I Waterfall Released My Debut Album. Here's What Happened.

Summary

In this video, an independent artist discusses their experience using the waterfall release strategy for their debut album. They explain releasing singles, then EPs, and finally the full album, analyzing Spotify data and sharing key takeaways. Despite some misconceptions about data stacking, the strategy proved beneficial for streams and playlist placements. The artist concludes that singles and albums are crucial for growth, emphasizing the importance of successful songs before an album release. They also note the need to pitch new songs to Spotify for better visibility.

Takeaways

• 🎶 The artist used a 'waterfall release system' for their album, releasing songs incrementally and re-releasing them as part of an EP and then as a full album.
• 🔄 They released 8 singles from their 10-song album, followed by 2 EPs, and finally the full album, resulting in a total of 17 releases for the songs.
• 📈 The waterfall strategy was intended to stack data on Spotify for each song, using the same ISRC code for all releases to accumulate streams and other metrics.
• 🤔 Contrary to expectations, the artist found that saves and playlist data did not carry over between releases, with each release having its own unique URI and popularity score on Spotify.
• 🎯 The artist discovered that the popularity scores for their top songs were reset to zero after the full album release, which initially led to a decrease in daily streams and listeners.
• 🚀 However, a 'Discover Weekly' feature on Spotify helped to boost the album's popularity scores and streams, suggesting that full album releases may indeed compound data over time.
• 💡 The artist concluded that singles are effective for catalog growth on Spotify and should continue to be released, but with new songs included in future waterfall strategies to maintain algorithmic opportunities.
• 💽 Releasing albums is still beneficial, as the artist's first album cycle has shown positive signs for their career, despite initial challenges.
• 🏆 Having successful songs before an album release can significantly enhance the album's impact, as these songs can lift the album's performance on platforms like Spotify.
• 🔄 The artist suggests that the waterfall release strategy can work, but it requires careful planning, particularly ensuring that new songs are included in releases to maintain momentum and visibility.
• 👀 For those unfamiliar with the waterfall release strategy, the artist recommends watching a previous video they made that explains the process in detail.

Q & A

What is the waterfall release system mentioned in the script?

The waterfall release system is a strategy where an artist releases songs incrementally, starting with one song and then releasing additional songs in subsequent releases, potentially culminating in an album release. It's designed to build anticipation and maintain listener engagement over time.

Why did the artist choose to use the waterfall release system for their album?

The artist chose the waterfall release system to stack all of their data on Spotify, theoretically allowing streams, saves, and other metrics to accumulate on the same root file for each song, thus potentially increasing the visibility and success of the tracks.

How many songs were released individually before the album release according to the script?

The artist released eight songs from their 10-song album as individual singles on Spotify before the album release.

What were the two EPs released by the artist, and how did they fit into the waterfall strategy?

The artist released two EPs, 'dark' and 'light', as part of the waterfall strategy. The 'dark' EP was released using a forward waterfall strategy, starting from the top of the album, while the 'light' EP was released in reverse order.

How many times has the song 'Hero' been released according to the script?

The song 'Hero' has been released six times as part of the artist's waterfall release strategy.

What was the artist's initial understanding of how the waterfall release strategy would affect playlist placements and algorithmic opportunities?

The artist initially believed that the popularity score, which determines eligibility for algorithmic and editorial playlists, would carry over from one release to the next, maintaining the song's momentum on platforms like Spotify.

What did the artist discover about the waterfall release strategy after implementing it?

The artist discovered that while streams did accumulate on the root ISRC code, the popularity scores did not carry over between releases. Each release had its own unique URI, affecting the song's eligibility for playlists.

What unexpected outcome did the artist experience after releasing the full-length album?

After releasing the full-length album, the artist noticed that the popularity scores for their top songs tanked and reset to zero, which they initially thought would negatively impact algorithmic opportunities.

How did the artist's experience with the waterfall release strategy affect their future release plans?

The artist learned that singles seem to be more beneficial for overall growth on Spotify and that having successful songs before an album release can help boost the album's performance. They also learned the importance of always having a new song to push within a release to maintain visibility.

