As of Friday, October 2, 2026, Luminate officially allows direct-to-consumer (D2C) storefronts to offer digital album pre-orders with Exclusive Early Track Access - meaning fans who pre-order a digital album from your store can stream select tracks before they're available anywhere else, and those sales count toward the charts.
This guide walks you through what the new rules allow, what you're responsible for, and exactly how to set it up in Single.
What is Exclusive Early Track Access?
Traditionally, "instant grat" or pre-release tracks offered with an album pre-order are also made available on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, and other DSPs during the pre-release window.
Exclusive Early Track Access is different: the early tracks are available only to purchasers through your storefront, and nowhere else, until the album's release date.
A few important boundaries up front:
Digital albums only. Exclusive Early Track Access cannot be offered with the purchase of a physical album.
One storefront per release. Only one artist, label, or third-party storefront can offer Exclusive Early Track Access for a given album.
One variant per storefront. Within that storefront, only one digital album variant can carry Exclusive Early Track Access. It counts as one of your four allowed D2C digital album exclusive variants per release.
True exclusivity. The early-access tracks cannot be made available for streaming or purchase on any other platform until album release date. If they show up on a DSP early, the offer no longer qualifies.
Requirements checklist
Before you build anything, confirm each bullet below:
Your offering has been submitted to Luminate for approval at least 14 days before the offer goes live, and the store URL will remain active through the entire reporting period
You're offering no more than 4 early-access tracks - and if the album has 8 or fewer songs, no more than half the tracklist
All early-access tracks appear on the digital album being pre-ordered
The album release date and tracklist (exact track titles, or at minimum the total track count) are displayed at the time of pre-order and locked for the entire pre-order period
The album won't be expanded post-purchase or after release
The album meets the $7.99 pricing minimum for D2C platforms
Staggered releases: You can release the early-access tracks all at once or staggered over time - but every track must remain exclusive to your store until album release date, regardless of when it unlocks.
Setting it up in Single
1. Create a digital release
In Single, create a new digital release and choose Album, EP or Single.
2. Enter album info and upload artwork
Fill in your album details and upload your album art, then click Continue. Per Luminate requirements, the release date and track count must be displayed on the product page and stay locked throughout the pre-order.
3. Upload your masters
Upload the audio files for your album. If you don't have all of the final masters in hand yet, click + Add Placeholder Track for each remaining track that will appear on the album - this lets you lock in the full tracklist now, as required.
4. Set early release dates on your exclusive tracks
Click on a track that will be released ahead of the full album, then change the release date for that track to the date it should unlock for purchasers.
Repeat this for each early-access track - up to 4 tracks (or no more than half the tracklist on an album of 8 songs or fewer). You can give them all the same date or stagger them.
5. Select a pre-sale date
Set the pre-sale date for the digital album. This is when fans can begin pre-ordering and gaining access to the exclusive tracks as they unlock.
6. Create the Shopify product
Create a Shopify product that represents the digital album so fans can purchase it from your store.
7. Publish the digital album as an attachment to your Shopify product
Complete the remaining required fields and publish.
8. Add Single's tracklist player app block
If you haven't already, add Single's tracklist player app block to the default product template in your Shopify theme. This displays the album's track count and release date on the product page, ensuring Luminate's display requirements are met.
Quick reference
Rule | Limit |
Storefronts offering the exclusive per release | 1 |
Album variants with early access per storefront | 1 (counts toward the 4-variant D2C max) |
Early-access tracks | Up to 4 (max half the tracklist on albums of ≤8 songs) |
URL approval lead time | At least 14 days before offer goes live |
Exclusivity window | Until album release date |
Physical albums | Not eligible |
Effective date | Friday, October 2, 2026 |
Questions?
If you're unsure whether your release qualifies, or you need help submitting your store URL or registering your album with Luminate, reach out to the Single team - we're happy to help you get set up.