A Suno generation is not a release until the audio, metadata, and rights records are ready for a distributor. Use this checklist in order so you do not polish a track that still needs a rewrite.
Quick answer
Export the best available WAV, confirm the arrangement and lyrics are final, fix generation problems before mastering, finish the audio for translation and headroom, complete metadata and artwork, then upload through your distributor. Streaming loudness figures are playback-normalization references, not mandatory upload targets.
When you want the finishing step handled for you, Suno AI Mastering returns a private high-quality WAV. Pair it with Suno meta tags and the prompt and lyric guide earlier in the process.
1. Lock the creative version
Do not master a draft. Confirm:
- lyrics are final and singable
- structure works from intro to outro
- no unusable artifacts that need a regenerate
- title, featured artists, and songwriting credits are decided
If the performance or arrangement is broken, go back to generation or editing first. Mastering cannot invent missing words or fix a collapsed section.
2. Export the best source
- Prefer the lossless WAV export when your plan provides one
- Avoid converting a lossy file to WAV as a fake upgrade
- Keep the raw export in a clearly named folder separate from masters
- Note sample rate and bit depth for your distributor later
3. Quality-check the source
Listen end to end on headphones and small speakers. Flag:
- harsh highs or muddy low mids (mastering can help)
- warbles, dropouts, or wrong lyrics (regenerate or rewrite)
- already-clipped peaks (fix the source before limiting harder)
See Suno audio artifacts explained for a practical diagnosis map.
4. Finish the audio
Master for translation and control, not maximum loudness. Leave true-peak headroom for encoding. Compare the master and the raw export at matched loudness so louder does not automatically win.
Options:
- DIY process following the Suno mastering guide
- Planetary Standard or Ultra mastering tuned for common AI-export issues
5. Prepare metadata and assets
Distributors usually need:
- primary artist name exactly as it should appear on DSPs
- track title and optional featured artists
- genre, language, and release date
- cover art that meets size and content rules
- ISRC if you already own one (otherwise many distributors can assign one)
- songwriter and publisher information where required
Keep spelling identical across art, metadata forms, and social posts.
6. Choose distribution path
Pick one path and finish it:
- a full distributor for multi-platform release
- a single-platform first release only if that matches your plan
Read their current WAV, loudness, and artwork requirements before upload. Requirements change; do not rely on memory.
7. Upload and verify
- upload the final master, not an intermediate bounce
- preview the store page draft if the distributor provides one
- confirm territories, release time, and pre-save links if used
- after go-live, spot-check Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music for title art and spelling
Release-day checklist
- [ ] creative version locked
- [ ] raw WAV archived
- [ ] master QC passed on multiple systems
- [ ] mono check acceptable
- [ ] metadata and artwork consistent
- [ ] rights and credit records stored
- [ ] distributor preview approved
- [ ] social and link-in-bio assets ready