Album Planning

From the three albums that we've created, here are all of the items that we can think of in order to create your album from beginning to end.

Recording the album

Choose mastering studio
Decide final album song order
Have an idea of times between songs including fades, etc. (Will be determined during mastering)
Master album

Name the album
Choose cover art, and back tray art.
Get UPC Symbol to add to album art (Can get one from some CD stores like cdbaby.com)
Create CD silkscreen art
Clear the legal status of all cover songs, samples, and loops
Clear legal status of the art
Register songs at performance society if you wish to
Write all text of the album.
CD Silkscreen text (Some bands just have a picture rather than words. But these are all text that you might consider putting on the CD itself.)
- Band name
- Album name
- Music Copyright
- Performance society for music
- Art Copyright (if CD album art on disc)
- Track listing (Optional, but we recommend this as many albums are separated from their jewel cases)
- Band Website
Folder text
- Lyrics
- Attributions
- Copyright information
- Performance society information for songs
- All musicians that played on each track
- Thank yous
- Track listing
- Recording studio info (if applicable)
- Mastering studio info (if applicable)
- Cover photo/etc info and copyright info
- Band Website

Find CD Replicator
Determine CD run/cost/etc.
Determine formats required for album art and text, CD art and text, etc., and put the CD info into this format
Determine issues regarding photo negatives, etc.
Send Mastered Album with art info to Replicator (leave time for shipping, etc.)

Determine venue for release party
Schedule CD release for a few weeks after CD replication shipment arrives (just in case it's late!)
Write CD release party press release
Send press release to press regarding party at least 1 month in advance (3 is best!)
Send announcement to fan mailing list regarding party/new CD release
Update band website with CD Release party and feature new CD on site.

Write press release for new album (separate from the release about the CD Release PARTY)
Update the band "resume", fact sheets, and other PR text with the new album information
Update the band website to feature the new album
Make press kits for album reviews
Compile list of album review sites and send to those sites
Follow up with all review sites
If reviews come in, update the album press release and website with review quotes and clippings