GUIDE RELEASING

How to set up an album pre-order on Apple Music

A practical walkthrough of a first release — from the master file on your desktop to a live release everywhere. Written for artists who have never distributed before; no jargon left unexplained.

01

Prepare your master

Export the final mix as an uncompressed WAV — 24-bit / 48kHz is the delivery standard. Listen to the whole file once, start to finish, on headphones and on a phone speaker. Check the start and end for clicks, and leave no accidental silence at either end.

Uncompressed WAV, 24-bit / 48kHz
Full listen-through on two devices
No clipping, clicks or trailing silence
02

Artwork that passes review

Artwork requirements vary by destination. Confirm the current file, colour, text and logo rules before delivery.

3000×3000 px, RGB
Readable at thumbnail size
No platform logos, handles or URLs
03

Metadata & codes

Metadata is how the world finds you: artist name spelled exactly the same way every release, the real title with no decoration, the correct language and genre tags. Identifier codes — ISRC for the recording, UPC for the release — are assigned during onboarding; you do not need to buy them anywhere.

✦ Spelling drift is the most common first-release mistake — “Human decision”, “LaylaNoor” and “Layla N.” become three different artists in the stores.
04

Choose your release date

Give yourself runway. A date several weeks out leaves room for review, delivery and pitching before day one. Align the date with anything you control — a video, a show, a post series — so the release lands with support rather than alone.

05

Apply for your invite

Mazufa is invite-only. Complete applications enter a human-review queue subject to capacity. Submitting never creates an account; approved applicants may receive a private onboarding invitation.

06

After approval

Once onboarded, an eligible release is prepared to current destination specifications. Available reporting depends on platform data and account access.

TERMS USED IN THIS GUIDE
ISRC

An ISRC identifies a recording; reporting and royalty coverage depend on each platform and agreement.

UPC

The barcode of your release — one per single, EP or album.

DSP

Digital Service Provider — a music service such as Spotify, Apple Music or Anghami, subject to current availability.

PAGE CONTENT
Home Album Pre-Order

Review the current plan, applicable agreement, fees, deductions and eligibility before submitting a release.

How it works

Set up a pre-order

1

Schedule your album early

Deliver the full album to your distributor 3-4 weeks ahead so there's time to set the pre-order window before release.

2

Enable pre-order / pre-add

Choose the pre-order option for the release and, if you like, mark one or two tracks as instant-gratification singles available immediately to anyone who pre-adds.

3

Share the pre-order link

Promote it via your link-in-bio and socials in the weeks before release — every pre-add is a Subject to eligibility and platform review day-one listener.

4

Release day

The album lands in every pre-adder's library automatically, concentrating early streams that help you chart and get recommended.

with your release

Pre-order under the current plan and applicable agreement; fees and deductions follow those terms

With Mazufa you schedule your album and set up a pre-order, keeping ownership subject to your agreement. Pair it with a Spotifypre-save so both platforms are covered, and plan the whole rollout with the album release guide.

Questions

Frequently asked

What is an album pre-order on Apple Music?

A pre-order (pre-add) lets fans add your upcoming album to their library before release, so it's automatically there on release day — with optional instant tracks available early.

How do I set up a pre-order?

Schedule your album through a distributor 3-4 weeks ahead and enable the pre-order option. With Mazufa this is.

What are instant-gratification tracks?

Songs from the album you make available immediately to anyone who pre-orders, as a taste before the full release.

Is a pre-order the same as a Spotify pre-save?

They're the platform equivalents — pre-order/pre-add on Apple Music, pre-save on Spotify. Set up both to cover your audience.

Does a pre-order cost anything?

No. With Mazufa you schedule releases and set up pre-orders, under the current plan and applicable agreement; fees and deductions follow those terms.

Start now

Set up your pre-order under the current plan and applicable agreement.

Schedule your album across supported digital services with Mazufa. Fees and deductions follow the current plan and applicable agreement, retain ownership of your work subject to your agreement.

Your first single starts here

One invite application, reviewed by a human. Bring the master, the artwork and the story.

Apply for Invite ♪