How to Build Access on EVEN

A guide to creating a access that gives every fan a reason to pay more.

What is Access?

Access is how you attach exclusive additional content to your release so that fans who pay more get more. The music is always the foundation, and Access is what fans unlock on top of it when they choose to go deeper. A fan who pays the base price gets your project. A fan who pays more gets your project along with something extra, whether that is a documentary, a t-shirt, a music video, or a vinyl record. The more they invest, the more they receive.

You decide what that additional content is, how they are priced, and how they are structured. EVEN gives you six types of content you can attach to a release:

• Videos. Behind-the-scenes footage, music video clips, documentaries.

• Gallery. Photo sets, visual experiences, exclusive imagery.

• Documents. PDFs, lyric booklets, music journals, guides, liner notes.

• Events. Livestreams, virtual listening parties, in-person meetups, private Q&As.

• Merch. T-shirts, hats, vinyl, CDs, limited or one-of-a-kind items.

• Audio. Bonus tracks, demos, instrumentals, podcasts, alternate versions.

You can use one type or several. The goal is to build something that feels worth paying for, using whatever you have to offer.

What Are Tiers?

A tier is a price point. Each tier unlocks a different combination of additional content on top of the music, and every tier includes everything from the tier below it. Think of it as steps: the first step is the music itself, and each step after that costs a little more while giving the fan a little more in return. Fans choose the step that feels right for them, and you earn more from the fans who want to go further.

Here is a simple example to make this concrete:

In this setup, a fan who loves your music but is not ready to spend more can pay $5 and still support you. A fan who wants everything pays $25 and walks away with the full package. Both are wins, and neither fan has to feel like they missed out on what they paid for.

Note: Every tier includes everything from the tier below it. A fan who pays $25 gets the music, the documentary, and the t-shirt. They never have to pay multiple times for the same thing.

How Many Tiers Should You Create?

You can create as many tiers as your project calls for, but the sweet spot is between two and four. Once you go beyond four, the choices start to stack up in a way that slows fans down instead of exciting them. Each tier you add should bring something distinct to the table. If you cannot clearly explain what makes it worth the price, that is a sign to leave it out.

Tip: If you are not sure where to start, try two tiers: a base price for the music and one higher price with your best access. You can build up to four tiers as your offering grows, but do not feel pressure to fill all four. Two strong tiers will always outperform four weak ones.

What to Put in Each Tier

The examples below show a few different ways to structure your tiers. While the combinations are flexible, the strongest setups tend to include all three dimensions: something physical that fans can hold, something media-based that takes them behind the music, and something community-based that brings them closer to you as an artist. Covering all three gives fans with different interests a reason to upgrade, and it makes the overall package feel well-rounded rather than one-dimensional.

Example: Covering All Three Dimensions

This is the approach we recommend as a starting point. Each tier adds a new type of additional content so that fans at every price point are getting something meaningfully different.

Example: Two Physical Items

If you have multiple merch items to offer, you can ladder them across tiers while still incorporating media and community access at higher price points.

This setup works well, but notice that it leans heavily on physical items at the top two tiers. If you have a community access option available, consider adding it to Tier 3 or creating a fourth tier that brings all three dimensions together.

Example: Media-Heavy with a Community Anchor

For artists with a lot of video and audio content to share, media access can carry the earlier tiers while a community experience anchors the top.

Tip: The strongest Access setups cover all three dimensions: something physical, something media-based, and something community-based. Fans connect with artists in different ways, and giving each type of fan a reason to upgrade is what makes a tiered system work at its best.

How to Think About Pricing

Start with your base price for the music, then work upward from there. Each tier should feel like a fair exchange for what the fan is getting, and the gap between tiers should make sense. If the jump from your base price to your highest tier is too large, fans in the middle have nowhere to land. Adding a tier in between gives more people a natural entry point.

A few other things to keep in mind as you set your prices:

• Physical items cost money to produce. Make sure the tier price covers that cost while still feeling reasonable to the fan.

• Exclusive content can justify a higher price. A documentary, a one-of-a-kind item, or early access to music that is not yet on streaming platforms all carry real value.

• Pay What You Want works well for the base tier. It lowers the barrier for fans who want to support you but are not ready to commit to a higher price point.

Make the Access Worth It

Access works best when the additional content feels like something a fan cannot find anywhere else. That is what turns a casual listener into someone willing to pay more. Before you add access to a tier, ask yourself honestly: would a fan feel like they got something real? If the answer is yes, add it. If it feels like filler, leave it out and save the tier for something stronger.

Content that tends to perform well includes:

• Video content that is not on YouTube, such as a mini-documentary, behind-the-scenes footage, or an early music video drop before the public release

• Audio content that cannot be streamed anywhere, like a demo, an instrumental version, or a bonus track that will never appear on the main project

• Documents that feel personal, such as annotated lyrics, studio notes, or a lyric booklet designed specifically for the release

• A gallery of photos that exist nowhere else, including outtakes, rehearsal shots, or early artwork that did not make the final cut

• Physical items produced in small quantities, especially if they will not be restocked once they sell out

• Events that put the fan directly in contact with you, whether that is a virtual listening session or an in-person meetup

Note: If your music is going to streaming platforms after the release window, mention that in your Access listing. A real deadline gives fans a concrete reason to act, and it makes the exclusivity feel genuine rather than just a marketing angle.

Before You Launch

A few things worth getting right before your Access goes live:

• Set up your tiers before the release drops. Fans who discover your project should be able to buy in immediately, not find an empty Access page.

• Keep the tiers clearly different from each other. If two tiers feel too similar, fans will almost always choose the cheaper one.

• Do not overload a single tier. One or two strong pieces of additional content per tier is more compelling than a long list of items that dilute each other.

• Use what you actually have. You do not need to use all six Access types. A well-chosen access that you are proud of will always outperform something thrown together just to fill a slot.

Where to Set This Up

You can add Access to any release directly from your EVEN dashboard. Go to your release, select Access, and choose the type of access you want to add: Videos, Gallery, Documents, Events, Merch, or Audio. From there you can set your price, upload your content, and publish when you are ready.

If you have questions or want help thinking through your tier structure, reach out to EVEN's artist support team. We are here to help you build something your fans will actually want to pay for.