release-management

SKILL.md

Music Release Management

Manage music release campaigns using RELEASE.md as the single source of truth.

Folder Structure

Releases live inside an artist workspace under releases/. The full path from the sandbox root:

orgs/{org}/
└── artists/
    └── {artist-slug}/
        └── releases/
            └── {release-slug}/
            └── RELEASE.md

Use lowercase-kebab-case for release slugs (e.g. blue-slide-park, debut-ep).
Example:

orgs/recoup-records/artists/gatsby-grace/releases/adhd-ep/
            └── RELEASE.md

Step 1: Identify the Release

When the user mentions a release, infer:

Organization — From the sandbox structure or conversation context

Artist — From the current workspace, conversation history, or ask

Release Name — Album title, EP name, single title

Release slug — Derive from the name (e.g. "Blue Slide Park" → blue-slide-park)

If unclear, ask:

"Which artist and release are you referring to?"

Step 2: Check if RELEASE.md Exists

Once artist and release are identified:

1. Navigate to: orgs/{org}/artists/{artist-slug}/releases/{release-slug}/
2. Check if RELEASE.md exists
3. If YES → Read it and proceed
4. If NO → Ask: "No RELEASE.md found for [Release]. Should I create one?"

Step 3: Create, Update, or Pull

User Intent
Action

Discussing a release
Read RELEASE.md, use as context

Adding information
Update the relevant section(s)

Asking for a deliverable
Pull data from RELEASE.md, generate output

Starting a new release
Create folder structure + RELEASE.md from template

Creating a New Release

# 1. Create the folder structure (from sandbox root)
mkdir -p "orgs/{org}/artists/{artist-slug}/releases/{release-slug}"

# 2. Create RELEASE.md from template
# 3. Fill Section 1 (Project Snapshot) first

Updating an Existing Release

Read the current RELEASE.md

Identify which section(s) need updates

Update only those sections

Note changes in Document History (Section 18)

Core Principles

Never fabricate data — Leave sections blank if information is missing

Be proactive — Fill sections as information becomes available

Respect sharing tags — [INTERNAL], [SHAREABLE], [OPS] control distribution

One document per release — All release info lives in RELEASE.md

Always confirm the release — Before making changes, confirm which release.

Sharing Tags

Tag
Meaning

[INTERNAL]
Scrub before sharing externally

[SHAREABLE]
Safe for publicists, DSPs, management, agents

[OPS]
Operations/production team reference

Document Sections

Section
Purpose
Sharing

1. Project Snapshot
Core release info
SHAREABLE

2. Release Identifiers & Metadata
UPCs, ISRCs, track data
OPS

3. Narrative & Positioning
Pitch, story, comparables
SHAREABLE

4. Artist Background
Bio, streaming history
SHAREABLE

5. Audience & Market Data
Demographics, geo data
SHAREABLE

6. DSP & Streaming Strategy
Pitches, playlist targets
SHAREABLE

7. Marketing Strategy
Campaign goals, KPIs
INTERNAL

8. Social & Digital Marketing
Organic, paid, influencer
INTERNAL

9. PR & Media Relations
Press targets, materials
SHAREABLE

10. Visual & Creative Assets
Artwork, videos, canvases
SHAREABLE

11. Physical Production
Vinyl, CD, cassette specs
OPS/INTERNAL

12. Merch
Items, strategy
INTERNAL

13. Experiential & OOH
Events, billboards
INTERNAL

14. Touring & Live
Dates, venues, routing
SHAREABLE

15. Team Contacts
All stakeholders
INTERNAL

16. Budget Overview
Allocated/spent/remaining
INTERNAL

17. Performance Tracking
Weekly KPIs, learnings
INTERNAL

18. Links & Resources Hub
All asset links
—

Generating Deliverables

See references/deliverables.md for output patterns:

DSP Pitch — Pull from Sections 1, 3, 4, 5, 6

Press One-Sheet — Pull from Sections 1, 3, 4, 9, 10

Physical Production Spec — Pull from Sections 2, 11

Marketing Brief — Pull from Sections 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8

Tour Marketing Brief — Pull from Sections 1, 3, 5, 14

When generating any deliverable:

Check RELEASE.md for required data

Identify missing fields

Request missing info from user OR generate with gaps noted

Format per deliverable spec

Template

The full release template is in references/release-template.md. Copy this file to start a new release.

Section Deep-Dive

See references/section-guide.md for detailed guidance on each section, including:

What each field means

Common data sources

Best practices for filling out

Red flags to watch for

Workflows

New Release Setup

Copy template → RELEASE.md

Fill Section 1 (Project Snapshot)

Fill Section 2.2 (Track Metadata) as available

Draft Section 3 (Narrative & Positioning)

Pull artist data for Sections 4-5

Build DSP pitch (Section 6)

Continue through remaining sections as timeline progresses

Pre-Release Checklist

Before announcement, verify these sections are complete:

 Section 1: All dates confirmed

 Section 2: UPC assigned, ISRCs for all tracks

 Section 3: Pitch and narrative finalized

 Section 6: DSP pitch submitted

 Section 9: Press materials ready

 Section 10: All visual assets delivered

Release Week Checklist

 Section 6: Pre-save links live

 Section 7: Phase 2 actions executing

 Section 8: Paid ads launched

 Section 9: Press embargo lifted

 Section 17: Tracking dashboard ready

Post-Release

 Section 17: Weekly KPIs logged

 Section 17: Wins and learnings documented

 Document History updated

Example Interactions

Creating a new release

User: "Create a RELEASE.md for the new album 'Decisions'"

Process:

Release = "Decisions", slug = decisions

Create releases/decisions/RELEASE.md from template

Ask: "What's the release date?" (to fill Section 1)

Adding metadata

User: "Update the 'Sunrise' RELEASE.md with these ISRCs"

Process:

Release = "Sunrise", slug = sunrise

Open releases/sunrise/RELEASE.md

Update Section 2.2 with ISRC data

If file not found → "No RELEASE.md for 'Sunrise'. Should I create one?"

Generating a deliverable

User: "Generate a DSP pitch from the Midnights RELEASE.md"

Process:

Read releases/midnights/RELEASE.md

Pull data from Sections 1, 3, 4, 5, 6

Format per deliverables.md spec

If missing fields → "Missing [fields]. Proceed with gaps noted?"

Checking release status

User: "What's missing from the 'For All The Dogs' release doc?"

Process:

Read releases/for-all-the-dogs/RELEASE.md

Run through Pre-Release Checklist

Report incomplete sections