Bandcamp Release Checklist, 7 Checks Before You Share Your Album

You have finished the songs and uploaded the artwork. Before you tell everyone about your release, look at the page a new listener will see. Can they hear the music quickly? Do they know who made it? Is it clear what they can buy? A few missing details can turn a promising visit into a confusing one.

This Bandcamp release checklist helps you check the page before you share it. It is a practical plan from The Hubb, with links to Bandcamp's own guidance for the platform rules. You do not need a huge audience or a new design to use it. Work through the seven checks, then send people to a page you feel ready to show.

1. Open your release like a new listener

Start by opening the public release link while signed out of your artist account. Try it on a phone as well as a computer. Read the artist name, release title and date. Play a track and check that the music is the version you meant to upload. Listen beyond the first few seconds so you catch problems near the end.

Ask a friend to test the page too. Give them a small task, such as finding the price or telling you which track they would try first. Watch where they get stuck. Their feedback can reveal a broken link or unclear detail that you miss because you already know the release.

2. Check your artwork and page colours

Bandcamp's design tutorial says album artwork should be square and at least 1400 by 1400 pixels. It also says releases without artwork do not appear in its search, tag or Discover listings. Check the uploaded image rather than assuming the file you chose looks right on the page.

Check Bandcamp's official artwork and design guidance.

Shrink your cover on screen. Can you still recognise the main image? If the title is part of the artwork, can you read it at that size? Keep the page colours easy to read. Pick one or two colours from the cover, then check that the text and links stand out from the background. A busy background should not hide the useful parts.

3. Explain the release in a few clear lines

Write a short opening for the album description. Tell listeners what kind of music they are about to hear and what connects the songs. Add one real detail about the writing or recording. A quiet acoustic EP made after moving home gives someone a clearer starting point than calling it your most powerful release ever.

You can add more notes below that opening, but do not bury the basic facts. Put the release date and any useful credits where people can find them. Check the spelling of collaborators' names. If you include lyrics, compare them with the final recording. Your page should describe this release, rather than a plan that changed halfway through making it.

4. Choose tags that describe the music

Bandcamp recommends setting a genre on your profile and tagging releases to help listeners find them. Choose terms that fit the sound, then check what is already used in Bandcamp's browsing tools. Avoid adding unrelated popular genres just because they might attract a bigger crowd.

Our suggested approach is to start with your main genre, then add a few honest details about the release. An acoustic folk EP might need different tags from an electronic instrumental album. Ask what a listener would expect after seeing each tag. If your songs would surprise them for the wrong reason, choose a closer match.

5. Know what can appear in Discover

Bandcamp's Discover guidance lists several conditions for digital albums. They need artwork and a featured track, must be public, cannot be free downloads or subscription-only, and must be public if offered as a preorder. Standalone tracks are not listed on the Discover page. We checked this guidance on 5 October 2026.

Read Bandcamp's current Discover requirements.

Treat those as eligibility checks, not a promise of attention or sales. A standalone single can still have a page you share with fans. If you want to keep a release free, make that choice on purpose. Do not change its format or price only because you assume a listing will bring a large audience.

6. Make the offer easy to understand

Check the price shown on the public page and read the purchase options. Does the description match what you are offering? If there are several versions, name them clearly. A listener should not have to guess whether they are buying digital music, a CD or a vinyl record.

If you sell physical items, look at the photos, format details and delivery information as a buyer would. Remove outdated promises and explain anything that is not ready to send. You can use this checklist without selling merchandise at all. Start with the release you have, and make its offer clear before adding more things to manage.

7. Give interested listeners a next step

Bandcamp says followers receive automatic notifications when artists release new music or merchandise. That makes a follow request useful for someone who likes your sound but is not ready to buy. Keep your artist bio current and give them a clear reason to hear your next release.

Read the official Bandcamp Artist Guide.

For your own launch posts, choose one action at a time. A chorus clip could point to the release page. A studio story could invite people to follow you. Write a short line that explains where the link goes. Test the link from the actual post or profile, especially if you use a page with several listening options.

Your final check before sharing

The public link opens and the right audio plays.
The cover looks clear and the page text is easy to read.
The description, credits and release date are correct.
The tags fit the sound and any Discover checks are understood.
The price, format and next step are easy to find.

Save a copy of this checklist with your release files. Before the next launch, you can work through it without starting from scratch. After sharing, note which links and posts brought useful replies. A clearer page gives fans a better way to explore your work, even when growth is slow.