Planning your release / Release date

The earliest possible release date you can select in your FreshTunes dashboard is 7 days after upload. This is the absolute minimum required for your release to go live across all platforms.

However, in the streaming era, 7 days is rarely enough, especially if you want your release to have the best possible reach and visibility.

Why we recommend uploading at least 2–4 weeks in advance

While 7 days may be technically sufficient for distribution, it leaves little to no room for promotion or issue resolution. Uploading your release 14–28 days before your intended release date gives you time to:

• Fix any issues flagged during moderation (metadata errors, artwork problems, licensing questions, etc.)

• Guarantee on-time delivery to all platforms on your chosen release day

• Pitch your music to streaming editors

• Build a proper marketing campaign with pre-saves, teasers, and social media

• Coordinate with blogs, influencers, and press if you're planning a PR push

Playlist pitching deadlines

Most major platforms have internal timelines for playlist consideration. For example:

• Spotify: Submit at least 7 days before the release date via Spotify for Artists

• Apple Music: Typically requires 10+ days for editorial pitching

• Other platforms (like Deezer, Amazon, YouTube Music): May require even longer lead times

Uploading too close to release day greatly reduces your chances of being featured on any editorial or algorithmic playlists.

Best practices

• Plan to upload your release 3–4 weeks in advance, especially if it’s a debut, lead single, or major drop

• Avoid uploading last-minute — this increases the risk of missing your release date or losing promotion opportunities

• Use the extra time for audience engagement, pre-save links, teaser campaigns, and collaborations