How to share unreleased music without it leaking

Five rules

1. Named people, not links. Invite each person by email.
2. Play by default. Download only for the people who work on the audio.
3. See who listened. Opens, plays and downloads, per person.
4. Take access back. Remove people when the session or the pitch is over.
5. Protect the account. Turn on 2-step sign-in where your songs are kept.

Who gets what

• Listen only: A&Rs, managers, labels, featured artists, friends.
• Listen and comment: co-writers and producers giving notes.
• Download: the mix and mastering engineers, and whoever adds parts.

What to avoid

• Posting files in group chats, where they are copied to every phone in the group.
• Email attachments, which stay in every inbox they pass through.
• Shared folders that give everyone the same access as you.

Common questions

Are “anyone with the link” links safe for unreleased songs?

No. A link that works for anyone works for whoever it is forwarded to, and you cannot tell who that was. Invite people by email instead, so each person signs in as themselves.

Can people still record a song they can only stream?

Yes. Anyone who can hear a song can record their speakers. Play-only access stops the original file from spreading and makes a leak traceable to fewer people; it is not perfect protection.

Who actually needs to download the files?

Usually only the people working on the audio: the mix engineer, the mastering engineer, a producer adding parts. A&Rs, managers and featured artists can decide by listening.

What should I check before sharing with a new service?

Whether it trains AI on uploads, who at the company can access your files, whether it offers 2-step sign-in, and whether you can remove someone’s access later.

Or share it in Songcase

In Songcase you share a song with named people only: a viewer can play it but not download it, a commenter can also leave notes, an editor can add versions. Every shared song shows who opened, played and downloaded it, 2-step sign-in is there for your account, and Songcase doesn’t use your songs to train AI. Songcase is free to start. How Songcase keeps songs safe.