What was the impact of the Discover Weekly feature on the artist's album after its release?

The Discover Weekly feature gave the artist a significant boost in streams and listeners about 10 days after the album release, suggesting that the data might compound for a full-length album release, contrary to the initial belief.

What advice does the artist give for other independent musicians considering a waterfall release strategy?

The artist advises to always include a new song in each release to maintain pitchability and visibility, to continue releasing singles for growth, and to ensure having successful songs before an album release to enhance its impact.

Outlines

00:00

🎶 Independent Artist's Waterfall Release Strategy

This paragraph discusses the process of an independent artist's first album release using a waterfall release system. The artist explains how they initially released eight songs as individual singles on Spotify, followed by two EPs, and finally, the full-length album. The strategy involved releasing songs incrementally, starting with one and building up to three at a time. The artist also provides a track listing for the album, which includes an intro and outro, totaling ten songs. The main takeaway is that this method theoretically stacks all Spotify data onto the original song release, but the artist found that while streams accumulated, other metrics like saves and playlist adds did not carry over between releases.

05:01

🔄 Reflections on the Waterfall Release Impact

In this paragraph, the artist reflects on the impact of the waterfall release strategy on their music catalog. They discovered that while the strategy stacked streams for each song, the popularity scores, which determine eligibility for algorithmic and editorial playlists on Spotify, reset with each re-release. This led to a temporary decrease in listeners and streams after the full album release. However, a spot on Discover Weekly helped to boost the popularity scores again. The artist concludes that singles are beneficial for catalog growth, and for future releases, they plan to include new songs to maintain algorithmic opportunities. They also emphasize the importance of having successful songs before an album release to enhance its impact.

Keywords

💡Waterfall Release System

The Waterfall Release System is a music distribution strategy where an artist releases songs incrementally, starting with one and gradually increasing the number of songs released at a time. In the video, the artist describes using this method to release their album, starting with individual singles and culminating in the release of the full-length album. This approach is meant to build anticipation and keep the audience engaged over time.

💡Independent Artist

An independent artist is a musician who produces and releases their music without being signed to a major record label, maintaining control over their creative process and distribution. The video's speaker is an independent artist who has released their first album using the Waterfall Release System, emphasizing the importance of self-promotion and strategic planning in their music career.

💡Spotify

Spotify is a digital music streaming service that offers a vast library of songs and podcasts from artists around the world. In the context of the video, Spotify is the platform where the artist released their music and analyzed the data on streams, saves, and playlist placements. It is central to understanding the artist's strategy and the outcomes of their releases.

💡EP

An EP, short for Extended Play, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but is shorter than a full-length album. The artist in the video released two EPs as part of their Waterfall Release System, treating them as the 'A side' and 'B side' of their record, showcasing different aspects of their music to the audience.

💡ISRC Code

The International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) is a unique identifier for each distinct product in the music industry. In the video, the artist mentions using the same ISRC code for each release of a song to ensure that all data, including streams, map to the same root file in Spotify's database.

💡Popularity Score

In the context of Spotify, a popularity score is a metric that determines a song's eligibility for algorithmic and editorial playlists. The artist discovered that while streams accumulate for a song released multiple times, the popularity score resets with each new release, affecting the song's chances of being featured on playlists like 'Discover Weekly' and 'Release Radar'.

💡Algorithmic Playlists

Algorithmic playlists on Spotify are generated based on a listener's history and preferences, using algorithms to suggest songs they might like. The artist in the video discusses how the popularity score of a song affects its chances of being included in these playlists, which can significantly impact an artist's visibility and streams.

💡Discover Weekly

Discover Weekly is a Spotify feature that curates a personalized playlist for each user every Monday, introducing them to new music based on their listening habits. The artist mentions receiving a 'Discover Weekly' spot, which boosted their album's streams and popularity, highlighting the importance of this feature for independent artists.

💡Release Radar

Release Radar is a Spotify feature that highlights new music releases tailored to a user's taste, updated every Friday. The artist discusses the importance of having new songs in each release to be eligible for 'Release Radar', which can help in reaching new listeners and maintaining existing ones.

