Managing Artists
Artists are the creative identities behind your music. Every release needs at least one primary artist, and managing your artist profiles properly ensures your music appears correctly across all streaming platforms.
Why Artist Management Matters
- Streaming profiles - Proper artist setup enables linking to Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms
- Discovery - Consistent artist names help fans find all your music
- Analytics - Linked profiles give you access to streaming analytics
- Professional appearance - Complete profiles with bios and images look professional
Creating an Artist
To create a new artist in LabelGrid:
- Navigate to Catalogue → My Artists in the main menu
- Click Add Artist
- The artist form opens with four tabs: General, Bio, Band Members, and Web Presence
- Fill in the required information on the General tab:
- Language - Select the primary language for this artist profile
- Name - The official artist name as it should appear on releases
- Complete optional fields as needed:
- Location - City, country, or region
- Artist email - Contact email
- Artist ISNI - International Standard Name Identifier (if available)
- Click Finish to save the artist profile
Artist Name Guidelines
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Use the official artist name | Add descriptors like “[Official]“ |
| Be consistent across releases | Use different spellings |
| Include proper capitalization | USE ALL CAPS |
| Use accents and special characters | Replace with ASCII equivalents |
Important: Once releases are distributed with an artist name, changing it requires metadata updates to all stores. Choose your artist name carefully.
Prohibited Artist Names
Streaming platforms prohibit generic artist names. These cannot be used:
| Category | Prohibited Examples |
|---|---|
| Sleep/Relaxation | Sleep Music, Rain Sounds, White Noise, Nature Sounds |
| Fitness | Workout Music, Gym Beats |
| Mood | Meditation, Relaxation, Chill, Lo-Fi Beats |
| Seasonal | Christmas Hits, Holiday Music |
| SEO Terms | Top Hits, Best Songs, Popular Music |
Spotify policy: Content using generic artist names may be removed from the platform. Use your actual artist or project name instead.
Artist Profile Information
A complete artist profile includes fields organized across four tabs:
General Tab (Required)
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Yes | Primary language for artist profile and metadata |
| Name | Yes | Official artist name (2-64 characters) |
| Location | No | City, country, or region |
| Artist email | No | Contact email for the artist |
| Artist ISNI | No | International Standard Name Identifier (16 characters) |
Bio Tab
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Affiliations | Labels, radio programs, crews, and other affiliations |
| Bio short | Brief biography (1-3 sentences) for quick display |
| Bio long | Extended biography for promotional use |
Band Members Tab
For groups, you can add individual band member information here.
Web Presence Tab
Required social profile verification for major platforms:
| Platform | Options |
|---|---|
| Provide link or confirm “No, I am not on Facebook” | |
| Provide link or confirm “No, I am not on Instagram” | |
| Spotify | Provide link or confirm “No, I am not on Spotify” |
| Apple Music | Provide link or confirm “No, I am not on Apple Music” |
Why this is required: Streaming platforms use these links to verify artist identity and connect profiles.
Platform URL Fields
Link your artist profile to streaming and social platforms:
| Platform | URL Format |
|---|---|
| Website | Your official website |
| Spotify | Must contain “spotify.com” |
| Apple Music | Must contain “music.apple.com” or “itunes.apple.com” |
| YouTube | YouTube channel URL |
| SoundCloud | SoundCloud profile URL |
| Beatport | Beatport artist URL |
| Juno | Juno Download artist URL |
| Bandcamp | Bandcamp artist URL |
| Facebook page URL | |
| Instagram profile URL | |
| Twitter profile URL |
Artist Bio Tips
- Keep it concise (150-300 words)
- Write in third person
- Include notable achievements
- Update regularly with new releases
- Avoid excessive promotional language
Linking to Streaming Profiles
Linking your LabelGrid artist to streaming platform profiles enables:
- Automatic profile updates with new releases
- Access to platform-specific features
- Claiming artist profiles for analytics access
Supported Platforms
| Platform | Link Type |
|---|---|
| Spotify | Spotify Artist URI |
| Apple Music | Apple Music Artist ID |
| YouTube Music | YouTube Channel ID |
| Deezer | Deezer Artist ID |
| Amazon Music | Amazon Music Artist ID |
How to Link Profiles
- Open the artist profile in LabelGrid
- Find the Platform Links or External IDs section
- Enter the artist ID from each platform
- Save your changes
Finding Your Platform IDs
Spotify:
- Open Spotify and go to your artist page
- Click the three dots > Share > Copy Spotify URI
- The URI looks like:
spotify:artist:1234abcd
Apple Music:
- Open Apple Music artist page in a browser
- Copy the artist ID from the URL
- Format:
https://music.apple.com/.../artist/name/123456789
Artist Types
Primary Artist
The main credited artist on a release. Every release needs at least one primary artist.
Featured Artist
A collaborating artist credited on specific tracks, not the entire release. Featured artists appear as “feat.” in track listings.
Remixer
An artist who created a remix version of a track. Credited on remix tracks only.
Composer/Producer
Behind-the-scenes credits that appear in detailed credits, not the main artist listing.
Various Artists
A special artist designation for compilations with multiple different artists. The actual artists appear at the track level.
Multiple Artist Names
Some artists have multiple identities:
Aliases and Side Projects
If you release music under different names:
- Create separate artist profiles for each name
- Link each to their respective streaming profiles
- Each can build its own following
Artist Name Changes
If you’re changing your artist name:
- Create a new artist profile with the new name
- Use the new profile for future releases
- Keep the old profile for legacy releases
- Consider adding “formerly known as” to bio
Groups vs Solo
If you’re both a solo artist and part of a group:
- Create separate profiles for each
- Each gets its own streaming profile link
- Releases credited appropriately to each
Artist Images
Image Requirements
| Specification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | Minimum 1000 × 1000 pixels |
| Format | JPG or PNG |
| Aspect ratio | Square (1:1) recommended |
| File size | Under 10 MB |
Image Guidelines
- Use high-quality, professional images
- Ensure the artist is clearly visible
- Avoid excessive text or graphics
- Update images periodically to stay current
- Maintain consistency across platforms
Managing Multiple Artists
If you manage multiple artists (as a label or manager):
Organization Tips
- Use consistent naming conventions
- Keep artist information up to date
- Link all profiles to streaming platforms
- Maintain image assets for each artist
Permissions
Different account types may have different artist management capabilities:
- Artist accounts typically manage one primary artist
- Label accounts can manage multiple artists
- Verify your permissions if you can’t create artists
Troubleshooting
Artist doesn’t appear on streaming platform
- Verify the release has been delivered successfully
- Check that the artist name matches exactly
- Allow processing time (varies by platform)
- If linking to existing profile, ensure ID is correct
Duplicate artists on platforms
This happens when artist names don’t match exactly:
- Ensure consistent spelling across all releases
- Contact platform support to merge duplicates
- See Claiming Your Artist Profiles for help
Can’t link to streaming profile
- Verify you have the correct platform ID
- Check that the profile belongs to you
- Some platforms require verification before linking
- Contact support if issues persist
Best Practices
- Create profiles before releasing - Set up artist profiles before your first release
- Be consistent - Use identical spelling across all releases
- Complete your profile - Fill in bio, image, and all available fields
- Link platforms early - Connect streaming profiles as soon as possible
- Keep information current - Update bios and images regularly
- Claim your profiles - Verify ownership on streaming platforms for analytics access
Related Guides
- Claiming Your Artist Profiles - Verify and manage your streaming profiles
- Creating a Release - Add artists to your releases
- Metadata Style Guide - Artist name formatting rules
Need Help?
If you have questions about artist management or need help linking profiles, contact our support team.