No label required · from $69
Music promotion for independent artists
You do not need a record deal to run a real release campaign — you need the same three levers a label pulls, at a budget that fits an independent artist. That is what Elevate does, one release at a time.
What labels actually do on release week
Strip away the mythology and a label's release week is three coordinated actions: get the song onto playlists, put paid media behind it, and generate social content around it. Chart registration supports those channels by making sure eligible activity is properly counted.
None of the three requires a label. They require someone doing the work: a curator network to pitch to, a media buyer to run ads properly, and creator relationships in markets that matter. Buying those separately as a solo artist is where most budgets get wasted.
Elevate packages the three into one campaign per release. You keep your masters, your publishing and your rights, and you pay once — no retainer, no royalty split, no contract.
A realistic independent release plan
If you are releasing a single in the next month, this is the order of operations we recommend.
- 4+ weeks out: deliver to your distributor so the song is eligible for editorial pitching
- 3 weeks out: pitch editorial yourself in Spotify for Artists (free, and only you can do it)
- 2 weeks out: book your campaign so pitching and creative are ready for release day
- Release week: playlist pitches go out, ad flight launches, creator videos start posting
- Weeks 2–4: ads optimise toward the audiences converting, placements accumulate
- After 30 days: review the report, then apply what worked to the next single
Who this is and is not for
A good fit if…
- Unsigned artists releasing singles regularly
- Artists with a budget between $69 and $1,500 per release
- Anyone who wants to learn what works from a clear report
Not a fit if…
- Artists looking to buy streams or monthly listeners
- Anyone expecting a campaign to substitute for a finished, competitive song
- Artists who want representation or management
Recent independent campaigns
Independent artist
Pop single, release-week campaign
- 19 playlist adds in one 30-day campaign
- 181,000 combined playlist followers reached
- Paired with a Meta ad flight during release week
Independent artist
Pop single, playlist + creator push
- 9 playlist adds
- 168,000 combined playlist followers reached
- Creator videos ran alongside the playlist push
Independent artist FAQ
- Do I need a distributor first?
- Yes — your song must be on Spotify (or have a confirmed release date) before a campaign can run.
- How much should I budget?
- Most independent artists start between $200 and $600 per single. Concentrating that on one release beats spreading it thin across three.
- Will you take my rights?
- Never. You keep 100% of your masters, publishing and royalties.
- How soon do results appear?
- Playlist adds and ad data start within the first week; the full picture arrives in your 30-day report.
Find your song and launch your campaign
Search your track, choose the campaign that fits your budget, and your rep emails you within 24 hours.
Start campaign