💡Daily Streams

Daily streams refer to the number of times a song or album is played in a day on Spotify. The artist in the video noticed a decrease in daily streams after the full-length album release, which they attribute to the resetting of popularity scores and the loss of algorithmic opportunities.

💡Average Monthly Listeners

Average monthly listeners is a metric on Spotify that shows the number of unique listeners who played an artist's music in the last month. The artist uses this metric to illustrate the impact of their album release strategy on their audience size, noting a decrease after the album release and a subsequent increase after being featured on 'Discover Weekly'.

Highlights

Released first album as an independent artist using the waterfall release system.

Released and re-released songs multiple times leading up to the album.

Waterfall release system: released a song, then two, then three, and so on.

Released eight songs as individual singles on Spotify.

Released two EPs as the A side and B side of the record before the full-length album.

Total of 16 releases for the songs, including the final album.

Each song used the same ISRC code to stack data on Spotify.

Stream data carried over across releases, but saves and playlists did not.

Popularity scores on Spotify are unique to each release version.

Full-length album release caused popularity scores to reset, impacting algorithmic opportunities.

Cover art mapped to the album release, maintaining a cohesive look.

Initial drop in listeners and daily streams after album release.

Discover Weekly boost helped improve popularity scores post-album release.

Singles are effective for overall catalog growth on Spotify.

Future waterfall releases will include a new song for pitching to Spotify.

Having successful singles before album release benefits album performance.

More successful songs prior to album release result in better album performance.

Successful single versions help lift album versions in Spotify algorithms.

