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Step 3: Sending your test deliveries

...back to Step 2: Setting up your feed

In the email we sent for step 3, you received the SFTP location you'll use to upload test deliveries. You'll need to create a test folder for this.

Please send tests in the order listed here. After we validate the first test, you can send 2–5 metadata updates for approval.

1. Imagine, one of your artists has an album with a release date in 2 weeks. Try uploading the test version of that with just the US territorial rights.

💡 Tips:

Make sure you're following the delivery structure and naming conventions provided in section 2.2 of the Spotify Onboarding Guideline.

We require a non-empty BatchComplete file for delivery. A sample has been shared via email.

Remember that Spotify needs content to be delivered within SLG, which is 5 days for new releases and 2 days for metadata updates/takedowns.

2. For the same UPC, send a metadata update to add territorial rights to Canada and change the release type from Album to EP. To understand what an EP is, please read more about the guidelines for album type in section 9 of the Metadata Style Guide (MSG).

3. Send a metadata update to set a globally timed release at track level on the same UPC. Then switch the release type from EP to Single.

💡 Tips:

Note that Single is accepted as a native value in DDEX and doesn't have to be declared as a user-defined release type. See more info about singles and eps in section 9 of the Spotify MSG.

Learn more about globally timed releases.

4. Next, send a metadata update to remove the streaming rights of track 1 and change the release type to Compilation. You can remove the deal for the track release in the deal list or supply end dates for the track release—we prefer the former.

5. The last test delivery should be taking down the entire product. We don't accept PurgeReleaseMessage as a takedown. Find out more.

6. (Optional test) Sending proprietary IDs to Spotify is a platform feature made to reduce misattribution and is available to all of our music content partners. We will be testing your capability to deliver proprietary ID via metadata. You can find the guidelines for uploading this test here.

For all the above tests, it's important that you include the following Artist roles at the product level:

  • Main Artist

💡 Tip: if you list more than 3 main artists at the product level, it'll get tagged as Various Artists.

  • Featured Artists (find more info in section 5 of the Spotify MSG.)

  • Producer

  • Remixer

💡 Tip: the Artist role Remixer should be declared as a user-defined value and not a native value.

Along with the above Artist roles we need the following contributor info at track level:

  • Composer

  • Lyricist

Want to know how these Artist roles will be displayed in the Credits section on the platform?

  • Performed By

  • Would capture main artists and featured artists

  • Written By

  • Would include composer and lyricist

Once we've worked together to confirm your deliveries over email , then you'll be ready to proceed to Step 4: Feed Approval