How To Release An Album (The 6 Month Plan)

[@DamianKeyes]

If you want to grab the PDF checklist of this plan, smash this link: training.dk-mba.com/the6monthplan I hope this plan brings you value and I'm here to make sure that your album is a success. Massive good luck and let's work together on it. Damian :)

[@matttieglerMusic]

Demian, great content! How do you recommend? I find someone to hire to make sure all of my social is set up properly and to execute? Seems like too big of a learning curve to do it, right.

[@joshislandmusic]

When Damian releases his 6-month album plan LITERALLY 6 months before you're releasing your album 🎉

[@DamianKeyes]

Love this!!

[@charikleia_mari]

Same here lol 😂😂

[@RicHardAndHeavy]

Same 🙋‍♂️

[@taioronz]

Same

[@shannonswift2233]

Legit! It’s the same here to the exact day!

[@cekirdekci32]

Video starts at 12.14 .You re welcome.

[@interprr2630]

thanks i was done with his yap

[@Raxcblue]

12:14

[@blackatlastv]

The whole video has vital information, part of being in the music business is about managing your ego

[@deniedterms1682]

@@blackatlastv Exactly, then when artists can't break they sit and wonder why

[@paran0ia7]

The premeditation of social media material I think might be the biggest takeaway here; at least for those of us that don't enjoy that aspect. Just sit down and spend a few hours one day putting it all together, schedule it out for automated posting later (on the platforms that allow for it, and most do these days) then boom you're done thinking about it, aside from responding to comments and such. No stressing about what to post or when, no risk of forgetting to post, and the tone and energy will appear consistent throughout.

[@hekztheband]

Thanks Damo! This has helped SO much!! Ive been crafting a very ambitious album for the past 2 years. It’s in the can and I’ve been at a bit of a loss as to how to give it the release it deserves after everyone involved has invested so much time, energy and money. I feel so much more optimistic after watching this, you rock

[@DamianKeyes]

So glad to be able to help, thank you for your kind message 🙏🙏

[@Jazzmentl]

Excellent training. I've been out of the music business for over 2 decades and I'm thinking of getting back into the game to help my KZbin channel. I'm inspired by listening to this video. It's hard work - a lot of work, but very well laid out 100 mile view. I very much appeciate this. Thank you.

[@MarianaPontemusic]

Perfect timing, I just finished recording my next album 🤘 Thank you!

[@DamianKeyes]

Awesome! Glad to help!

[@Rodiniaband]

I'm sure we'd all love to see a video on the next 6 months!

[@mashbarry5067]

Trueeee

[@LoveDrunkHearts]

This is awesome Damian. So many tasks behind what you’ve mentioned but amazing for a high level overview. Please do the video on 6 months after the album too!! Big vote on this one. This is where artists fall short. That would be fantastic!

[@DamianKeyes]

I’ll work on it! :)

[@luispussick5606]

Hi damian i have a question it might be a stupid question but I'm going to ask it anyway, can make a video about how you can submit your album to award the promotion and after it is out ?! And also can an independent singer submit an album to the Grammys i really wanna know how I can do it thanks in advance😊

[@victoragun8751]

Yes please do a video for the next 6 months

[@guysurtees]

Thank you again Damian, my album is planned for release in November, I don’t have it recorded yet but I do still have two singles to release from my ‘EP’ of four songs I recorded. I’ll be releasing two singles from the album, six and twelve weeks before release date. I think I know what I’m doing, but this video has given me a better plan for the release.

[@RaepaMusic]

I'm Releasing an Album in November 2023. And this is a Timely Message.

[@Terelle365]

I am so grateful that I found you today. 🎉 Do you have the "post release or tour" video yet?

[@coolbreeze0369]

I’m planning on making an album for my senior project in HS

[@nonic4vic600]

Im happy i stumbled upon your channel imma take this advice

[@nunoandrademusicspace7590]

I'm overwhelmed with this content. coooooool 😮

[@jaykpjohnson]

thanks so much for this video, Damian, this one is honestly a super helpful resource, and I really appreciate you sharing it!! I'm preparing to release my second solo album after releasing my first last year. That one, Four Quartets, was conceived as a concept album of 16 songs broken into 4 themed 4 song EPs. I liked that strategy a lot since I could put out 2 singles ahead of each, then the EP x3 before releasing the full thing. It made for a long run time (better suited to CD than vinyl), but digitally I was able to build some momentum with each release. This one will be a 60s/70s-inspired concept album, made for vinyl (21min/side) with song trails flowing from each song into the next. Way different experience from a writing perspective. Given the genre, indie rock with a strong classic rock feel, I feel like releasing albums could be more beneficial with an older target audience than in other genres, but we'll see! I put out the first single from it in March, excited to release some more-- and I'll definitely reference your ideas here! Didn't mean to ramble on, but hopefully these ideas could spark ideas for any readers, and just wanted to give context for how much I appreciate this video. Rock on!

