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Waterfall Release (Spotify)
A waterfall release on Spotify means releasing tracks one by one over time instead of releasing the full project all at once.
This strategy can be useful because each new single can be pitched separately in Spotify for Artists, which gives every track its own chance to be considered for editorial playlists.
In a waterfall campaign, each release is delivered as a separate product with its own UPC and Spotify URI. Instead of releasing one album or EP with all tracks at once, you gradually build the project by adding each new track to the next release.
How a waterfall release works
A typical waterfall release looks like this:
- Release the first single
- Release the second single as a new product, including:
- the new track
- the previous track
- Release the third single as another new product, including:
- the new track
- both earlier tracks
- Continue this process until the full project is complete
This way, each new release contains the newest track plus the previously released tracks.
Important requirements
To make this work correctly, the track metadata must stay exactly the same across all releases. This is important so Spotify can link the identical tracks properly.
We recommend using the track from the back catalogue when setting up the next release, to make sure the metadata matches exactly.
Once the linking between the previous release and the new release is complete, the earlier single should be taken offline.
Please wait up to 72 hours for the linking process to finish before removing the previous release.
Recommended timing
We recommend waiting at least 14 days between releases. This gives enough time for delivery, linking and pitching, and helps you get the most out of the waterfall method.
Important note about albums
On Spotify, if more than 50% of the tracks on a release have already been released before, the product may be treated as a compilation instead of an album. Please keep this in mind when planning your waterfall strategy.
Need help?
If you would like to use the waterfall release method, please contact us at labelrelations@digdis.de.
We will be happy to discuss the setup with you and answer any questions.