release-management

Music Release Management

Manage music release campaigns using RELEASE.md as the single source of truth.

Folder Structure

Releases live inside an artist workspace under releases/. The full path from the sandbox root:

orgs/{org}/
└── artists/
    └── {artist-slug}/
        └── releases/
            └── {release-slug}/
            └── RELEASE.md

Use lowercase-kebab-case for release slugs (e.g. blue-slide-park, debut-ep).

Example:

orgs/recoup-records/artists/gatsby-grace/releases/adhd-ep/
            └── RELEASE.md

Step 1: Identify the Release

When the user mentions a release, infer:

1. Organization — From the sandbox structure or conversation context
2. Artist — From the current workspace, conversation history, or ask
3. Release Name — Album title, EP name, single title
4. Release slug — Derive from the name (e.g. "Blue Slide Park" → blue-slide-park)

If unclear, ask:

"Which artist and release are you referring to?"

Step 2: Check if RELEASE.md Exists

Once artist and release are identified:

1. Navigate to: orgs/{org}/artists/{artist-slug}/releases/{release-slug}/
2. Check if RELEASE.md exists
3. If YES → Read it and proceed
4. If NO → Ask: "No RELEASE.md found for [Release]. Should I create one?"

Step 3: Create, Update, or Pull

User Intent	Action
Discussing a release	Read RELEASE.md, use as context
Adding information	Update the relevant section(s)
Asking for a deliverable	Pull data from RELEASE.md, generate output
Starting a new release	Create folder structure + RELEASE.md from template

Creating a New Release

# 1. Create the folder structure (from sandbox root)
mkdir -p "orgs/{org}/artists/{artist-slug}/releases/{release-slug}"

# 2. Create RELEASE.md from template
# 3. Fill Section 1 (Project Snapshot) first

Updating an Existing Release

1. Read the current RELEASE.md
2. Identify which section(s) need updates
3. Update only those sections
4. Note changes in Document History (Section 18)

Core Principles

1. Never fabricate data — Leave sections blank if information is missing
2. Be proactive — Fill sections as information becomes available
3. Respect sharing tags — [INTERNAL], [SHAREABLE], [OPS] control distribution
4. One document per release — All release info lives in RELEASE.md
5. Always confirm the release — Before making changes, confirm which release.

Sharing Tags

Tag	Meaning
[INTERNAL]	Scrub before sharing externally
[SHAREABLE]	Safe for publicists, DSPs, management, agents
[OPS]	Operations/production team reference

Document Sections

Section	Purpose	Sharing
1. Project Snapshot	Core release info	SHAREABLE
2. Release Identifiers & Metadata	UPCs, ISRCs, track data	OPS
3. Narrative & Positioning	Pitch, story, comparables	SHAREABLE
4. Artist Background	Bio, streaming history	SHAREABLE
5. Audience & Market Data	Demographics, geo data	SHAREABLE
6. DSP & Streaming Strategy	Pitches, playlist targets	SHAREABLE
7. Marketing Strategy	Campaign goals, KPIs	INTERNAL
8. Social & Digital Marketing	Organic, paid, influencer	INTERNAL
9. PR & Media Relations	Press targets, materials	SHAREABLE
10. Visual & Creative Assets	Artwork, videos, canvases	SHAREABLE
11. Physical Production	Vinyl, CD, cassette specs	OPS/INTERNAL
12. Merch	Items, strategy	INTERNAL
13. Experiential & OOH	Events, billboards	INTERNAL
14. Touring & Live	Dates, venues, routing	SHAREABLE
15. Team Contacts	All stakeholders	INTERNAL
16. Budget Overview	Allocated/spent/remaining	INTERNAL
17. Performance Tracking	Weekly KPIs, learnings	INTERNAL
18. Links & Resources Hub	All asset links	—

Generating Deliverables

See references/deliverables.md for output patterns:

• DSP Pitch — Pull from Sections 1, 3, 4, 5, 6
• Press One-Sheet — Pull from Sections 1, 3, 4, 9, 10
• Physical Production Spec — Pull from Sections 2, 11
• Marketing Brief — Pull from Sections 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8
• Tour Marketing Brief — Pull from Sections 1, 3, 5, 14

When generating any deliverable:

1. Check RELEASE.md for required data
2. Identify missing fields
3. Request missing info from user OR generate with gaps noted
4. Format per deliverable spec

Template

The full release template is in references/release-template.md. Copy this file to start a new release.

Section Deep-Dive

See references/section-guide.md for detailed guidance on each section, including:

• What each field means
• Common data sources
• Best practices for filling out
• Red flags to watch for

Workflows

New Release Setup

1. Copy template → RELEASE.md
2. Fill Section 1 (Project Snapshot)
3. Fill Section 2.2 (Track Metadata) as available
4. Draft Section 3 (Narrative & Positioning)
5. Pull artist data for Sections 4-5
6. Build DSP pitch (Section 6)
7. Continue through remaining sections as timeline progresses

Pre-Release Checklist

Before announcement, verify these sections are complete:

• Section 1: All dates confirmed
• Section 2: UPC assigned, ISRCs for all tracks
• Section 3: Pitch and narrative finalized
• Section 6: DSP pitch submitted
• Section 9: Press materials ready
• Section 10: All visual assets delivered

Release Week Checklist

• Section 6: Pre-save links live
• Section 7: Phase 2 actions executing
• Section 8: Paid ads launched
• Section 9: Press embargo lifted
• Section 17: Tracking dashboard ready

Post-Release

• Section 17: Weekly KPIs logged
• Section 17: Wins and learnings documented
• Document History updated

Example Interactions

Creating a new release

User: "Create a RELEASE.md for the new album 'Decisions'"

Process:

1. Release = "Decisions", slug = decisions
2. Create releases/decisions/RELEASE.md from template
3. Ask: "What's the release date?" (to fill Section 1)

Adding metadata

User: "Update the 'Sunrise' RELEASE.md with these ISRCs"

Process:

1. Release = "Sunrise", slug = sunrise
2. Open releases/sunrise/RELEASE.md
3. Update Section 2.2 with ISRC data
4. If file not found → "No RELEASE.md for 'Sunrise'. Should I create one?"

Generating a deliverable

User: "Generate a DSP pitch from the Midnights RELEASE.md"

Process:

1. Read releases/midnights/RELEASE.md
2. Pull data from Sections 1, 3, 4, 5, 6
3. Format per deliverables.md spec
4. If missing fields → "Missing [fields]. Proceed with gaps noted?"

Checking release status

User: "What's missing from the 'For All The Dogs' release doc?"

Process:

1. Read releases/for-all-the-dogs/RELEASE.md
2. Run through Pre-Release Checklist
3. Report incomplete sections