[@JasperLance2]

YEEEES DAMIAAAAAN!!!! UGHH!!!! I'VE BEEN MANIFESTING THIS FROM YOU.

[@DamianKeyes]

Ahhh I love this!!

[@musicbizmentors]

Please do a post release video!

[@DamianKeyes]

You got it, I will start working on it

[@johnnyriffs]

I have released 3 albums in three months this year 😉 From not writing anything at all for 2-3 years. But, its ”only” instrumental guitar backing tracks though, so I wouldnt really compare it to creating a album as a artist or a band…. No need to write solos and less melodies, no vocals etc. But at least something is happening now 🤘And maybe I stil can learn from your tips even if its not the same as releasing ”real” albums. So far I have just uploaded stuff whenever I made a new backing track, or have enough tracks for a album. (No real plan or strategy.)

[@GabyMillz]

thank you so much sir, i’m bout to go put the work in ✍🏾

[@seansley]

Follow up momentum video.. for albums and singles.. would indeed be useful. Good stuff

[@MrIantodd]

Wonderful video, thank you for making it. Would be wonderful to see a video on 6 months of momentum

[@AdeleMcAlear]

12:54 ISRC number....right? (What is an ISDN?)

[@KingTopher]

please do the next 6 months video as well!

[@DreamingWhileAwakeMusic]

Great information and video, thanks for posting ✨🙌

[@L_Russell]

I really appreciate this I haven’t really gave myself the time of day to think of a proper release until now

[@SonicDopeSeller]

Last 20 minutes is the applied power KNOWLEDGES.. DOSH!

[@ElijahMCbeats]

i got 35 mins in and realised, hang on, this voice is familiar. sounds like Damo. Yep! i was on your radioshow with you and Ace years ago in brighton. Back doing music again after years and found this lol small world.

[@DamianKeyes]

Now that is a small world! Those were great days, getting told off for swearing on radio and playing whatever we felt like ha ha! How’s things? Send me over your music I’d love to hear it 😊 DM me on IG dude

[@ElijahMCbeats]

@@DamianKeyes found ya

[@SOYOROYOS]

this video needed to come out 6 months and 2 weeks earlier LOL, i was using the single release strategy for my album

[@PolarLenny]

2:55 well damian you know me too well

[@altermoremusic]

After 11:40 I just realized I need to wait and release some singles and made some vids for my social. It is too early to prepare a synthwave release of the album I am working on, although most of it is finished. Thanks for the great tips and logical arguments. My audience is too small for a big release. I'll watch you vid further…

[@DamianKeyes]

Glad to help!!

[@altermoremusic]

@@DamianKeyes definitely! Great and logical tips. Thank you so much! I'm focused now on singles and social content. Although I planned to release an album this summer, there are a lot of tracks. But now I have to calm down, prepare and wait for a better moment as you said.

[@NickKizirnis]

This is a great great overview, how great to see an album view of the strategy. Not that I’m planning an album! Awesome plan and all true. I encourage everyone reading this to also watch the single release strategy which is amazing and works brilliantly

[@BenWasHere]

You are a gold mine, thank you!! :))

[@DamianKeyes]

🙏😊

[@The_Undiluted_Word]

Am on my first album now

[@RicHardAndHeavy]

This work is amazing, you are a true legend, all this knowledge is awesome, THANK YOU ❤

[@DamianKeyes]

And thank you for watching! So glad to be able to help 😊❤️

[@polmorgan3533]

I have two albums of ten tunes each with titles and artwork, but i'm still twiddling with mixes and deciding to redo vocals, and dithering over signing up to Distrokid, it feels like i have run out of gas on the last lap. I have been writing and recording for two years straight. but i just don't really know any people. i don't own a phone or do anything other than writing and recording. My social presence is Zero. I'm at a point where i'm reaching out like this in the comments to folks like you who seem to know better. but i know the annswer is to just get on with it and get the beats out. It gets to a point when your doing everything yourself that you need a second opinion on whats ''good' and whats not.

[@mariaduringerjacquesdelima8638]

im watching video after video, mind blown! This is really great content, thank you so much Damian!

