A release party gives fans one place to hear new music together, and it puts the artist in a room full of their most likely followers during release week. It works for a DJ dropping a first EP, a singer with a new single, or a collective celebrating a resident's album.

Here's how to set one up step by step, whether you're the artist or the organizer throwing it with them.

Step 1: Decide who hosts

Pick the host profile first, because it decides whose name the event lives under.

• The artist hosts. An artist owner or admin can create the event under the artist profile, so it shows up under their stage name and in the Events tab of the artist dashboard (Host Events as an Artist).
• An organizer or community hosts. The organizer creates the event and adds the artist profile as a co-host with the Collaborator role, so the artist appears on the event and can help promote it and send updates to attendees (Add Co-Hosts to an Event).

Agree on who does what before anything goes public: who runs the event page, who handles the door and who posts announcements.

Step 2: Pick the date and the room

Many release parties land in release week, often on the first Friday or Saturday after the music comes out, while fans are still hearing it for the first time. A preview event the week before release can work too, if the draw is hearing the music early.

Size the room to the artist's real draw. A full 150-person room feels like a release party. A half-empty 500-person room doesn't. How DJs and Independent Artists Can Throw Their Own Show in LA covers sizing a room to your crowd, and How to Pick a Date for Your Party covers avoiding clashes.

Step 3: Build the run of show around the first play

The moment people come for is hearing the new music in a room. Build the schedule around it. A hypothetical run of show for a 9 PM to 2 AM event:

• 9:00 Doors, with an opener warming up the room
• 10:30 Second support set
• 11:15 The artist says a few words, then plays the release from start to finish
• 11:45 The artist's live or DJ set
• 1:00 Closing set until the end

Put the first play time on the event page so fans know when to arrive, and confirm the venue's sound system can play the files cleanly at soundcheck. How to Plan Set Times for Your Party goes deeper on set times.

Step 4: Set up the event page

Create your event with everything a fan needs to say yes (Create an Event):

• Title: the artist name, the release name and "Release Party," so it's clear in one look.
• Description: what happens and when, including the first play time, who else is on, and the door and ID details. How to Write an Event Description That Sells Tickets has a template.
• Images: the release artwork, a flyer and photos from the artist's past shows.
• Lineup: add the artist and every guest performer by their artist profile, so fans can tap through to each one (Add Performers to an Event Lineup). When an artist profile is linked to the lineup, ticket buyers may get the option to follow that artist when they buy (Get Your Artist Profile Added to Event Lineups).

Step 5: Set up tickets

Keep the ticket options simple (Create Ticket Options):

• An early bird option with a fixed quantity and a sale end date, so fans have a reason to buy as soon as you announce
• A general admission option after it
• If you add a limited option, use its description to say exactly what it includes, like early entry before the first play

If the goal is the fullest possible room, a free RSVP can make sense too. Free RSVP vs Paid Tickets compares the two, and How to Set Ticket Prices for a Party covers the price ladder.

Step 6: Get the artist profile ready

Fans who tap through from the event page land on the artist profile, so make it worth the visit.

• Add the new songs to the profile once they're out, so they show in the Music tab on the public artist page (Add Songs to Your Artist Profile).
• Use a clear profile image and a short bio that describes the sound (Promote Your Artist Profile).
• Add the manager or promoter helping with the release to the artist team, so they can post from their own account without sharing a login (Manage Your Artist Team).

Step 7: Announce to the people most likely to come

Start with the fans who already care.

• The artist sends a post to their followers from the artist dashboard, with SMS, email or both turned on, as soon as the date is confirmed (Message Your Fans with Posts and Text Blasts).
• The organizer sends a post to the guests of their last event by email, text or both (Create a Post). If you host under a community profile, its followers stay up to date on your events (Create a Community).
• Ask guest performers, featured artists and producers to share the event with their own followers.
• Give each featured guest their own promo code with a capped number of uses and an end date, so you can see whose fans showed up (Create a Promotion).

How to Promote Your DJ Set So Your Fans Actually Show Up has a full promo schedule.

Step 8: Get the door ready

• If an organizer hosts, add door staff as co-hosts with the Door Manager role. If the artist hosts, add door staff to the artist team so they can check in guests (Host Events as an Artist).
• Scan tickets with the Beatmatch mobile app, and use manual check-in by name or email in the Orders tab when a code won't scan (Check In Guests).
• Export your orders before doors so you have a backup guest list (Manage Your Orders).

Step 9: Send the day-of message

On the day, send a text blast to your guests with the door time, the first play time and anything that changed (Send a Text Blast). The artist can send one to their followers from the artist dashboard too.

Step 10: Follow up the next day

The day after, send a thank-you post with photos to everyone who came (Create a Post). The artist should remind fans to follow their profile and share the profile link in their post-show messages, so the next show reaches the same crowd (Promote Your Artist Profile). Event Photography Checklist covers the shots to get, and 10 Things to Do the Day After Your Event covers the rest.

Release party checklist

• Host profile chosen, and roles agreed
• Date in release week, in a room sized to the real draw
• Run of show built around the first play, with the time on the event page
• Title, description, artwork and lineup linked to artist profiles
• Early bird with a sale end date, then general admission
• New songs, image and bio on the artist profile
• Artist post to followers, organizer post to past guests, a promo code per featured guest
• Door staff added and orders exported
• Day-of text blast with the first play time
• Thank-you post with photos, and a reminder to follow the artist

Set up your release party

Create your event on Beatmatch, add the artist to the lineup by their artist profile, and send the first announcement to the fans who already follow them. Artists can host under their own profile with Host Events as an Artist.