In the fast-paced world of music releases, having a clear and structured plan is crucial to maximising your impact and building long-term success. While each artist may have different strengths, weaknesses, and goals, this episode outlines a label standard release cycle—a bare minimum structure designed to help artists in the AU/NZ territory navigate the social, digital and media landscape effectively.

This plan covers the key priorities from the moment your music is ingested into a distribution service up until release day and beyond. It’s aimed at artists looking to build demand for their catalogue and ensure the sustainability of their artist projects.

Tips for growing your artist project in 2025. This is Record Straight, your go-to spot for unfiltered insights into the Australian music scene. Your hosts Christina and Anthony from Cartel Australia. Let's dive in, exploring Australia's musical landscape like never before - where honesty echoes louder than illusion.

Record Straight is a podcast for emerging, developing, and independent artists and musicians, created by Cartel Australia. Record Straight shines a light on topics of platform growth, community building, repeat listenership, artist expectations, and the building blocks for a project, inspired by real-world experiences in the Australian Music Industry.

Are you actually an artist?

The main factor separating those who are creating a career (and therefore, sustainability as an artist) are the measurable actions for every aspect of the project.

1. Creative processes

2. Prioritise networking and learning industry best practice

3. Time management

4. Budget - know what you need to spend

5. Release plan

6. Self-evaluation & expectations

Record Straight is a podcast for emerging, developing and independent artists and musicians, created by BGCOMMUNITY and Cartel Australia. Record Straight shines a light on topics of platform growth, community building, repeat listenership, artist expectations, and the building blocks for a project, inspired by real-world experiences in the Australian Music Industry.

Your ego, your attitude, what you're doing wrong, and how to fix it.

Tracklist: 1. Work hard, and work harder.

2. Do what you say you're going to do.

3. You're not going to see immediate results, and that's okay.

4. Yeah, your music is good. So what?

5. You do not 'deserve it' / Check your entitlement at the door.

6. Confidence, not arrogance.

7. Remember your industry - have fun with it!

Record Straight is a podcast for emerging, developing and independent artists and musicians, created by BGCOMMUNITY and Cartel Australia. Record Straight shines a light on topics of platform growth, community building, repeat listenership, artist expectations, and the building blocks for a project, inspired by real-world experiences in the Australian Music Industry.

5 key points to creating content that converts as an independent / developing artist.

What is your intention? How are you developing your brand? Who is your audience? What is the content going to communicate? How are you planning to drive consumption to your audio?

Record Straight is a podcast for emerging, developing and independent artists and musicians, created by BGCOMMUNITY and Cartel Australia. Record Straight shines a light on topics of platform growth, community building, repeat listenership, artist expectations, and the building blocks for a project, inspired by real-world experiences in the Australian Music Industry.

Do you really need that 'must-have' support from media and Spotify editorial playlisting? Do you even know what it'll do for your artist growth? What are the processes you have in place once you gain media support? Tell you what, in this day and age - it won't do what you think it will.

Record Straight is a podcast for emerging, developing, and independent artists and musicians, created by BGCOMMUNITY and Cartel Australia. Record Straight shines a light on topics of platform growth, community building, repeat listenership, artist expectations, and the building blocks for a project, inspired by real-world experiences in the Australian Music Industry.

Do independent and developing artists need a manager? Who is the team that should support an artist in their early and continued development? How does an artist create an authentic project?

Record Straight is a podcast for emerging, developing, and independent artists and musicians, created by BGCOMMUNITY and Cartel Australia. Record Straight shines a light on topics of platform growth, community building, repeat listenership, artist expectations, and the building blocks for a project, inspired by real-world experiences in the Australian Music Industry.

The pilot episode. Who are we? Why are you listening to us? Record Straight is a podcast for emerging, developing, and independent artists and musicians, created by BGCOMMUNITY and Cartel Australia. Record Straight shines a light on topics of platform growth, community building, repeat listenership, artist expectations, and the building blocks for a project, inspired by real-world experiences in the Australian Music Industry.