1. Start Your Release

• Login to your account. Inside your account, tap on the navigation panel and head over to ‘Catalog’.
  Once you click on ‘Catalog’, you will land in a section that shows the releases inside your account. You should see ‘Create New’ there.
• Click on ‘Create New’.
• Start by uploading your Cover Artwork, and upload your WAV files.
• Visit our ‘Supported File Formats’ article to ensure our system accepts your files upon uploading.

2. Upload Your Tracks

Click on ‘Upload New Tracks’. Once your tracks have loaded, open the first track — the metadata work begins.

ISRC

• Click 'Yes' if you have one and insert it.
• If you don’t have one, click 'No', and we'll generate one for you when we send your release.

Track Title

• Under the ‘Title Section’, enter your track title and remove any additional end points like .wav. We need the track name as it should appear across platforms. Do not add (feat. ) on track title.
• Do NOT enter any artist name on the track title section. If your track title is 'Calm Down', you must only write the track title as is, not 'Rema - Calm Down (feat. Selena Gomez)'. The contributor tool will be used to credit artists based on their roles (primary or featuring). 
• Leave Title Version blank unless your track is a remix, bootleg, radio edit, or live version.

Localize Track

• Do not use this feature.

3. Add Contributors

On the ‘Contributors’ section:

• Click ‘Add Main Primary Artist’, which is the releasing artist.

• Search for your name as the releasing artist.

If this is your first release inside your Rapture account:

• Click on ‘Create a New Artist’

• Under official name, write your stage name.

• Do not Localize Artist.

• Under ‘Artist Profiles’, add your Apple, Spotify, and SoundCloud Artist Page ID. We require only the ID, not the full URL.

Examples

Spotify Artist ID:
From https://open.spotify.com/artist/15Nx2Vsu6WjYBUPcBptftM → 15Nx2Vsu6WjYBUPcBptftM

Apple Artist ID:
From https://music.apple.com/za/artist/mordecai/1688857989 → 1688857989

4. How to Find Your Artist IDs

On Web

Spotify:
Visit https://spotify.com/, search the artist page, copy-paste the numeric part of the URL. Example: 15Nx2Vsu6WjYBUPcBptftM

Apple Music:
Visit https://music.apple.com/, copy-paste the numeric part of the URL. Example: 1688857989

On Mobile

Spotify App:
Search artist → Share → Copy Link. You will get something like: https://open.spotify.com/artist/15Nx2Vsu6WjYBUPcBptftM?si=bURoljkVQRqxt4LZgPA0pw 

We only need the part between the slash and the question mark: 15Nx2Vsu6WjYBUPcBptftM

Apple Music App:
Search artist → open → three dots → Share Artist → Copy. Link example: https://music.apple.com/za/artist/mordecai/1688857989
We only need: 1688857989

5. Adding Collaborators

If you collaborated with other artists:

• Click ‘Add Artist’ under key artists.

• Select the artist role (primary or featuring).

• Add the contributing artist the same way you added yourself including their Apple & Spotify IDs.

If you’ve previously added this artist on another track, just search for their name. If it’s their first time, it is mandatory to add key parts of their profile.

6. Producer & Engineer Credits (Mandatory)

Click on ‘Add Credit’ → select the role (producer, co-producer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer, executive producer, etc). Producer credits are mandatory.

• Select the ‘Producer’ role.

• Click ‘Create a new Producer or Engineer’

• Add the Full Legal Name and Surname of the producer.

If already added before, simply search their name.

7. Genres

Select your Primary and Secondary genre.

8. Preview/Clip Start Time

Add the preview start time for TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp. If blank, it starts from 00:15.

9. Catalog ID

Leave Catalog ID blank.

10. Track Origin

Select the correct one. Hover over the question mark to see descriptions and use cases.

11. Copyright

Select the release year and add the master recording owner name – usually the releasing artist or label.

12. Track Properties

Select the correct option. Hover over the question mark for descriptions.

13. Language of Lyrics

This determines your publishing credits:

• If you select a language → you must add at least one Composer & Lyricist.

• If instrumental → Composer only.

14. Content Rating

Select Explicit Content or Not Explicit.

15. Publishing Info

Go to ‘Add Publishing Info’ → ‘Add Writer’.

• We need full legal name and surname, not stage names.

• Search writer or add writer if first time.

• Select the appropriate role code (based on your language of lyrics above).

• Skip share.

• Under publishing:

  • Copyright Control if self-published

  • Or Select Publisher, and add publisher name if you have one.

Repeat the same process for every track. 

Use prefill to copy metadata from one track to the next. Just ensure you change track name, primary/featured artists, and producer credits where necessary.

16. Release Details (Step 3 of 3)

Once all tracks are done and artwork is inserted, move to the next stage. Remember:

• An EP or album cannot have more than 4 primary artists.

• If BeatPort is enabled and you selected electronic genres, choose the correct BeatPort Genre and ensure your secondary genre also aligns with electronic.

Release History

• Select no for a new release

• Select yes for a re-release

• For re-releases/catalog migration:

• Enter the original release date and UPC.

• If you select no, leave UPC blank — it will be provided by us.

Leave Catalog ID blank again. 

Under Copyright, select release year and add:

• Master owner (P Line)

• Copyright owner (C Line)

17. Pro Tip for Albums Over 13 Tracks

Add 8–9 tracks first, complete metadata, save the release by clicking ‘Create’, then go back to your catalog and edit to add more tracks. Repeat until fully inserted.

18. Distribution

Once tracks, metadata, and artwork are complete:

1. Click ‘create’ or ‘save changes’

2. You’ll land on the release overview

3. Click ‘distribute’ → ‘distribute all’ → ignore and continue

UGC Platform Options

• Facebook Rights Manager → claim ad earnings

• TikTok → Monetize

• YouTube Content ID → Monetize in all countries

Download Store Options

• Set your custom release pricing at album and track level.
• Stores may still pick the best price to maximize your revenue.

19. Distribution Details

• Under Distribution Details section, click 'On a specific date' to set your release date (must be at least 2-4 weeks in advance).
• Schedule precise global drop times – whether it’s a worldwide midnight launch or region-specific rollout – your music, your timeline:

• 13:00 Central America

• 18:00 West Central Africa

• 00:00 Pretoria
  

• Set Pre-Order options — all territories or selected ones.
• Click ‘Distribute’ and check all required confirmations.
• Click ‘Confirm’ once aligned.

20. Final Notes

Congratulations — your release has been successfully created and is scheduled for the desired release date, pending inspection by our team.

• We deliver your release to music services within minutes to a few hours.
• Most services take around 24 hours to make your release live.
• It is in your best interest to set your release date at least 2 weeks away.
• If approval takes longer, expect additional delays.