How to Release an EP: A Step-by-Step Guide

Key Takeaways

• Count the tracks and total the running time. Calling a project an EP does not guarantee how services will classify it.

• Lock the sequence, masters, artwork, permissions and credits before you upload.

• Submit one multi-track release, with the correct audio file and details for each song.

• Inspect the upcoming release where possible. On release day, test the public link and play every track.

• Treat a Spotify pitch and promotional posts as optional follow-up, not substitutes for delivery.

1. Choose the songs and settle their order

An EP is a short multi-track project, but its title does not determine how a service labels it. Count your songs and add their durations. DistroKid describes a common EP classification as four to six tracks totalling under 30 minutes, or one to three tracks with a song of at least 10 minutes and a total under 30 minutes. It describes seven or more tracks as an album. Check the classification on your priority services rather than treating those ranges as a universal guarantee.

Example: a four-track EP: Put an already released lead single second, between an immediate opener and a quieter third track, then close with the song that gives the project a clear ending. Total all four durations. The sequence is a creative choice; the running time and track count are the details to check against service classification.

Decide now whether a lead single will appear on the EP. If you have not released it yet, the single release checklist covers that separate launch. For this EP, check whether the returning track will use the same recording and matching details.

2. Finish the audio, artwork and permissions

Listen to each final export from beginning to end. Check the opening, ending, unwanted silence, missing sections and how the tracks sound beside one another. Name the files so you cannot accidentally attach an earlier mix to track three. DistroKid recommends final WAV or FLAC files; confirm the accepted format with your chosen distributor.

Before submission, confirm who can authorise each recording and composition. Resolve any samples, covers, guest performances and third-party artwork. Write down contributor names, roles and agreed splits rather than reconstructing them from messages during upload. Distribution of the recordings is not the same as publishing administration.

Finish one cover image for the complete EP and check its text and image rights. Specifications differ: DistroKid lists a square JPG of at least 1,000 × 1,000 pixels, while Apple Music’s cover-art guidance specifies a square image of at least 4,000 × 4,000 pixels. Follow the requirements for your delivery route and intended stores.

3. Choose a distributor and workable date

Compare the services you need, upfront and ongoing costs, future-date controls, existing-ISRC support and how corrections are handled. If those choices need more attention, use Musosoup’s distribution guide before committing to an upload. Apple recommends that independent artists with smaller catalogues work with a distributor for Apple Music delivery; the distributor also handles metadata and asset issues with Apple. Apple’s delivery guidance explains that route.

Work backwards from a date that leaves room for final files, distributor review, delivery and corrections. Add time for a Spotify pitch if you intend to make one; distributor submission does not guarantee a go-live time. Check your plan before promising a date: DistroKid reserves custom future release dates for its Musician Plus and Ultimate plans.

4. Prepare the details and submit the EP

Make one source of truth for the details

Put the EP title, intended artist profile links, release date, territories, ordered track titles and durations in one sheet. Add each song’s primary and featured artist roles, songwriter and producer credits, explicit-content flag, final filename and any existing ISRC. Apple’s metadata guidance covers titles, dates, track numbers and contributors; Spotify’s guidance distinguishes artist fields and roles. Use the sheet to keep spelling and assignments consistent across the separate track records.

Check the returning single before entering it: For the example EP, compare track two with the issued single: is it the same recording, with matching title and artist details? Matching the ISRC, audio and metadata may help retain associations on some services, but does not guarantee it. Check whether your distributor and plan let you enter that existing ISRC; do not assign it to a different recording.

Enter and review the multi-track release

1. Start a release with four songs. Select the destination services and available date, then enter the EP title, main artist identity and release-level information.

2. Upload the EP cover. Attach the correct master to each numbered position, then complete that track’s title, artist roles, credits, explicit flag and identifier fields.

3. Read the final summary against the release sheet. Check that track two contains the intended single and that tracks one, three and four each have their own correct files and details. Submit only when the sequence is final.