Transcripts

just under two weeks ago I released my

very first album as an independent

artist but I didn't start with an album

I have released and re-released all the

songs on this record multiple times

leading up to this to do this I utilized

what's referred to as the waterfall

release system wherein I released a song

then released two songs and three songs

repeating releases over time so in this

video we're gonna walk through exactly

how I structured all of these releases

we're gonna look at the data on Spotify

and talk about how things played out for

me and I'm going to walk you through

some key takeaways of some stuff that I

have learned through this process that

hopefully you can use if you decide to

Waterfall release your own music in the

future to start I released eight songs

of my 10 song album as individual

singles on Spotify after that I released

two EPS on Spotify sort of as the a side

and B side of my record and then finally

I released my full length album first

one as an independent artist now taking

a step back to the EPS technically

speaking the waterfall releasing began

with my EP roller I have my dark EP on

the top right I released three EPS

leading up to that and the same with

light on the bottom so if you're doing

the math out there all told I actually

have 16 releases for these songs 17

including this album that just came out

now before we move forward to give you

some context about this strategy this is

the track listing for my album I have 10

songs on the record technically speaking

eight full songs with an intro and an

outro on either end so if we look at the

first waterfall strategy that ultimately

ended with my EP dark I started from the

top of my record and just released the

first five songs in a waterfall strategy

now for the second EP I waterfall

released these songs as well but I did

it in reverse so for the first EP light

hero I have hero and then Daybreak with

Daybreak being the outro of the full

length album end of this five song EP so

now that the album is out this is the

complete overview of how this release

strategy has played out on the left side

you can see all of the singles I

released all eight of them on the top is

my dark EP strategy G on the bottom is

my light EP strategy and on the far top

right is the album itself with all 10

tracks if you're doing the math here you

can see that to the Wolves has

technically been released six times same

with hero it has been released six times

but if you jump over to dark you can see

that we can run has been released three

times same with Darkness on the light EP

it has only been released three times

and then in the middle the other songs

have been released sort of a varying

range in between now the main benefit of

using the waterfall strategy and the

reason I wanted to try this on my own is

because theoretically it Stacks all of

your data on Spotify so as long as you

use the same isrc code every time you

release a song No Matter What release it

is on it will map to that exact same

root file in spotify's database and

report all of the streams and data down

to that root file so Hero has the exact

same isrc code for all six releases that

it has appeared on they all map to the

exact same file now before I tested the

waterfall release strategy for myself my

understanding was that all of the data

for a song would report all the way down

to this root isrc code not just streams

but also playlist ads saves and

everything else that Spotify keeps track

of for your music and I was technically

right about stream all of the streams

for hero show exactly the same on every

one of these releases So to that end the

waterfall strategy technically does

stack data from release to release

however I was wrong about saves and

playlists technically speaking because

every single one of these releases is

its own album and they all have their

own individual album title they also get

their own unique identifier for Spotify

which they refer to as a track or album

URI so not only does every album have

its own unique URI every single track on

that album has its own unique URI and

because they're completely different

that means every single album and every

single track release of hero has its own

unique popularity and attracts

popularity score is how Spotify

determines whether or not the song is

eligible for algorithmic playlists and

editorial playlists on the platform so

things like radio release radar discover

weekly and all the way up to actual

editorial playlists on the platform all

of that is determined by a song's

popularity score so before doing the

waterfall method I thought if my

original song Hero has a popularity

score of 30 the next release will have

that popularity score as well but I was

wrong about that every time I dropped a

new waterfall single or EP in this

process none of the data seem to carry

over to the new singles in the new EP

none of the cover art changed out the

popularity scores wouldn't update the

only thing that has continued to carry

my catalog has been the original

releases not the EP stuff in the middle

and so before I released a full-length

album I kind of had it in my head that

this is how it was going to play out

once again for me but a couple of

surprises did happen first of all all of

my cover art mapped to the album once it

was out which was cool with me because I

like the cohesive look anyway as

evidenced by all of my cover however I

also noticed that all of the popularity

scores for my top song songs had tanked

so all of my songs like hero and lions

tracks that have been sort of carrying

my catalog all got reset to zero and in

my mind that meant all of the

algorithmic opportunity was gone these

are songs that had already been out so

they weren't going to be on release

radar day one because I couldn't pitch

them and now we're back at zero so I

can't get on Discover weekly as easily

as a result of this over the first week

or so of my album being released my

listeners uh gradually decreased my

daily streams gradually decreased and I

ended up sort of flatlining around 11

000 average monthly listeners whereas

before I dropped the record I was at

like 16 000 or something like that but

fortunately the Monday 10 days after the

release of my album I got a big discover

weekly spot once I got this discover

weekly boost I went back and checked the

popularity scores for the album again

and saw that they had begun to climb

this has me thinking that maybe the data

doesn't stack for re-releases of singles

and EPS however when you release a

full-length album the data actually does

compound okay so now that I've done this

process for myself what did we learn

well the first thing is singles are the

way to go for me I'm going to keep

releasing singles those seem to do more

for your catalog at large growth on

Spotify that being said if I do release

a waterfall strategy or waterfall

release any p in the future I will make

sure to always have a new song to push

inside of that release that way I can

pitch it to Spotify get on release radar

for my followers the next thing I

learned is I'm definitely going to keep

releasing albums now I'm still really

fresh into my album cycle for my first

album that I've ever released but all

signs point to this being actually a

pretty positive event for me as an

artist and then the last thing I learned

is that the more songs I have that are

successful before I release an album the

better I was fortunate before I released

this record to have both hero and lions

as songs that have continued to lift my

catalog which has helped fuel the uh

impact of the record when it first came

out if I only had songs that were sort

of like sitting at 10 popularity score

15 popularity score and below the album

definitely really would not have done as

well I'm getting a good discover weekly

push this week as a result of the single

versions of my songs not necessarily the

album versions of my songs I believe

those single versions are lifting the

album versions which then hopefully

we'll see will trigger release radar in

return and then trigger discover weekly

again in return after that I'll have to

say the more successful songs I have

leading into an album the better I think

that album will ultimately do which

obviously makes sense so I hope this

video has taught you a little something

about waterfall releasing your own music

now if I just did a complete flyby on

you and you still have no idea how the

waterfall release strategy Works

fortunately for you I have a video on

that very topic that I released about a

year ago explaining the nuts and bolts

of how this plays out before I even

tested it for myself you wanna watch

that you can check that video out right

here and as always thanks for watching

and I'll catch you on the next one peace

[Music]