A Spotify Countdown Page gives eligible artists one place inside Spotify to introduce an upcoming album or EP. Listeners can pre-save the release, preview the tracklist, watch short countdown videos and view linked merchandise before release day.
The tool can be useful, but it is not available for every artist or every release. This Spotify Countdown Page guide starts with the eligibility checks, then walks through the practical preparation, page setup and promotion steps. It does not promise more streams. The goal is to make the feature clear and help you avoid last-minute mistakes.
1. Check your artist eligibility first
Spotify currently requires at least 3,000 monthly active listeners. This is not the same number as the monthly listeners shown publicly on your artist profile. In Spotify for Artists, open Audience, choose Segments and select monthly active listeners.
If you are below the threshold, do not build your whole release plan around this feature. Use the same preparation work for your normal album campaign instead. You can still improve the artist profile, prepare your visuals, pitch an eligible song and send listeners to the release when it becomes available.
Refresh the top of your profile with The Hubb’s Artist Pick guide
2. Confirm that the release is eligible
Countdown Pages are for new, original albums and EPs. Singles are not eligible. Spotify also excludes rereleases, deluxe editions, anniversary editions, reissues, remasters and compilations, even when the material has been changed or expanded.
For a release with several main artists, Spotify says only the first-named main artist can create the page, and it appears only on that artist’s profile. Support for split-rights releases is still limited. Check these details before announcing a Spotify pre-save page that may not appear.
3. Deliver the finished release early
Your label or distributor must deliver the finished release to Spotify through the normal DDEX process. Once Spotify has the metadata, eligible Admins and Editors should see the option to create the Countdown Page within 72 hours.
The Upcoming tab can take around 48 hours to show music after it is submitted through a distributor. If the release is missing, first check that the distributor sent it to the correct artist profile. If the release date, tracklist or cover art is wrong, ask the distributor to submit an update. Those details come from the delivery rather than being rewritten on the Countdown Page.
Check the release details with The Hubb’s music metadata checklist
4. Prepare the page before you open the tool
Collect the material in one folder before building the page. Keep the approved cover art, final track order, release date, short video files, merch details and campaign notes together. Make sure every team member is working from the same version.
Write a simple release story that can guide your posts and videos. It might focus on the idea behind the album, a change in your sound or one useful detail from the recording process. Avoid turning every item into a sales message. A clear story helps fans understand the release without exaggerated claims.
5. Create and review the Countdown Page
In Spotify for Artists, go to Music, then Upcoming. Select the eligible release and choose Get started. Add any countdown videos, tag relevant merchandise, review the page and publish it. Spotify allows Admins and Editors to create the page, and you can edit it any time before the release goes live.
Review the page on a phone as well as desktop. Check the artist name, cover, tracklist and release date. Open every linked item. If the release has several collaborators, agree who will share the link and how each person will describe the project.
6. Make short videos that belong to the release
Spotify’s current technical rules say countdown videos must be vertical with audio, longer than 3 seconds, shorter than 30 seconds and at least 1280 by 720 pixels. They can tease music, show a behind-the-scenes moment or introduce the idea behind the record.
Keep each video focused on one thought. Use footage and music you have permission to publish. Spotify says not to include watermarks from other platforms, send listeners to external websites or use the video mainly to advertise something unrelated to the release. Mark sensitive or explicit material correctly.
A useful three-video plan could be: why the project exists, one detail from the making of it, and what you hope listeners notice. You can update or remove videos before release day. After the release goes live, the Countdown Page and its videos are no longer available.
Keep your track visuals consistent with The Hubb’s Spotify Canvas guide
7. Share the page with a realistic campaign
Once the page is live, copy the link and add it to the release plan. Spotify recommends sharing it on social media and setting it as your Artist Pick. Listeners may also find Countdown Pages through artist profiles, Search, Home, Now Playing and the Upcoming Releases hub.
Use several helpful angles instead of posting the same pre-save request every day. Introduce the album idea, highlight one track, share a short studio story, thank a collaborator and post a final reminder. Always make the release date and link easy to find.
On release day, Spotify notifies people who pre-saved and adds the release to their library. You can see the pre-save count in Spotify for Artists under Upcoming and View Analytics. Treat that number as one signal, not a judgement on the music. Compare it with saves, streams, profile visits and the audience responses you receive after release.
Fit the campaign into The Hubb’s four-week release timeline
Quick Spotify Countdown Page checklist
- At least 3,000 monthly active listeners confirmed in Audience Segments
- New original album or EP, not a single or rerelease
- Finished release delivered to the correct artist profile
- Cover art, tracklist, release date and rights checked
- Spotify for Artists Admin or Editor access confirmed
- Short vertical videos meet Spotify’s current specifications
- Page reviewed on mobile and desktop before publishing
- Artist Pick, social posts and release-day follow-up prepared
A Countdown Page works best as one part of a release plan. Check eligibility early, give the distributor time to deliver the correct data and prepare the story before you open the tool. If you are not eligible yet, the same organised approach will still strengthen your next album or EP campaign.
Official Spotify guidance
Spotify for Artists: Getting started with Countdown Pages