The controls vary by distributor. On DistroKid, singles, EPs and albums use the same process: choose the number of songs and destinations, then provide the files, artwork and release details. Pay particular attention to order and identifiers: its edit page cannot change track order or ISRCs after upload, so artists must delete and re-upload to make those changes.

5. Check the upcoming release

Watch the distributor’s processing status. Where your artist account offers an upcoming-release view, inspect the destination profile, date, artwork and full tracklist rather than checking only the EP title. Spotify for Artists shows delivered music under Music → Upcoming and directs artists to their label or distributor to update incorrect release details. If a profile or track is missing, gather the release information and report the specific error through your distributor.

If eligible, an Admin or Editor can pitch one unreleased song at a time in Spotify for Artists. For the example EP, choose one of the three unreleased tracks, not the previously issued single. Spotify asks for delivery at least seven days before release; pitching at least seven days ahead puts the pitched song in followers’ Release Radar, but does not guarantee editorial placement. The pitch neither uploads nor releases the EP.

Prepare a simple route to the full EP and draft a short post about why one track belongs on it. A pre-save page or press outreach is optional; neither fixes an incomplete delivery. For a wider campaign once the release is in order, see how to promote your release.

6. Play the live EP, then follow up

On release day, open the public EP on your priority services. Check the artist profile, cover, date, order and credits where displayed. Play all four example tracks, including the returning single, to catch a wrong file, a cut-off ending or an unavailable song. Test the link you plan to share on another device and, where you can, from the intended territory. Do not send listeners a link you have not opened yourself.

If something is missing or wrong, record the service, link, track and exact problem, then contact your distributor for a delivery or metadata correction. Spotify’s release-day guidance says to contact the distributor if music delivered more than five business days before its release date is not live; later delivery can mean later appearance. That is Spotify troubleshooting advice, not a promise for every service.

Once the EP is working, share the full-project link and give another track its own moment rather than repeating the same launch post. Listen to fan responses and compare songs as well as the project overall. Apple Music for Artists analytics includes song and album-level views, with EPs in its album category; new dashboard data can take 48 hours to appear. Use what you learn to choose the next track story, live clip or outreach target.

Before-and-after-release checklist

• Before submission: Confirm the sequence and running time; match each final file to its track record; settle permissions, artwork and credits.

• Before launch: Compare the submitted summary with your release sheet, monitor delivery and inspect any available upcoming listing. Report discrepancies through the distributor.

• After launch: Open the public EP on priority services, play every track and test the link before sharing it. Log any errors for the distributor, then review responses to choose your next track to feature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can four songs be an EP?

Yes, potentially. Four songs fall within DistroKid’s description of common EP classifications if their total duration is under 30 minutes. Check the total and inspect how your target services display the delivered project.

Can I include a single that is already out?

Yes. Submit the EP as its own multi-track release and check that the returning song uses the intended recording and matching metadata. Matching its existing ISRC as well may help preserve associations on some services, subject to your plan’s controls, but play-count carry-over is not guaranteed.

Does an ISRC identify the whole EP?

No. An ISRC identifies an individual recording, not the multi-track product containing it. Check ISRCs against the tracks on your release sheet; multi-track music products are generally identified separately by a UPC/EAN barcode. The International ISRC Registration Authority FAQ explains the distinction.

Can I check every artist profile before the EP goes live?

Not always. Use the distributor’s profile-mapping options and any available upcoming-release view, but do not assume a first-time artist can claim every account beforehand. Apple requires music to have been live for at least five business days before an Apple Music for Artists page claim can be requested.

What if I spot the wrong track order after submitting?

Contact your distributor before launch and give them the intended order. Check its correction process before making another upload: DistroKid’s edit page cannot change track order, and artists must delete and re-upload to make that change. Another distributor may use a different process.

Conclusion

Total your proposed EP’s running time, settle the sequence and choose a distributor and feasible date. Fill in a release sheet for every track before starting the upload; once the EP is live, open the public link and listen through.