Pre-save campaigns explained: what a pre save link does and does not do
A pre-save lets a fan lock in your release before it is out. Here is how it works on Spotify and Apple Music, who can use Spotify's own version, and what a pre-save cannot do for you.
Want this done for you? See our YouTube music video promotion service. Related reading: Single release strategy · Music video release checklist · How to promote your music. Or browse all music guides.
Key takeaways
- A pre-save is a link where a fan approves adding your release to their library, and it appears there on release day.
- Spotify's own Countdown Pages are for albums and EPs from artists with at least 3,000 monthly active listeners. Singles need a link from a distributor or a link tool.
- Spotify says nearly 60% of people who pre-save an album stream it in the first week, but those are fans who already care. A pre-save collects your audience; it does not build one.
- Pitch the song in Spotify for Artists at least 7 days before release, and never pay for pre-saves or streams.
The short answer
A pre-save is a link that lets a fan approve adding your release to their library the moment it comes out. Spotify's own version, Countdown Pages, covers albums and EPs only and needs at least 3,000 monthly active listeners, and Spotify says nearly 60% of people who pre-save an album stream it in the first week.
A pre-save gathers fans you can already reach. To reach people who have not heard of you, our music marketing service puts your video in front of fans of similar artists.
How a pre-save works
A pre-save works like a pre-order for streaming. One distributor's help page describes a landing page where the fan sees your artwork, presses a button and signs in to Spotify to approve it. On release day the release is added to their library automatically. Where you get the link depends on the release:
- Albums and EPs on Spotify: create a Countdown Page in Spotify for Artists. Fans can pre-save from your profile, Search, Home and the Upcoming Releases hub, and Spotify sends them a push notification on release day. Rereleases, deluxe editions and compilations do not qualify.
- Singles: Countdown Pages do not cover singles. A distributor or a link tool can make the link. A 2020 guide says a Spotify pre-save can cover one song and needs a Spotify URI code.
- Apple Music: its version is a pre-add. Apple's partner page asks for an iTunes Store pre-order with at least one instant-gratification track or music video, and a sales start date at least a day ahead. The 2020 guide says singles do not qualify, so ask your distributor.
Does a pre-save help?
It gives you a number to watch and a reason to talk to fans before release day. Spotify's streaming figure is self-selected: its help page says nearly 60%, a 2024 Spotify blog post says nearly 70%, and fans who tap pre-save already care. The figure does not show that a pre-save creates listening.
Whether pre-saves feed Spotify's recommendations is unproven. The Spotify pages we read do not say they are weighted, and claims that they are come mostly from sellers of pre-save tools. What Spotify documents is pitching: a song pitched at least 7 days before release is added to your followers' Release Radar, and Spotify says pitching does not guarantee editorial placement. Its blog suggests two weeks ahead.
How to run one
- Schedule the release with your distributor first. A pre-save link needs music that is delivered but not yet live.
- Create the Countdown Page (album or EP) or get the link from your distributor or a link tool (single).
- Put the link where fans already are, and say what it does: the release lands in their library on release day.
- Pitch the song in Spotify for Artists at least 7 days before release.
- Check the count in Spotify for Artists under Upcoming, then View Analytics.
Do not pay anyone for pre-saves or streams. YouTube's fake engagement policy bans services that artificially inflate views, likes and subscribers, and the same logic applies to any platform: only real fans are worth having.
How the options compare
How the options compare:
| Spotify Countdown Page | Distributor or link-tool pre-save | Blue Leopard Media | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works for | Albums and EPs, artists with 3,000+ monthly active listeners | Singles, albums and EPs scheduled with a distributor | Any release with a music video |
| Cost | Part of Spotify for Artists | Free to paid, depending on the tool | From $249 per release |
| What it does | Pre-saves on Spotify, plus a push notification on release day | Adds the release to a fan's library on release day | Shows your video to fans of similar artists, plus a labelled editorial feature |
| What is guaranteed | No listening | No listening | A minimum number of Google Ads views: 15,000 worldwide on the $249 package |
| Best for | An album or EP from an artist who already has listeners | A single, sent to fans you can already reach | Finding new viewers before release, and having a page about you when they search your name |
We do not sell pre-save tools, and no pre-save or campaign guarantees streams or pre-saves. Use a Countdown Page or distributor link for the pre-save itself, and contact us if you want your video seen by new people in release week.
Sources
- Spotify for Artists: Getting started with Countdown Pages
- Spotify for Artists: Pitching music to playlist editors
- Spotify for Artists blog: Release guide, preparing for release day (20 Aug 2024)
- Kudos Knowledgebase: Spotify pre-save
- Hypebot: Spotify pre-save vs Apple Music pre-add (2 Nov 2020)
- Apple iTunes Partner: Music pre-releases, rights and pricing
- YouTube Help: Fake engagement policy
Frequently asked.
What is a pre-save link?
A link where a fan signs in to Spotify and approves adding your upcoming release to their library. When the release goes live, it is added automatically.
Can I pre-save a single on Spotify?
Not through Countdown Pages, which Spotify limits to new albums and EPs. A distributor or a link tool can make a pre-save link for a single.
Do pre-saves help the Spotify algorithm?
Spotify's own pages we read do not say pre-saves are weighted in recommendations. Claims that they are come mostly from companies that sell pre-save tools.
How far ahead should I pitch a song to Spotify?
Spotify says at least 7 days before release to reach your followers' Release Radar. Its blog suggests two weeks ahead for playlist consideration.
What is the difference between a pre-save and a pre-add?
A pre-save is the Spotify version and a pre-add is Apple Music's. Apple requires an iTunes Store pre-order with at least one instant-gratification track or music video.
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