[@DamianKeyes]

I really appreciate that, thank you so much, let’s make 2024 a big year and I’ll try and keep them coming 😊😊

[@mariaduringerjacquesdelima8638]

@@DamianKeyes yesss, i'll be there to watch, you just go a new fan!

[@An2k_khii]

Can we get the post album video??🙏🏾

[@momchilatanasoff7456]

Thank you for the great content! The post release 6 months video would be really appreciated!

[@celladoor_uk]

I am making a return in that my music pays to keep itself online and accumulates a small amount of profit. I am just trying to figure out how to enhance what is already happening. I have definitely made mistakes. I have released a lot of albums. I have basically been writing, recording and releasing albums for 8 years. I should have released singles. I didn't. But it's never too late to change. Thanks for the information.

[@oRafaNitz]

This is real quality content

[@lyricpediake3699]

thank you for this ....can you give us post release

[@genequist3859]

These days, with streaming services and convenient distributors, it's not super hard to put an album out. If you've got the gear and the material. If you want to record it professionally, it may cost you some money. But you can't go into your first release expecting to make a return on your investment, unless music is your only job and the thing you've invested your entire life in. You do it out of a need to create. You do it for fun. You do it for the educational experience. If you're doing it for the money, that's going to come through. Usually people have a good BS detector. Creativity works better when it comes from an emotional place that you enjoy inhabiting. Educate yourself, and do it yourself. Stay indie. Top 40 pap isn't art. It's a fickle mistress without substance. Don't hold yourself accountable to some corporate system.

[@Ruinwyn]

With streaming, I'm not sure how many artists are actually releasing albums, and how many are just releasing playlists.

[@seva-m]

I was going to release my album, but then I saw this video and realized I should probably stop farting around on Instagram! 🙈😂 Time to build an army of followers and take over the music world, one fart-free post at a time! 🎤💨

[@SebastianWestin]

Thanks bro, i’ll send u a tshirt in the future. 😘

[@DamianKeyes]

You’re on!

[@masboyy]

Watching from Ghana

[@DamianKeyes]

Welcome!

[@hersseptienda8682]

It's incredible that this is for free Broth! You are Crazy, and THANK YOU FOR BE WHO YOU ARE 🫶

[@prestonwoolsey2488]

Screenshots of actions to take per month: Month 1 15:28 Month 2 19:53 Month 3 22:50 Month 4 25:29 Month 5 30:00 Month 6 31:50

[@DamianKeyes]

Thanks Preston, appreciate this 🙂🙂

[@waz3128]

'Damian : ' Don't release an album, rather release singles'' Also Damian: ''Ok fine, release your album. This is how: release singles!''

[@DamianKeyes]

Hahahaa

[@sisyfosmusic]

Hi Damian! I wrote an album and I wanna release it this year. However, it's the first time I'm releasing something on Spotify. Isn't it listener-unfriendly to start with a single? I can imagine if someone likes my song and goes to my page and sees only one single that that person might think "Meh, only one song. Nevermind". What's your opinion on starting with an EP?

[@jackmanganmusic]

You rock Keyes!

[@JosiahDietrich]

I'm doing an album...but less than 6 mo out and not 50k followers...not even 200. Its a passion project for myself. Self produced on my own budget, in my home studio. An exercise in project management. It's also fitting that my 40th birthday is Oct 14. The 13th is on a Friday. I have to release 13 songs on Friday the 13th the day before my 40th birthday. Will it be imperfect, ugly, raw? Yep...the album is supposed to be. It's about the realization and feeling of time running out...facing the challenge of 40 and staring in the face what I haven't accomplished. Because of the time limit...I'm mostly using old songs never released over the years covering my journey and time up to this point. Some will be raw just acoustic and vocal. The rest of the songs...basic 4 piece rock band set up. It is about accepting and embracing the next phase of what is to come. I can reuse/recycle the material to improve upon and release as singles and better produced albums with additional new material.

[@TheBawss90]

Great video thanks for making this!!

[@DeleteScenes-o2e]

Could you turn old songs that's a year old into a new album today?? Without any problems on the distributions?? Or any other platforms from doing this

[@TROIparkerroth]

Yes please to 6 months after Album release video!!! 🙏🙏

[@DamianKeyes]

I can start working on that for sure. Thanks for the idea 🙂🙂

[@Philsbook]

Good information. Thank you.

[@rougevamp4211]

Thanks! Do we announce the release date at the beginning of the 6 months?

[@DamianKeyes]

Hey, I would announce the release date of a single around 1-2 weeks before (Roughly) depending on socials and an album maybe a bit longer so you have time to get everything ready and promote songs from it on socials. I wouldn't leave 6 months as people will have forgotten by the time it's released, maybe a month is enough time for the announcement.

