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Understanding Pre-Saves, Pre-Adds, and Pre-Orders

  • Updated

Music pre-saves, pre-adds, and pre-orders, are promotional strategies used in the music business to promote music before its official release date. These promotional tools are a way for your fans and listeners to show their support for your upcoming music release, and in some cases, get a sneak peek!

What are Pre-saves, Pre-adds, and Pre-orders?

Platform offering

How it works

How to sign up

Spotify Pre-save

(streaming)
  • When a fan clicks your pre-save link, they're brought to a page that allows them to “pre-save” your upcoming track or album.
  • This ensures your track is added to your fan's Spotify library the moment that track is released.
 Spotify pre-save can be set up via Show.co. Learn how here.

Apple Music Pre-add (streaming)
  • Pre-adds allow listeners to hear one or more songs from a release before it is available for streaming.
  • When a fan uses this feature, Apple Music will automatically add the complete release to their library once it’s available.
 To enable your release for pre-add on Apple Music, you must sign up for iTunes Pre-Order (they go hand-in-hand). Requires one instant gratification track. 

iTunes Pre-Order

(download)
  • iTunes pre-orders allow listeners to purchase your album before the release date.
  • This may also include access to an instant gratification track.
  • Once the album reaches its release date, the tracks automatically download to a customer's library.
 Sign up within the CD Baby submission flow (see eligibility info below).

Amazon Music Pre-Order (download)
  • Works much like iTunes Pre-Order! 👆
  • The pre-order date you select for iTunes will also apply for Amazon Music.
 Sign up within the CD Baby submission flow (see eligibility info below).

 

Eligibility for iTunes and Amazon Pre-Orders

In order to be eligible for iTunes or Amazon pre-order, the following must be true for your release:

  • The release date must be more than 7 days from your pre-order date (i.e. the pre-order must run for a minimum of 1 week).
  • We recommend giving yourself at least a 30 day lead time to account for inspection, processing, delivery, etc.
  • It takes a minimum of 5 business days from the date of delivery for pre-order albums to appear on iTunes. 
  • Your pre-order can run for a minimum of one-week and a maximum of six months before it must hit its release date. 
  • Pre-orders are available for Albums submissions only, not singles.

Please note: if the dates you select don't meet the criteria above, or if the release is delivered less than 10 days before the release date, the pre-order will not be processed by our partners. 

Instant Gratification Tracks

  • Pre-orders can have one "Instant Gratification" track, which allows anyone to purchase or stream the track during the pre-order period regardless of whether they pre-order the full album.
    apple music instant grat.png
  • You will have the option to select this track during the sign up process. 
  • Albums are only eligible for an instant gratification track if they have 11 or more tracks.
  • Instant gratification tracks must be less than 10 minutes in length.
  • The instant gratification track can't be changed or disabled once the release has been delivered to iTunes.

iTunes Pre-Order sign up

  • If your album meets the eligibility requirements above, the option to add iTunes pre-order will become available within the album setup process.itues pre order 2.png
  • If you don't see this option when setting up your release, your release is not eligible for pre-order given the specifications you entered. 

Amazon Pre-Orders

  • Amazon pre-orders are linked to the pre-order date that you set for iTunes,
  • A customer will be able to purchase the music, but it won't be available for download until the specified release date.amazon music.png
  • The instant gratification track can be streamed in the meantime. 

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