Release (music)

In the music industry, a release usually is a creative output from an artist available for sale or distribution. It is a broad term covering the many different forms music can be released in. Music can be released as singles, extended plays or as albums. A popular medium for releases is the Compact Disc (CD).
Musical performers often self-release (self-publish) their recordings without the involvement of an established record label. Some artists or groups who enjoy local or small scale popularity have started their own labels in order to release their music. Others simply sell the music directly to customers. One example is when it is sold at their live concerts. With the growth of the Internet, many musical acts have sold their recordings over the Internet without a record label. Unlike self-publishing a novel, which usually means that publishers did not want to publish it, even well-known musicians will choose to self-release recordings. Music managers are increasingly getting involved in music releases.
The word can also mean the event at which an album or single is first offered for sale. A release is sometimes called an album launch, or single launch.