[@rougevamp4211]

Thank you!

[@SonOfStone]

Great evening watch 👌

[@DamianKeyes]

Thank you!

[@RisticGlobal]

Thanks!

[@rootsextra]

Respect👍🏾💯🔥

[@joshuasy10]

2:55 this is true

[@ye77a]

thank you !

[@saurabhsharma9985]

DAMIAN there is an asian artist i known when he was blowing up he released an album to chart on billboard top 50 and he did with his album consisting of 33 songs which he uploaded on streaming platform but album was not playable and he kept hidden his features and one by one over a year he released videos on YT then only the very song on his album was playable not complete album and he reached over 500m streams over when he completed his album release, i tried to dig into it but not fount anything about scheduleing album like this on streaming platform its an interesting case would love to see your video on it or you can give reply to this comment it would be very helpful ❤❤

[@DamianKeyes]

Oh awesome!! Would love to look more into it

[@jayssandri]

Ive been releasing a song every 6 weeks for the last year and a half or so. I released my second EP a couple of days ago using the singles that i released. I am planning on releasing one more EP in the fall and then an album Early in 2025 using the songs that performed the best as well as new songs. What do you think of that idea? 🙏 Thank you sir!

[@BradleyRiot]

My album comes out October 13th, 2023… Six months to go!! Singles are planned, artwork is almost finished… currently batching content to start smashing the internet.💥 Thanks for all the guidance and checklists… Perfect timing. (What size t-shirt should I send you?)

[@DamianKeyes]

Love it!! I’m a medium!

[@BradleyRiot]

@@DamianKeyes Beautiful; I’ve got one with your name on it. :) I’ll email for shipping address!!

[@hankb5996]

where is the presave link inside Spotify for artists?

[@corporaterobotslave400]

I would prefer to have the album artwork / cover art to be finished before releasing any singles off it, including artwork for each single; that way you're ahead of the game instead of playing catch-up. I do produce my own photography / videos ~ no farming out work necessary. It also seems like it would be better to create all the merch before you release the 1st single. I'd rather be totally prepared than scrambling. Also: I didn't hear you mention registering music with ASCAP or BMI (?!) ~ why not? Seems essential if you wish to collect royalties.

[@JesseMiles]

This popped up right after we finished recording and planning to release in 6 months... How do they know??

[@davestern1225]

So I was an artist that had the followers and listeners at one time, and I took a 2.5 year hiatus because of Covid and personal life. I now have built an album, but I no longer have the audience I once had, while I feel my core is long awaiting an album, is that reason alone, enough to release the album, or should I start releasing singles again?

[@v47k1t44r]

@damiankeyes do you mean ISRC? I've never heard of ISDN. Can you help me understand that?

[@karlihoppie3547]

I filled out your form for the six month plan but unfortunately didn’t receive it. That’s a bummer.

[@DamianKeyes]

I’m really sorry I’m not sure why that happened. Would you mind emailing [e-mail] and I’ll make sure you get it.

[@jamesj9998]

Can you focus on singles but have the album available for those who want it?

[@DamianKeyes]

Yes, there are lots of different strategies. Singles work best as promotion and discovery while albums are great for monetising and capitalising. The a hard thing to do is to use albums to build discovery because of the algorithm and human consumption. I suggest using singles until you have enough momentum to get the most out of an album. Hope this helps 🙂🙂

[@lambotheproducer]

Just ya page thanks bro my KZbin gonna blow 🫡💯

[@MajorMoment]

how do you create a month worth of content in 2-3 hours? 🤯 usually takes us 1-2 hours for one short video + same for editing 🥴

[@DamianKeyes]

I’ll do a specific video on this!

[@wwest8072]

This is awesome

[@DamianKeyes]

Thank you!

[@avaonalee]

"If somebody farts, I want it in that calendar" 😂

[@JJStonemusic]

How’d he know I was going to release it anyway 😂😂

[@antoniocanuso1082]

First here Damian! 🎉❤

[@DamianKeyes]

LETS GO!

[@polmorgan3533]

I spent ten years making my way in Hollywood but then got 5150ed buy a cop's son who wanted to steal all my Gibson Guitars, Harleys. and snap on tools. he got the lot and i found myself broke and homeless. Now i'm back in Scotland. and uttely broke, I have lived as a recluse fo years and i'm really just a studio Zombie. I feel i have the best songs of my life now and certainly the best recordings i have done. but i am a dull, uninteresting person who only writes and records. So i'm really starting from scratch on the promotion/ social media side of things. I dither from posting because i feel all i have is the songs and i know thats not enough. You seem to have a lot of answers, All i have is songs and questions.

