The cost of delivering an incomplete or inconsistent release is higher than ever: delayed go-lives, takedowns, rejected deliveries and confused listeners who find the wrong version on the wrong platform. A pre-delivery checklist ensures every release hits a minimum standard before it leaves your system, when fixes are still free.
Why incomplete deliveries cost more than they used to
Platforms ingest automatically and reject automatically. A delivery with a missing explicit flag or a duplicated ISRC does not get a phone call; it gets a rejection code, a place at the back of the queue and, if the release date was close, a missed release. Fixing the same issue before delivery takes minutes.
Audio
Confirm the files themselves before anything else.
- Final masters in the required format and resolution, one file per track, correctly named.
- Track order matches the tracklist and the durations match the metadata.
- Versions are correct: the radio edit is the radio edit, the instrumental is instrumental.
- No test tones, clipped intros or trailing silence beyond spec.
Artwork
Artwork rejections are common and entirely avoidable.
- Square cover at the required minimum resolution, RGB, no blurring or borders.
- Text on the cover matches the release title and artist exactly.
- No URLs, social handles, pricing or platform logos.
- Explicit releases carry the appropriate advisory if your territory requires it.
Metadata and identifiers
This is where most rejections come from. Check every line.
- Unique ISRC per track; UPC assigned to the release.
- Release title, version and artist names consistent across tracks and artwork.
- Primary, featured and remix credits in the correct fields, never in the title.
- Genre, language, explicit flag and ℗/© lines set per track.
- Catalog number assigned and unique within the label.
Credits and splits
Every writer, producer and contributor listed with a role. Writer splits total one hundred percent and match the confirmed split sheet. Publishers and IPI numbers present for every writer where they exist. If any of this is missing, register the work now rather than after release, when the platform data is already live.
Rights, territories and dates
Compare the delivery against the signed contract, not against memory. Territories included and excluded, release date and pre-order date, price tier, and any platform exclusivity or timed windows should match the deal exactly. Renegotiated terms that never made it into the release record are a classic source of takedowns.
Marketing links and final sign-off
Confirm the pre-save or smart link exists and points at the right release, the announcement assets are ready, and the artist has approved the final tracklist and artwork. Then have one named person sign off. Delivery should be a deliberate act with a record of who approved it and when.