Release Timeline: How Far Ahead to Plan a Music Release (Week-by-Week Checklist)

Plan a release six to eight weeks ahead if you want time to pitch, promote and fix surprises. Distributors need your finished release a few weeks before the date, stores process deliveries on their own schedules, and Spotify's editorial pitch only works for songs that haven't come out yet. Four weeks is a workable minimum for a single. Anything shorter means you're releasing without a plan.

Below is a week-by-week checklist you can copy for your next single, EP or album.

Why lead time matters

Three things take time you can't compress:

• Store processing. After your distributor delivers, each store ingests and publishes the release on its own timetable. Leaving a buffer protects your date.
• Editorial pitching. Spotify for Artists lets you pitch one unreleased song per release. Spotify asks for at least 7 days, but pitching several weeks ahead gives editors much more time to listen. More in how to pitch your song to Spotify editorial playlists.
• Building anticipation. Pre-saves, teasers, press and radio all need a runway. A smart link shared three weeks out collects far more interest than one shared on release morning.

8 weeks out: finish the music

• Lock the final mix and master. Get a WAV at 16-bit/44.1 kHz or higher.
• Confirm who wrote and produced each track, and agree on splits in writing with every collaborator.
• Clear anything that isn't yours: samples, licensed beats, featured artists' permission to use their name.
• Decide what the release is: a single, an EP or an album, and which track is the focus.

7 weeks out: artwork and details

• Commission or finalize the cover art: square, at least 3000×3000 px, RGB. Check it against the cover art requirements.
• Write down every piece of metadata: artist name, titles, versions, featured artists, credits, genre, language and explicit flag.
• Decide whether you're reusing any existing recordings. If so, find their ISRCs (see ISRC and UPC codes explained).

6 weeks out: submit to your distributor

• Upload audio, artwork and metadata, and pick your release date.
• Proofread every field before you submit. Compare it against metadata mistakes that get releases rejected.
• Leave room for corrections. If your distributor sends the release back for a fix, you still have weeks to spare.

5 weeks out: plan the promotion

• Make a list of what you'll publish and when: teasers, behind-the-scenes clips, a lyric snippet, the full cover reveal.
• Put together a short press kit: a few sentences about the release, a photo and links.
• List the blogs, curators, radio shows and newsletters you'll contact, and note their submission rules.

4 weeks out: pitch and set up links

• Once the release shows up in Spotify for Artists, submit your editorial pitch. Pick the one song you most want playlisted.
• Check Apple Music for Artists and the other artist tools for your upcoming release too.
• Set up your smart link with pre-save or "notify me" so fans can sign up now. See pre-save campaigns and smart links.

3 weeks out: announce

• Announce the release and date, and share the smart link everywhere: bio links, socials, your mailing list, your website.
• Send press and curator pitches. Most blogs and independent playlist curators want time to listen before the date.
• Start posting content from your plan.

2 weeks out: build momentum

• Share a teaser of the song: a short clip, a verse, the hook.
• Follow up once, politely, with anyone you pitched who hasn't replied.
• Prepare release-day assets: square and vertical visuals, captions and a thank-you message.

1 week out: final checks

• Remind people to pre-save or sign up to be notified.
• Plan a release-day moment: a live stream, a listening session, a post from you (not just the link).
• Prepare the short message you'll send your mailing list on release day.

Release week

• On release day, check every store. Make sure the artwork, titles and artist profile look right, and report any issue to your distributor right away.
• Update the smart link if any store links were missing, and share it again.
• Post, stream, thank people, and ask fans to add the song to their own playlists and share it.
• Contact curators who asked you to send the song once it's live.

After release: weeks 1 to 4

• Watch Spotify for Artists and Apple Music for Artists to see where listeners come from, and double down on what works.
• Keep posting: live versions, acoustic takes, stories behind the song. Most tracks don't peak on day one.
• Pitch the song to more independent curators and radio now that it has a public link.
• Write down what worked and what didn't. Your next release plan starts here.
• Remember that royalties come later than streams. Statements lag behind by months, not days (more in how streaming royalties work).

What if you have less time?

If you only have two or three weeks, focus on the essentials: submit a clean release as soon as possible, pitch to Spotify as soon as the song shows up in Spotify for Artists (at least 7 days before release), and share a smart link right away. Skip the elaborate content plan. Next time, start earlier.

Key takeaways

• Aim for six to eight weeks; treat four weeks as the practical minimum for a planned single.
• Finish the music, artwork and metadata before you submit, and submit weeks ahead.
• Pitch to Spotify editorial and launch your pre-save as soon as the release is in the system.
• Release week is when promotion peaks, not when it starts.

Planning a release with Stillmore Group

At Stillmore Group, the release date has to be at least 10 days after you submit so the stores have time to process the delivery, and we recommend planning further ahead than that. The team reviews every release before it goes out, so leaving extra time also gives you room to make any fixes. Every release gets a smart link page with a "notify me" option that emails fans on release day. Artists and labels can apply to join.