Apple Music Set up Best Practices for Artists

Apple Music is a major player in the music streaming world and you must set-up your profile professionally before sending any fans to your profile.  Here's a breakdown of how to optimise your presence from day one.

Claim your Apple Music for artists profile

This is your artist headquarters! It gives you control over your image and lets you analyse your music's performance.

1. Sign up for Apple Music for Artists and create an Apple Account if you have not already.
2. Tap “Request Artist Access”, and copy and paste your iTunes Store artist page link to search. To find the link to your artist page, input your artist name or the name of one of your albums in the search field. 
3. Profile Picture: Choose a high-resolution image that's consistent with your branding across all platforms.
4. Biography: Craft a compelling bio that tells your story and connects with your audience.

Utilise Pre-Adds

Building anticipation is key! Apple Music's pre-add feature allows listeners to add your upcoming releases to their libraries before they drop. This guarantees you first-day listeners and boosts your chances of landing on algorithmic playlists - Set it up here

Make the Most of Apple Music Features

1. Artist Posts: Connect with fans by sharing exclusive content, playlist picks, and updates. The Artist Content section allows you to take more control of your profile to add your personal touches by keeping tabs on your available and upcoming content all in one place. 
2. Submit your unreleased tracks for playlist consideration directly to Apple Music editors.
3. Add lyrics to your songs to increase engagement and discoverability through Apple Music's search.
4. Create your artist “Set list”
5. Integration with Shazam: Connect with fans who discover your music through Shazam.

Cross-Promote 

1. Share your Apple Music profile link and use the custom shareable assets to promote new releases and playlists.
2. Embed Apple Music players on your website and include links in your email newsletters.

Analyse Your Performance

1. Apple Music for Artists provides detailed analytics on your listeners, song plays, and playlist placements. Use this data to understand your audience and refine your strategy.
2. The Trend Identification tools help you understand which of your songs are gaining traction and where that growth is happening. This is crucial for capitalising on opportunities!

Ready to make the most of Apple Music?

Head back to the un:hurd app for more tips and resources on platform best practices.

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