[@zacharyalves9079]

Can you use the same ISDN number if the song has been slightly changed (vocals slightly raised)

[@officialjerel]

Sounds like artists need return on investment in between singles so they can successfully get to album stage. Pumping out single after single with no real profit, sounds like a lotta debt.

[@copasetickid]

Can this strategy be applied to releasing an EP(2-4 songs) or should someone apply your video on releasing singles instead?

[@DamianKeyes]

I think this would work for that for sure, and then use the 23 day plan :)

[@slickboynae]

Hey can someone explain what a banner is?

[@DamianKeyes]

Hey! You have different banners at the tops of pages - ie your Spotify banner (the image at the top on your profile) or your Facebook/KZbin banners. They’re always the long images at the top :)

[@slickboynae]

@@DamianKeyes ok thank you!

[@benjaminnewburn]

Agreed

[@emmanuel_ladong]

❤️❤️❤️

[@Zak_Edington]

Lol dude not everyone releases music for money/popularity. I’m literally working on an album rn and the only reason I’m even making it is for my wife and for my kids when they get older. Not everything is about money/worldly recognition. And yes, it’s still an asset.

[@DamianKeyes]

@@Zak_Edington of course and I would say in that case you have won the lottery. You have nothing to prove, no goals, nobody needs to hear your music outside of people who are already engaged. This only concerns artists who feel like their music isn’t getting heard and not building an audience. Many artists pouring money into their music hoping to get opportunities and build an engaged fanbase. For everyone who is making music as a passion where numbers and opportunities aren’t the goal. You can enjoy the journey a lot more knowing that you have nothing to prove 😊

[@Zak_Edington]

@@DamianKeyes thank you man! All this social media stuff really overwhelms me. I’m going to try my best to follow your advice just for the sake of if anything were to ever come out of my music by chance or just because I am putting a lot of real, raw love into it. But if not, I have no real expectations of that and I am more than fine with it. I’m excited for it just for the sake of saying I did something and poured out the deepest parts of myself in my music to my family and friends. Thanks for your response and clarification man! I subbed ❤️

[@stringsnare]

damn.

[@amostherapper_01]

11:55

[@SonicDopeSeller]

You won me over. Can you promote my album on your page lol 😂 I have been working this process since October

[@WorldRulerMusic]

My Audience Is Over 50k

[@corvidrose9588]

I appreciate you making this but a lot of it seems really weird to me. Why are you so focused on the money aspect here? (Genuine question) I 100% get that it's one reason to release an album, but there are a lot of other reasons like working to build a thriving local scene (especially true with DIY punks), or in the case of a narrative album where you don't really care about profit, it's just the only way to realistically release the music and have it make sense. Like I know music is a job for some people but that's also not everyone making music, and even some musicians for whom it is a job work in ways that aren't releasing their own stuff. Any chance you'd do a quick rundown on what you might do differently if you're releasing something for reasons other than money, presuming you've already grown an audience? Thanks again, video is still definitely a lot to think over!

[@Ruinwyn]

I think you are confusing a album release and putting out a playlist or mixtape. Why are you considering releasing an album if you don't want to sell the album, if you don't want to sell a tour etc? If you want to put music out, feel free but it's not really an album experience to anyone.

[@CurtwoodBearsman]

2 weeks until my album release, time to condense 6 months into 14 days 😂

[@DamianKeyes]

1 week left Curtwood, good luck! Also my biggest video of the year is dropping today. 'How to release a single in 2024'. It's a big one, hope it helps 🙂🙂

[@CurtwoodBearsman]

@@DamianKeyes thanks so much! I'll be using your advice to plan out a TikTok marketing campaign for sure, appreciate your comment & support! :)

[@aj_introduction]

Pliz release the next 6 months

[@upstairscandy0764]

My website? I barely have a KZbin channel.

[@devingallucci4829]

this is the most corpo shit ive ever seen

[@thefatboyherofe]

I just came across this video and I’m dropping in 6 months Lmao

[@DamianKeyes]

Now that is timing!! Good luck 🙂🙂

[@avramdintandarei]

How can I get my backgrounds on album releases too?

[@scottharnish]

Someone has read Kiyosaki!

[@DamianKeyes]

Assets and liabilities? Deffo!

[@silentmuzik1321]

My music is amazing, But I cant get 200 follows on social media. It feels so fake.

[@Hellbound615Outlaw]

You have to win the algorithm lottery or know the right Jew