Within the lead-up to a launch, a powerful promo technique may help construct anticipation and drive early fan engagement.
However right here’s the issue: and not using a follow-up launch, tour, or marketing campaign, pleasure builds and peaks on launch day, then rapidly fades. It’s a cycle unbiased artists endure, nevertheless it doesn’t construct a fanbase.
That’s the place a waterfall launch technique helps. As a substitute of releasing a full album suddenly, you roll it out steadily by single releases. This retains followers coming again, helps you attain new listeners, and offers every monitor out of your bigger mission extra room to shine.
On this weblog, you’ll learn to arrange a waterfall launch and use it to spice up streams, deepen fan relationships, and get extra long-term worth out of your music.
What’s a waterfall launch technique?
A waterfall launch technique means that you can launch an album or EP in increments, releasing particular person singles you can stack to direct site visitors again to earlier releases.
In easy phrases, the waterfall method is:
- Launch a single forward of the album launch
- Launch a second single, together with the primary single on this launch, too
- Launch a 3rd single with the 2 prior singles, and so forth…
Why ought to I exploit a waterfall launch technique?
Waterfall releases enable you construct anticipation and momentum forward of a full mission, boosting streams by selling every monitor individually over time—moderately than suddenly. This method has many advantages for unbiased artists seeking to get essentially the most out of their full-length releases.
- Prolong the lifespan of your launch: Flip every monitor right into a mini-campaign to maintain momentum going.
- Maximize playlist alternatives: Releasing separate singles means that you can pitch every on to Spotify Editorial playlists and maximize different playlist placements.
- Work with the algorithm: Regular, spaced out releases drive constant engagement which platform algorithms reward.
- Entice new listeners: Singles are simple entry factors for brand new listeners. Every launch builds curiosity and attracts followers deeper into your music.
How do I exploit a waterfall launch technique?
You should utilize the waterfall method in your subsequent launch by following the steps beneath. The important thing to this method is sustaining correct ISRCs and metadata to permit streaming knowledge to hold over on re-released tracks.
Select your singles and put together paintings for every launch
Determine just a few tracks you wish to launch forward of your album. Usually, artists launch 3 singles that seize totally different sounds and themes from the longer-form work.
The waterfall technique requires new paintings for every launch. Keep away from utilizing your meant final album artwork to your singles as it is going to be unusable to your album with out cancelling the prior launch that makes use of it.
Select a distributor
CD Child makes it simple to waterfall your launch and get your music on over 150 streaming platforms worldwide.
Resolve on a launch schedule
When you’ve determined what singles you wish to launch and the way you’ll distribute them, resolve the order and timing of every single main as much as your album. It’s typical to provide not less than a month of house between releases to provide every monitor adequate time within the highlight.
Submit your first single
Submit your monitor by a distributor like CD Child and observe your typical launch technique for a single, however enhance anticipation by mentioning it’s a monitor off an upcoming full-length album.
Re-release your first single with a second single
A few month after your first single, launch a second single together with the primary single, utilizing the identical ISRC for Single 1 to re-release, together with a brand new UPC and album paintings.
Should you’re distributing with CD Child, be aware that our launch creation course of defines a single launch as one monitor solely, and an album launch as two tracks or extra. Extra data right here.
Re-release your first and second singles with a 3rd single
After one other month, launch your first two singles with a brand new third single. Once more, create new paintings and a UPC for the discharge, however use the identical ISRCs for Singles 1 and a couple of to hold over your streams.
You may promote every of your singles as a standalone launch, following our final music launch technique information for 2025 for greatest outcomes.
Necessary Reminder: Match your Metadata and ISRCs
With the intention to carry over your streaming knowledge each time you re-release a monitor, you should make sure the metadata and ISRC codes match the unique monitor. Particulars on learn how to discover your ISRCs right here.
Conclusion
Able to get began? Trusted by a rising group of over two million unbiased artists, CD Child is with you each step of the best way—from launch to promotion—providing simple distribution to over 150 streaming platforms worldwide and advertising instruments and insights to develop your fanbase.
FAQs
How do I pay for a waterfall launch with CD Child?
The waterfall launch is a technique, not a CD Child product. As such, you’ll must buy a separate submission for every launch — out of your first single to your ultimate album.
When the total album is able to come out, can the monitor order be totally different from the waterfall order?
Completely. Observe order will at all times seem within the order you’ve entered for a launch upon submitting it for distribution.
What number of singles ought to I waterfall earlier than dropping a full album?
You may launch as many singles as you want earlier than dropping a full album, however remember that as monitor quantity or whole runtime accumulate, digital streaming platforms may begin displaying releases as albums moderately than singles. Extra data on how releases are categorized throughout platforms right here.
