Catalog

How to Create a Pitch in Velveteen

Updated August 25, 2026

The short answer

On a Pro or Label plan, create a pitch from Dashboard → Pitching by clicking + New Pitch, or from a release's Pitches tab. Select a release you administer; Velveteen creates a draft and pre-fills release fields. A release date at least four weeks away is required to submit. Complete the tabs and readiness checks, then submit for review.

Creating a pitch takes under a minute. The work is filling in the editorial form afterward. Velveteen gives you two entry points depending on whether you are managing pitches across your catalog or working inside a specific release.

Two ways to start

  1. 1

    From the Pitching page

    Go to Dashboard → Pitching and click + New Pitch (or arrive via Quick Actions with ?new=1). The dialog lists your releases; pick one and confirm.
  2. 2

    From a release

    Open Catalog → Releases → [your release] → Pitches tab. Click + New Pitch. The release is pre-selected so you skip the picker step.
  3. 3

    Review lead time

    Before confirming, check the release date warning. If the date is inside four weeks, you can still create a draft but will not be able to submit until the date moves out or you choose a different release.
  4. 4

    Land on the pitch detail page

    Velveteen creates the pitch in draft status and opens the Overview tab. The readiness panel on the right tracks completion.

The pitch detail tabs

Overview

Release card, priority, private listening link, and reviewer feedback if the pitch is returned for edits.

Artist

Display artists, locations, similar artists, Spotify URL, artist images, countries, and gender fields.

Music

Genre, subgenres, moods, lyrics language and link, delivery flags like Dolby Atmos and motion artwork.

Marketing

Hook, story, and big picture (the editorial copy editors read first), plus rollout plan, marketing drivers, spend rows, social URLs, and supporting links.

Sync

Sync licensing history, publishing details, brand affiliations, and alternative versions.

Save changes with the save bar at the bottom. Submission is a separate action once readiness hits 100%. Use the pitch readiness checklist to see every field and timing check Velveteen applies before submission.

Tip

Work tab by tab in the order the readiness panel lists failures. Each failed check links directly to the section that needs attention.

What gets pre-filled from the release

Velveteen builds the first draft from the release and its linked catalog records. You may see the release title and display artists, genre and subgenres, artwork, the active listening link, lyrics language, track instruments, and artist profile details already in place. The exact values depend on what the release and artist records contain.

Tip

Treat pre-filled values as a starting point. Check the listening link, artist names, genre fields, and release date before you write the hook, story, and big picture fields.

Plan requirements

Pitching requires a Pro or Label plan (including legacy Pro and Label tiers), and creating a pitch requires Admin permission on the linked release. If your account does not have pitching access, you will see the pitching overview and educational content but cannot create or submit pitches until you upgrade.

Heads up

CDF-lapsed accounts with catalog still live may see restricted create access. Check your billing status if pitching actions are unexpectedly blocked.

If access is available but the release date is too close, review when to pitch your release before changing the date or starting another draft.

Frequently asked questions

Which releases can I pitch?+

On a Pro or Label plan, the create action requires Admin permission on the selected release. A release can still be in draft, but submitting its pitch requires a release date at least four weeks away. Check the release date warning before you start the editorial form.

Can I pitch a draft release?+

Yes, if you have Admin permission on the release and the account has pitching access. You can create the pitch as a draft, but submission requires complete pitch fields and a release date at least four weeks away. Finish release metadata before investing heavily in pitch copy.

Who can create pitches on my catalog?+

Creating a pitch checks for Admin permission on the linked release, along with a Pro or Label plan. Editing or submitting an existing pitch is a separate permission check: Editors may work on a pitch when they have pitch access, but viewers cannot submit.

Does Velveteen pre-fill anything from my release?+

Yes. Velveteen seeds the pitch name, display artists, genre and subgenre fields, artwork, listening link, lyrics language, and selected artist and track details from the linked release. Review every pre-filled value, then complete the editorial fields manually.

Can I create multiple pitches for one release?+

Not while another pitch for that release is active. The picker filters out a release with an existing non-rejected pitch. If the existing pitch is rejected, the release can be selected again to create a new draft.

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