A Guide to Re-Releasing Your Music 

Being a musician is a wild ride full of highs, lows, and everything in between. Think about it—remember where you started? Your first guitar lesson or singing class? Look at how far you've come! It's kind of amazing, right? But here’s the thing: you weren’t "bad" back then. You were doing the best you could with what you had. Musicians often return to their earlier work for sentimental reasons, or because their fan base has grown, and they want newer listeners to hear songs they are proud of. And that’s exactly why re-releasing music can be so powerful. Sometimes, you’re ready to give an old song better audio quality and production, a fresh twist, or the polish you know it deserves. Let’s take a closer look at successfully re-releasing your old music.

We’ll be taking a look at the following:

1. Why Re-Release Your Old Music?
   
   
2. How To Choose Which Songs To Re-Release?
   
   
3. How To Refresh Your Sound And Stay True To The Original?
   
   
4. What Are The Most Effective Promotion Strategies For Re-Releases?
   
   
5. How To Measure The Success Of Your Re-Release?
   
   
6. Our Final Thoughts

Why Re-Release Your Old Music?

Taylor Swift might be one of the most famous examples, but re-releasing, re-recording, and remixing albums is actually pretty common in the music world. Artists are constantly revisiting their work to bring out fresh versions, new takes, and even totally reimagined albums! 

Re-releasing old music can help you revisit your previous work and bring new energy to tracks that may have been overlooked or remained underappreciated. A re-release allows you to take that track and re-introduce it with better audio quality, a newer vision or perspective, or a fresh promotion strategy. It could be a way to celebrate your music journey and grow your fanbase too. 

Every re-release is an opportunity to connect with listeners. It gives you a chance to broaden your fanbase and connect with them. As your audience grows over time, newer listeners may have missed out on your early work and re-releasing these tracks can give them a renewed introduction and boost your music catalogue. It can also open doors to newer opportunities like label deals, collaborations or licensing opportunities that the track or album didn’t get originally.

How To Choose Which Songs To Re-Release?

Everyone tends to be attached to their music catalogue in ways that choosing the perfect song to re-release is a tough decision. However, taking a deep dive into your music catalogue and examining your music to understand what resonates with you and what might work for your audience. Sometimes, an old song’s lyrics or production may unexpectedly match the energy of today’s world, making it a great candidate for a re-release. “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush is a great example as it was re-released and went viral due to its catchy lyrics, and popular 80s sound and it also got a great boost through the Stranger Things series. 

Taking the help of technology can also help your decision-making process easier. Taking a look at your streaming analysis and data can help you understand what kind of music from your catalogue your listeners connect to the most or which tracks need a revival in listener numbers too. However, the songs you choose for a re-release should ideally be those that will benefit from a quality refresh or new perspective. Maybe a live version or acoustic arrangement would highlight an aspect of the song that got buried in the original mix.

Pro-Tip: If the analytics don’t narrow it down, try considering what each song represents for you as an artist. The songs that you think deserve more appreciation and praise or capture a sentimental moment in your life can make the re-release process more intuitive and easier for you.

How To Refresh Your Sound And Stay True To The Original?

The authenticity of your music often lies in its originality and sound. Maintaining a delicate balance while renewing your sound is a delicate balance, but one that is fun to explore! You can begin by determining what works best in the original- a vocal riff, bassline, lyric or even a specific productional element. Once you have an idea of what creates that essence in the original, you can proceed to upgrade your sound. 

Sometimes, subtle tweaks, like a cleaner mix or better mastering, can make the song sound completely different. Re-recording parts or elements can also enhance the original’s impact. Creating a live or acoustic version, adding in a newer sound or instrument or even collaborating with an artist can be the key to creating a lasting impact and making your music shine! For example, Passenger recently re-recorded and re-released his 2013 album, ‘All The Little Lights’ and collaborated and transformed his hit song ‘Let Her Go’ into a duet by getting Ed Sheeran onboard.

If the song is a popular listen, try to retain and amplify the unique traits that fans have connected with. The goal isn’t to erase what made the original special but to breathe new life into it. Whether you add subtle finesse or go for a full changeover, the key is to let the song retain its identity, just with a new layer of artistry that represents who you are now.

What Are The Most Effective Promotion Strategies For Re-Releases?

Musicians re-releasing songs often focus on the opportunity to promote their underrated music again. A re-release campaign can be an incredible way to connect with both new listeners and long-time fans. Promoting and marketing a re-release can be much easier with the use of social media and reconnecting with your fanbase. Word-of-mouth is still a viable option, you can play local gigs and build up hype organically by interacting with the listeners there. 

By promoting your re-release, you’re not only promoting one track but reviving your entire catalogue. Your re-release can draw the attention of both your newer listeners and loyal fanbase to discover more of your music. Building anticipation and hype for your re-release is crucial. By planning a re-release and post-release strategy, you can do promotional activities right such as teasers, pre-save campaigns and Q&A sessions with fans! Through live stories, Instagram stories and making a mini behind-the-scenes documentary on YouTube, you can build up genuine excitement for the release and guarantee you listeners.

Pitching your tracks to curators like Greaserelease can also help your tracks get on a famous Spotify playlist and draw in new listeners. Spotify, Apple Music, and others often give special spots to re-released tracks, especially if they’re refreshed versions of fan favourites. Reaching out to Music Blogs and Magazines, music influencers, and podcasts that specialize in your genre. can help you get a spotlight on your re-release and trust me, those features go a long long way! Re-releases can be newsworthy, especially if the original track holds significance for your fans or if you’re introducing new elements.

How To Measure The Success Of Your Re-Release?

Measuring the success of your music goes beyond just streams, analytics and data. Don’t get me wrong, these are great indicators of the reach you and your music have but fan engagement is just as important. Keeping an eye on social media helps—are fans sharing, commenting, and discussing the re-release? If the engagement with the song is high, it often means that the song has worked and resonated with the audience. An indicator of strong listener interest is also if your music lands on playlists as it can also lead to a spike in streams. More Prominent Playlist=Strong Listener Interest. 

Fan feedback is also a valuable metric. Keep a lookout at the positive comments, shares, and even direct messages from fans. It can tell you a lot about how well your re-release is being received. Sharing these positive comments about your release is also a great idea for creating buzz for the track and attracting other listeners who have missed out on the release. The track could lead to newer opportunities like an increase in audiences at your shows, collaboration prospects or even brand partnerships.

Finally, the success of your re-release depends on you! A re-release is successful if you feel creatively accomplished, better connected with your fans or fulfilled with the goals you set out to accomplish. Whether it reignites your fanbase or simply allows you to share a piece of your artistry in a way you’re proud of, a re-release that resonates with listeners is a win.

Our Final Thoughts

Re-releasing music can be one of the most rewarding moves in a musician’s journey. It lets you celebrate your past work, reach new fans, and grow creatively in ways that are both nostalgic and forward-thinking. When you choose the right songs, refresh your sound thoughtfully, and promote the re-release effectively, you’re setting yourself up for success. A well-done re-release isn’t just about revamping the sound; it’s about reminding fans why they connected with your music in the first place. So, don’t hesitate to give those older songs a fresh spin!

We at GreaseRelease, have a bunch of curators on our network who are looking for new & exciting music to push on their massive playlists. If you make music and want to reach a wider audience, check out our submission platform and get a chance to reach millions of listeners! Submit your tracks now!