How to Promote a Release Without Losing Your Mind

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Promotion doesn’t have to mean gimmicks, burnout, or spending money you don’t have. In this episode, you’ll learn how to pitch your release to press and playlists, create real marketing opportunities, find your unique angle, and make release day count. We’ll also dig into what a smart post-release campaign looks like so your music keeps moving long after launch day.

This episode is taken from the masterclass, New Release Blueprint, available exclusively in The Record Label Academy. Get lifetime access today: http://otherrecordlabels.com/academy

The Release Prep Checklist: Dates, Goals, Lead Time, and Distribution

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Before you promote anything, you need a real plan. We’ll walk through how to know when your music is actually ready, how to pick a strategic release date, and how to build a workback schedule that keeps you on track. Plus we’ll cover setting measurable goals, organizing your assets, and choosing the right distributor so your release is built to succeed.

This episode is taken from the masterclass, New Release Blueprint, available exclusively in The Record Label Academy. Get lifetime access today: http://otherrecordlabels.com/academy

Why Great Music Gets Ignored (And How to Fix It)

PRESENTED BY LANDR - landr.com/otherrecordlabels

You can make an amazing record and still have it flop if the release plan isn’t there. In this episode, we break down the real reasons new music gets ignored—low effort, no lead time, weak post-release follow-through, bad luck, and even the hard truth about quality. Consider this your mindset reset before you plan your next release.

This episode is taken from the masterclass, New Release Blueprint, available exclusively in The Record Label Academy. Get lifetime access today: http://otherrecordlabels.com/academy

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In this episode, Scott talks with Silas, founder of Chalkpit Cassette Club and creator of The Next Wave, the monthly cassette-and-magazine discovery series that has quietly become one of the most innovative physical music platforms in the indie world.

***Get 20% OFF your LANDR Subscription! - http://landr.com/otherrecordlabels

Silas shares the origin story of Chalkpit — from inheriting his grandfather’s cassette collection during lockdown to building a modern music discovery club rooted in physical media, community, and long-term cataloging. He breaks down how The Next Wave evolved from one-off artist releases to a tastemaker-driven monthly compilation featuring over 400 artists so far.

They discuss the DIY beginnings of cassette manufacturing, the philosophy behind physical formats in a streaming-dominated world, and the surprising resurgence of tapes within major labels and indie communities. Silas also talks about curation, design, finding new artists online, and why variety—not algorithmic sameness—is at the heart of the cassette club experience.

This is a deep, inspiring conversation about music culture, physical formats, and building a community in an era where most people consume music through screens.

Switching digital distributors can feel terrifying — what if you lose your Spotify streams, your playlists, or your hard-earned momentum? In this episode, I walk you through exactly how I safely transferred one of my own tracks (with over 200,000 streams and dozens of playlist placements) from CD Baby to LANDR… without losing a single play.

I’ll share the simple 4-step process to move your release to a new distributor while keeping your existing ISRCs, metadata, and playlists intact. It’s easier than you think — and yes, I tested it myself so you don’t have to.

🎧 In this episode:

• Why artists and labels might switch digital distributors

• What actually happens to your stream counts and playlists when you do

• The exact step-by-step transfer process (CD Baby → LANDR)

• How to know it worked (and when to delete your old release)

• Common mistakes to avoid during the switch

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Watch the video walkthrough + download the checklist: otherrecordlabels.com/transfer

• Get 20% off LANDR: landr.com/otherrecordlabels

If you’ve been thinking about switching distributors but you’re scared of losing your stats, this episode will show you how to do it confidently — and keep your streams safe.

“If you put your artists first and try to think about what would be the best thing for them, eventually your needs will get met.”

What if a record label ignored the “industry rules,” bundled three unknown bands into a cassette box—and sold out?

Presented by LANDR - http://landr.com/otherrecordlabels

Todd White of King Volume Records joins Scott to share how his DIY indie-metal label went from a fun side project to his full-time job.

We cover:

• The cassette bundle strategy that built early community

• Why Bandcamp is more valuable than chasing Spotify streams

• How to sign artists by putting their needs first

• The $150,000 Kickstarter success story and what made it work

• Why creative, imperfect marketing beats polished “content”

This episode is packed with label-building breakthroughs, mindset shifts, and real tactics you can steal today.