For decades, the music industry has revolved around the same core principle: The biggest marketing budgets win. Labels pour millions into carefully orchestrated campaigns, ensuring that their artists dominate streaming playlists, social feeds, and press cycles. But the truth is that independent artists have more power than ever. The playing field has leveled. The key is preparation and strategy.

A great song is only as powerful as the momentum behind it, and that momentum doesn’t start on release day. It starts weeks before and carries on long after.

So, what separates a breakthrough release from one that gets lost in the noise? It comes down to three essential phases: Pre-Release, Release Execution, and Post-Release. Master these, and you can notably improve the metrics for every track you put out while building sustained growth for your project.