Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Complete and record a finished track
4–12 weeks
Complete and record a finished original track — not a work-in-progress or a demo, but a recording that represents the final creative intent for the song. A finished track does not need to be mastered, but it should be complete: lyrics written (if any), arrangement complete, performance recorded. The most common failure mode at this stage is endless revision — a track that is 'almost finished' for months is not finished. The milestone is complete when the creator has decided the track is done, not when it is perfect.
Proof required
Share a link to the finished recording (SoundCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, or any shareable link). Write one sentence on the genre and one sentence on the decision that made you call it finished rather than continuing to revise.
What gets checked
- Finished recording is shareable and accessible via the provided link.
- Genre is stated — demonstrates awareness of the musical context the track operates in.
- What made you call it finished — demonstrates a deliberate creative decision rather than endless revision.
Common mistakes
- Demo or work-in-progress: 'this is 80% there, I'll share the final version later' — the milestone requires a finished recording.
- Recording not shareable: 'I have it on my computer' without a link.
- What made you call it finished is absent — 'I just felt like it was' is less useful than a specific creative decision.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- The link must work — visit it directly before confirming the milestone.
- Genre: ask whether the track was intended for a specific audience or platform — this reveals creative intent beyond genre label.
- What made it finished: the most revealing answers are specific — 'I was satisfied with the chorus melody' rather than 'it felt complete'.
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Release on a public platform — streaming or download available
1–2 weeks (free platform); 2–4 weeks (streaming distribution)
Release the track on a public platform where anyone can listen or download it. The two primary paths are: (1) free platforms — SoundCloud, Bandcamp, or YouTube, which require no distribution deal; (2) streaming platforms — Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, which require a distributor (DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby — all paid, but affordable). For this milestone, free platforms fully qualify — the requirement is public availability, not streaming-service distribution. Streaming-service distribution is the stronger release signal but not required.
Proof required
Share the public URL where the track is available — SoundCloud, Bandcamp, YouTube, Spotify, or equivalent. State whether this is a free platform release or a streaming platform release. State the release date.
What gets checked
- Public URL is live and accessible without login — the track can be found and played by anyone.
- Release date is stated.
- Platform type is stated — free platform or streaming platform.
Common mistakes
- Private SoundCloud link: 'I've put it on SoundCloud but it's private for now' — public availability is the requirement.
- Streaming platform distribution submitted but not yet live: 'it's being distributed' — the milestone is live and accessible.
- Release date absent: 'it's been up for a while' — the release date is part of the release record.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- The URL must be publicly accessible — visit it in an incognito window to confirm no login is required.
- Streaming platform vs free platform: ask whether the artist intends to move to streaming distribution in the future — this reveals the release strategy.
- Release date: ask whether any promotion accompanied the release — even sharing the link once on social media.
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Reach 100 genuine plays and reflect on listener response
4–8 weeks after release
Reach 100 genuine plays from listeners outside the creator's personal network — not self-plays, not bot plays, not plays from a private link sent to friends. 100 plays is a modest but real threshold that demonstrates the track has reached a small public audience without paid promotion. The proof is a platform analytics screenshot and a reflection on the listener response — what feedback was received, what surprised the creator about who listened.
Proof required
Share a screenshot of your platform analytics showing 100+ plays (SoundCloud play count, Bandcamp listens, YouTube views, or Spotify streams). Write one paragraph on what you learned from the listener response — comments, messages, or the surprising geography or demographic of listeners from the analytics.
What gets checked
- Platform analytics screenshot shows 100+ plays — the count should be visible in the screenshot.
- Reflection on listener response is specific — not 'people liked it' but what specific feedback or data surprised the creator.
- Plays are from genuine listeners — if the 100 plays came primarily from a private link to friends, that should be acknowledged.
Common mistakes
- Screenshot not provided: 'we have over 100 plays' without evidence.
- 100 plays but all from the creator's personal network: 'I shared it in my group chat' — the milestone intends genuine public reach.
- Listener response absent: 'we got the plays but no feedback' — no comments is also a response worth reflecting on.
Resources
What a verifier looks for
- The analytics screenshot should show the play count and, if available, the geographic breakdown — unexpected geography is a sign of genuine public reach.
- Ask whether any plays came from discovery (recommended tracks, playlist adds) vs. direct links — discovery plays are the strongest signal of genuine public reach.
- If no feedback was received, ask whether the creator engaged with listeners who did play — a comment reply or a thank-you message is the lowest-cost engagement.
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