You’ve just made a banger. The beat hits, your vocals are crisp, the mix is clean, and you can’t wait to let the world hear it.
But hold up.
Before you hit “distribute” or tell your group chat to “watch out this Friday,” pause. Because here’s the truth no one’s telling you:
A great song can flop. And it’s not because it’s not good, but because the business behind it was weak.
But you can change that.
Below are 5 critical business moves you must make before you release your next single. Miss any of these, and you might be sabotaging your own success with your two eyes open.
1. Handle Your Split Sheets… Before the Vibes Fade
When the studio session is lit and everyone’s throwing in melodies, lyrics, ad-libs… No one wants to talk paperwork.
But this is where things get messy later.
If you don’t agree on who owns what — right there in the moment — you’re setting yourself up for conflict, confusion, and potentially no payout when the song starts generating revenue.
So, here’s the right move:
Before leaving the session, ask: “Can we quickly put down our splits while it’s fresh?” Even a basic email recap or a signed split sheet works. Make it official before memories get blurry.
Future-you will thank you when your song lands on a Netflix soundtrack and everyone suddenly “remembers” contributing 40%.
2. Copyright Your Work (Yes, Even You)
No copyright = no courtroom case = no justice.
We get it. You’re not Beyoncé. But that’s exactly why you need copyright protection now, before someone bigger lifts your hook or beat and leaves you trying to explain you “had it first.”
Copyright isn’t about you being paranoid. It’s about proof. It legally declares: “I made this. I own this.”
Register your song with your country’s copyright body before public release. In many countries, that includes both the lyrics and the sound recording.
3. Set Up Your Distribution Right (Beyond Just Uploading)
It’s tempting to log into a distributor, upload your WAV file, slap a cover art on it, and hit “submit.” But that’s how artists miss out on major placement and earnings.
Proper distribution is a strategy, not just a step.
Choose a distributor that fits your career goals. The goal could be editorial playlist support, monetization options (YouTube, TikTok), or transparent royalties (whichever it is, HIGHVIBES got you!).
Then set your release at least 3 weeks out, so you have time to pitch it, promote it, and let pre-saves build traction.
If you’re not pitching your song to DSPs (like Spotify or Apple Music), you’re just hoping someone stumbles on it. That’s not strategy. That’s wishful thinking.
4. Register with PROs & Collect Your Money
Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) in your country are responsible for paying you performance royalties.
Yet too many artists don’t register their songs at all. Or they register with one body and forget all the others that matter.
It is important that your song gets properly registered with your PRO, your distributor (for mechanical royalties), and publishing admin if you’re writing your own songs. This ensures every coin is tracked and paid.
If your song gets played in a restaurant in Belgium or a radio in Johannesburg, you deserve to get paid for it.
But if you didn’t register it, who gets the money? Definitely not you.
5. Map Out Your Rollout Plan
This is where the magic happens — or doesn’t.
If your idea of promoting your release is dropping a single post saying “New song out now, link in bio,” then let’s be honest, you’re not launching a song, you’re burying it.
What do we recommend?
A 3-phase plan:
- Pre-Release (teasers, cover reveal, pre-saves)
- Release Day (engaging content, listening parties, IG lives)
- Post-Release (behind-the-scenes, fan reposts, lyric breakdowns)
Align it with your brand voice. Use storytelling. And pace your posts to build momentum(not noise).
The best music in the world still needs marketing. Beyoncé has a budget for it. You need a plan for it.
If You Believe Your Song Is an Asset, Then Treat It Like One.
Your song is intellectual property. It’s a product. And it’s a potential income stream that can feed you for years. But that is if you take care of the business behind it.
Don’t sabotage your hard work by skipping the boring steps.
You may not love contracts, registrations, and spreadsheets. But the artists who do, are the ones cashing out while others are ranting on Twitter about being “underrated.”
So before you drop that track, make these five moves. Handle your business, then let your art speak.
