Automated Release Management vs Manual Spreadsheets
Google Sheets is a great starting point, but managing music releases with spreadsheets means endless manual updates, no automation, and hours wasted on data entry. ReleaseLoop automates your workflow with purpose-built features like task templates, notifications, and marketing planners so you can focus on music, not spreadsheets.
Automated workflows and music features, not manual data entry
Try ReleaseLoop FreeFeature Comparison
See how ReleaseLoop stacks up against Google Sheets for music release management
Release Management
Proper release tracking beyond spreadsheets
| Feature | Google Sheets | ReleaseLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Release Database✨ Key Feature | Manual rows in sheets | Dedicated release cards with metadata |
| Release Status Workflow✨ Key Feature | Manual cell updates | Built-in (Draft → Scheduled → Released → Archived) |
| Release Metadata | Columns you create manually | Title, artist, date, type, label, UPC, catalog number |
| Multi-Artist Support | Separate columns or sheets | Primary artists, features, remixers with billing |
| Cover Art Management | Image links or Drive links | Dedicated artwork with visual display |
Tasks & Automation
Automated task management vs manual checklists
| Feature | Google Sheets | ReleaseLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Task Management✨ Key Feature | Manual checkbox lists | Automated task system with assignments |
| Industry Task Templates✨ Key Feature | Pre-production through post-release workflows | |
| Task Assignments | Manual name columns | Assign with notifications |
| Urgent Tasks Dashboard | Auto-updates overdue & upcoming tasks | |
| Automated Notifications | Get notified about deadlines and changes |
Music-Specific Features
Purpose-built tools you can't get in spreadsheets
| Feature | Google Sheets | ReleaseLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Tracklist Management✨ Key Feature | Manual rows + formulas | Title, duration, ISRC, drag-to-reorder |
| Track Contributors | Text cells or separate sheets | Writers, producers, performers per track |
| Artist Roster & Spotify Import✨ Key Feature | Auto-fill from Spotify with stats | |
| Revenue Splits | Manual percentage columns | Calculate splits automatically |
| Google Drive Integration | Manual linking | Native folder linking and browsing |
Calendar & Marketing
Visual planning beyond spreadsheet cells
| Feature | Google Sheets | ReleaseLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar View✨ Key Feature | Visual month/week/day calendar | |
| Marketing Planner✨ Key Feature | Schedule activities relative to release date | |
| Marketing Templates | TikTok-first, traditional, minimal strategies | |
| Timeline View | Visual release timeline | |
| Due Date Tracking | Manual date formulas | Automated reminders and dashboards |
Financials & Budgeting
Automated budget tracking vs manual calculations
| Feature | Google Sheets | ReleaseLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Tracking✨ Key Feature | Manual SUM formulas | Log expenses with auto-calculation |
| Expense Categories | Manual categorization | Pre-defined music industry categories |
| Revenue Splits | Complex formulas | Automated percentage calculations |
| Financial Reports | Manual charts and pivot tables | Budget vs actual reports generated automatically |
Contact Management
Proper CRM vs contact lists in sheets
| Feature | Google Sheets | ReleaseLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Database✨ Key Feature | Separate sheet with rows | Dedicated CRM with profiles |
| Industry Contact Categories | Manual category columns | Press, radio, playlist, sync, etc. |
| Relationship Status Tracking | Manual status columns | New, active, dormant, VIP |
| Interaction Timeline✨ Key Feature | Log and view communication history |
Collaboration & Updates
Real collaboration vs shared spreadsheets
| Feature | Google Sheets | ReleaseLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time Updates | Basic sheet sharing | Live updates with notifications |
| Comments & Discussions | Cell comments | Threaded discussions per release |
| Activity Feed✨ Key Feature | Version history only | See who did what and when |
| In-App Notifications | Get notified about assignments and changes | |
| Team Permissions | Basic edit/view sharing | Role-based access control |
Why Artists Choose ReleaseLoop
The key differences that matter for music release management
Release Database
Release Status Workflow
Task Management
Pricing Comparison
Get more music-specific features for your money
Google Sheets
ReleaseLoop
- Free to use
- Unlimited sheets
- Basic collaboration
- Accessible anywhere
- • Completely manual with no automation
- • No task notifications or reminders
- • No music-specific features
- • Time-consuming to maintain
- • Prone to errors and broken formulas
- • No visual calendar or timeline views
- 1 Active Release
- Pre-built Release Templates
- Music Industry Features
- 25 Contacts (CRM)
- Business email
- More storage
- Admin controls
- Standard support
- • Still just spreadsheets
- • Still completely manual
- • No music industry features added
- • Same maintenance overhead
- Unlimited Releases
- Marketing Calendar & Budget Tracking
- DSP Integration & Tracking
- 100 Contacts (CRM)
Google Sheets is free, but the hidden cost is time. Hours spent on manual data entry, updating formulas, and maintaining spreadsheets add up quickly.
Why Choose ReleaseLoop
Purpose-built for music industry professionals
Stop Manual Updates
No more copying dates, updating statuses, or calculating budgets manually. ReleaseLoop automates your workflow with task templates, notifications, and real-time updates so you can focus on releasing music.
Built for Music, Not Spreadsheets
Get features Google Sheets can't provide: tracklists with ISRC codes, revenue splits, artist rosters with Spotify import, marketing planners, and contact relationship tracking. All purpose-built for music professionals.
Visual Planning & Calendar Views
See your releases on a real calendar, not spreadsheet cells. Plan marketing campaigns with timeline views and get dashboard widgets that update automatically. Spreadsheets weren't designed for project management.
Affordable Professional Tools
Google Sheets is free but costs you hours of time. For $29/month, get professional release management that saves you hours every week. Our free plan lets you start with one release, no spreadsheet setup required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about switching to ReleaseLoop
Yes! Export your Google Sheet as CSV and use it as reference while setting up releases in ReleaseLoop. Most data like release titles, dates, and artists transfers easily. You'll be amazed how much faster it is to work with purpose-built release management versus spreadsheets.
Ready to Switch to ReleaseLoop?
Join thousands of artists using ReleaseLoop to manage their music releases more effectively than Google Sheets.