Why you need more time than you think to put out your music.
Releasing music takes longer than you think—planning ahead helps with distribution, promotion, and reaching your audience.
Releasing music isn’t just about finishing your tracks and hitting “upload.”. The process takes time—more than you probably expect. Rushing a release can lead to missed opportunities, last-minute stress, and even lower engagement. Here’s why giving yourself extra time is essential for a smooth and successful launch.
Distribution takes longer than you think
Once your music is ready, you’ll need to upload it to a distributor (like RouteNote) to get it on streaming platforms. Many artists assume this happens instantly, but in reality, it can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks for platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer to process and approve your release.
Most distributors recommend uploading at least four weeks in advance, especially if you want a guaranteed release date or plan to submit your music for playlist consideration.
Playlists and press need time to plan
Getting your music onto editorial playlists or featured in blogs and magazines isn’t as simple as sending an email the day before release. Platforms like Spotify allow artists to pitch songs to playlist curators through Spotify for Artists, but they require at least four weeks’ notice before release. So to take in mind what we mentioned earlier about having your release sent to distributors four weeks prior you’re now already looking at at lease eight weeks before release.
Similarly, press outlets, music blogs, and radio stations often work weeks or even months in advance. Reaching out too late means your song won’t make it into their coverage schedule.
Social media and marketing require a build-up
Dropping a song without any promotion is like playing a gig with no audience. To get listeners excited, you need to start teasing your release ahead of time. This includes:
- Posting snippets of your track or behind-the-scenes footage
- Sharing artwork and release dates
- Running pre-save campaigns
- Engaging with your audience through Q&As, countdowns, and challenges
This kind of marketing works best when spread out over weeks or months, rather than crammed into the last few days before release.
Physical releases and merch take time to produce
If you’re releasing vinyl, CDs, or even custom merch, production times can be unpredictable. Vinyl pressing, in particular, can take months due to high demand, so planning ahead is so important. Even t-shirts, posters, and other promotional items need a solid timeline to avoid last-minute issues.
Music videos and visual content need planning
A strong release strategy often includes a music video or visualizer, but producing one isn’t instant. Whether you’re working with a videographer or creating DIY content, shooting, editing, and finalizing videos can take weeks. Releasing high-quality visuals alongside your track helps it stand out, but only if you’ve scheduled everything properly.
Avoiding stress and mistakes
Rushing a release doesn’t just lead to lower engagement—it also increases the risk of mistakes. Typos in your metadata, incorrect artwork, or missing credits can all cause delays. Giving yourself more time means you can double-check everything and avoid technical issues that could impact your release.
If you want your music to reach the right audience and make the biggest impact, planning is key. Instead of scrambling to put out your track as soon as it’s finished, take a step back and give yourself at least 8 to 10 weeks to properly distribute, promote, and prepare for your release.
