Your new single, EP, or album is finished. What comes next? Music release planning turns your completed recordings into a practical schedule for submission, delivery, and promotion. Starting early gives you room to check the details and prepare your audience before release day.
If your assets are ready, upload your next release to Allot Lines and choose a future release date that leaves time for the work ahead.
A growing market makes preparation worthwhile
The IFPI Global Music Report 2026 reports that global recorded music revenue reached US$31.7 billion in 2025, increasing 6.4%. Paid streaming revenue grew 8.8%.
More recently, IFPI’s 9 September 2026 EU update reported €6.0 billion in EU recorded music revenue for 2025, up 5.1%.
These figures describe industry performance, not a forecast for your earnings. For artists and labels, the useful next step is to prepare a release that audiences can find and a campaign you have time to carry out.
Understand Spotify’s seven-day pitching window
According to Spotify’s current pitching guidance, pitching an unreleased song at least seven days before release gets it onto your followers’ Release Radar playlists.
This is a pitching deadline, not an Allot Lines delivery estimate. First, your release must be reviewed and delivered. Then, once it appears in Spotify for Artists under Upcoming, you can submit your song pitch.
Work backward from your release date and allow additional time for review, processing, and any corrections. Uploading seven days before release does not necessarily leave seven days for pitching. Also, editorial playlist placement is not guaranteed.
Build your music release planning checklist
1. Finalize your audio and artwork
Upload the intended final master and the correct artwork. Check that titles, versions, and any explicit-content markings agree with your submission. A final review can help you catch avoidable errors before they interrupt your schedule.
2. Check artist details and credits
Confirm artist spelling, contributor roles, and available artist profile links. Keep these details consistent across the release and your promotional materials.
3. Prepare your rights documentation
Have any required licenses or authorizations ready. Choose stores and territories that match your rights, and provide accurate information about the content when requested.
4. Choose a realistic release date
Leave room for submission review, store processing, and possible corrections. If you want to pitch on Spotify, include its pre-release window in your schedule. Ask support for guidance if you are unsure whether your intended date is workable.
5. Prepare promotion before launch
Draft your announcement, create platform-specific visuals, and plan follow-up content. You can use a song preview, a behind-the-scenes story, or a short introduction to the release. Once your music is live, check the listening links before sharing them widely.
Start your next release with Allot Lines
Music release planning works best when each task has time on the calendar. If your recordings and supporting assets are ready, begin your submission today and use the lead-up to prepare your campaign.
Need help? Visit the Allot Lines Help Center or contact [email protected].
Industry information checked on 7 October 2026. Availability depends on approval and each platform’s processing. This article provides release preparation guidance; it does not announce a new Allot Lines planning feature.
Source links for social publishing
- IFPI Global Music Report 2026: https://www.ifpi.org/global-music-report-2026-global-recorded-music-revenues-grow-6-4-as-record-companies-drive-innovation/
- IFPI EU update, 9 September 2026: https://www.ifpi.org/eu-recorded-music-revenues-reach-e6-0-billion-as-european-music-culture-and-innovation-continue-to-excel/
- Spotify pitching guidance: https://support.spotify.com/nl-en/artists/article/pitching-music-and-videos-to-playlist-editors/
