A fan email list is the set of listeners who gave you their address, and it is the only audience you own. Streaming platforms do not share listener emails, so you collect them yourself: put an email box on every release link, add a QR code at shows, and send something worth opening. This guide covers where emails come from, the rules, and five emails you can send this week.
Followers can only be reached through someone else's feed. An email address is yours. The work is in asking at every place a fan already is.
Where fan emails come from
- Your release link. Every smart link can carry an email box. This is the biggest source because it catches fans at the moment they are listening.
- Pre-save pages. A fan who wants the song on day one will leave an address. See pre-save links.
- Shows. Put a QR code to your link on the merch table, the screen or the poster. Ask from the stage once, near the end.
- Merch and orders. If you sell anything, ask at checkout.
- Your website and bio link. One email box above the fold.
Spotify does not give artists listener emails, so there is no way to get fans' addresses from your streaming account. You have to ask them on a page you control.
Set up capture in Stage
Fan email capture is on every Stage link, free. Each fan is saved with an optional name, where the click came from, their device and an engagement score from 0 to 100, and you can export the list as a CSV at any time. The details are on the fan email page.
Sending limits
| Plan | Sends per month | Who you can email |
|---|
| Free | 250 | Fans captured through your Stage links |
| Pro ($9.99 a month) | 5,000 | Any fan source, including a CSV import |
| Manager ($39.99 a month) | 25,000 | Any fan source, including a CSV import |
Every email has a one-click unsubscribe link. Free-plan emails also carry a short line saying they were sent with Stage.
The rules in plain English
Only email people who gave you their address, say what you will send, and let them leave. In the United States the FTC's CAN-SPAM guide says you must honor an opt-out request within 10 business days, with penalties of up to $53,088 per violating email. In the UK, the ICO says you must not send marketing emails to individuals without specific consent, and that bought-in lists do not qualify for the soft opt-in. Do not buy lists. See our privacy policy for how Stage handles fan data. This is general information, not legal advice.
Five emails to send
Copy these, change the details and send. Keep each one short. Replace the words in capitals.
1. Welcome
Subject: Thanks for joining. Hi FIRST NAME, thanks for signing up. I'm ARTIST NAME. I'll email you when there's new music or a show near you, and not much more than that. Here's the song most people start with: LINK. If you ever want to stop hearing from me there's a link at the bottom. ARTIST NAME
2. Pre-save ask
Subject: TRACK TITLE is out on DATE. Hi FIRST NAME, my new single TRACK TITLE comes out on DATE. Tap here and I'll remind you the moment it's live: PRE-SAVE LINK. It takes ten seconds. ARTIST NAME
3. Release day
Subject: It's out. Hi FIRST NAME, TRACK TITLE is out now: LINK. If you like it, the best thing you can do is send it to one friend. Thank you for being here from the start. ARTIST NAME
4. Tour announcement
Subject: CITY, DATE. Hi FIRST NAME, I'm playing VENUE in CITY on DATE. Tickets: LINK. If you're in or near CITY, I'd love to see you there. ARTIST NAME
The longer guide to that one is how to announce a tour and sell tickets with email.
5. Thank-you after a show
Subject: Thank you, CITY. Hi FIRST NAME, thanks for coming out in CITY. It was a great room. If you took a photo or a video, send it back to me and I'll share my favourites. The next show is DATE in CITY: LINK. ARTIST NAME
How often to email
Email when you have something to say: a release, a show, a milestone. Around a release, the release checklist uses a teaser, a pre-save push, the release email and a thank-you. Outside of releases, one short note a month is plenty. If your open rate drops, send less, not more.
Email tools for musicians
| Tool | Price | Email limit |
|---|
| Stage | Free; Pro $9.99 a month | 250 sends a month Free, 5,000 Pro, 25,000 Manager |
| Feature.fm | Free; Basic Artist $8; Artist $19; Pro Artist $39 a month | Fan emails per link: 50 on Basic Artist, 200 on Artist, unlimited on Pro Artist |
| Copythistune | Free; Pro $4.99 a month | One broadcast a day on free; unlimited emails on Pro |
From Feature.fm and Copythistune, checked on 4 October 2026. We have not checked the current free limits of general email services, so compare those on their own sites; our post on the best email platform for musicians goes into them.
Frequently asked
Is email marketing still worth it in 2026?
For artists with a release or show to announce, yes. An email reaches the person directly and does not need an algorithm to show it. It is the only audience you own.
How do I collect emails at shows?
Put a QR code that opens your smart link with an email box on the merch table, the poster and the screen, and ask once from the stage near the end of the set. A short offer helps, such as a free track or first access to tickets.
How do I get fans' emails from Spotify?
You cannot. Spotify does not share listener emails with artists. Send fans to a page you control, such as a release link with an email box, and ask there.
How often should a musician email fans?
When you have something to say. Around a release, three or four emails across a few weeks is normal. Outside a release, about once a month. Send less if people stop opening.
Start the list today
Publish one link with an email box at stage.groovegainer.com. Capture is free on every link, with 250 sends a month and no time limit. Pro has a 14-day money-back guarantee on the first payment; see the pricing page. More ideas in email marketing for musicians and how to turn listeners into superfans.
