in.

At the same time, it’s important to strike a balance. While your latest release can serve as a content anchor, your audience also wants to connect with you as an artist and person.

Mix release-related content with updates on your current projects, overall creative process, live performances, or everyday moments from life. This creates a more varied and authentic content strategy while preventing your feed from feeling overly promotional. Ultimately, the purpose of this content should be to keep the conversation going until you’re ready to share what’s next.

Daily social media posts aren’t the only way to stay connected with your fans. The time between releases can also be a great opportunity to build so-called long-term assets – these are projects, platforms, and content formats that continue generating engagement and impressions long after they’re created – even when you’re not actively promoting a release.

For example, you could start a newsletter and send updates monthly or bi-monthly, sharing what you're currently working on, upcoming plans, and occasional insights into your creative process.

You could also launch a blog, podcast, YouTube channel, or another content platform that allows you to explore your creativity in a different way while still providing value to your audience. These types of projects can help deepen your connection with fans and attract new listeners over time.

If you've developed expertise in a particular area – whether that's songwriting, production, music marketing, or performing – you might even consider creating educational content around your niche. Sharing your knowledge can help establish your credibility, expand your audience, and create new opportunities beyond your music itself.

Many artists spend their release cycles focused on fans, which is completely understandable – after all, they are the people the music is intended for. However, fans aren’t the only valuable relationships you can cultivate. The time between releases can be an ideal opportunity to shift some of your attention toward building connections within the music industry.

This could include:

• Connecting with playlist curators. While editorial playlist pitching may no longer be an option once your release is out, that doesn’t mean your playlisting strategies and efforts have to stop. Independent curators, niche playlists, and even artist-run playlists can keep your music visible. Building relationships with curators – including those behind iMusician’s playlists – can also create opportunities for future releases.

• Reaching out to music journalists and bloggers. Media coverage remains an important tool for increasing awareness of your music and expanding your reach. Developing relationships with journalists, media outlets, and bloggers takes time, persistence, and patience, but these connections can provide long-term value throughout your career.

• Networking with other artists. The period between releases gives you plenty of time to connect with fellow artists. Whether it’s organizing writing and jamming sessions, collaborating on content, performing together, or simply exchanging ideas and experiences, artist-to-artist relationships often lead to unexpected opportunities.

• Joining music communities online and offline. Surrounding yourself with like-minded creatives can provide inspiration, motivation, and a sense of belonging. Music communities can also become a valuable source of support, feedback, and encouragement during both the highs and lows of your career. Having a strong support network can be especially helpful when dealing with challenges such as creative setbacks, self-doubt, or negative feedback online.

Much of the discourse about the time between releases focuses on what’s coming next. Artists are often encouraged to think ahead, plan the next campaign, and keep the momentum going. As a result, it can sometimes feel as though you’re expected to move straight from one release to another, without ever stopping to appreciate what you’ve already achieved.

While consistency is important for building a sustainable music career, it’s equally important to acknowledge your accomplishments along the way. Releasing music is no small thing. You’ve taken an idea, turned it into something tangible, and now the whole world gets to hear it. Give yourself permission to celebrate that achievement and enjoy what it feels like to be an active, releasing artist.

The period between releases can also be an opportunity to reconnect with other parts of your life. Spending time with friends and family, pursuing other interests, traveling, or simply stepping away from your creative routine can provide valuable experience. More often than not, the experiences that you gather outside of music become important stories, emotions, and ideas that fuel future songs.

That said, taking a break isn’t a requirement. If you feel inspired and eager to create, there’s no reason to force yourself to slow down. It’s all about finding a pace that works for you. Pushing yourself relentlessly can lead to burnout, whereas a healthier rhythm can help you continue creating music for years to come.

An additional tip from us: Downtime can also be a great time to experience music from a different perspective – as a music fan! Many artists spend so much time creating and promoting music that they stop actively discovering it, even though that’s often where their passion for music began. Take the time to listen to music intentionally again, explore new genres, attend concerts, curate your own playlists, and study the work of the artists you’ve always admired.