How often should you release music? Plan your release schedule

Free tool · runs in your browser · Facts checked 8 October 2026

Quick answer: many independent artists release a single every 4 to 8 weeks, but there is no official rule. Spotify’s rules set the real limits: you can pitch one unreleased song at a time, at least 7 days before its release, so every release needs its own pitch window. The planner below puts your songs on Fridays and checks each window.

The planner runs in your browser. If it doesn’t load, the sample schedule further down shows what it builds for four singles.

How the planner checks your schedule

Every release on a Friday. New music has come out worldwide on Fridays since IFPI set the global release day in 2015, and Spotify refreshes Release Radar every Friday. A start date on another day moves to the next Friday.
One pitch at a time. In Spotify’s words, “You can only pitch one song at a time.” The next pitch opens when the pitched song goes live and closes 7 days before the next release. So your pitch window is your spacing minus a week: three weeks at a 4-week pace, and only the previous release day at a weekly pace.
Release Radar spacing. Spotify shows each listener one song per artist per week, and keeps a song for up to 4 weeks for listeners who haven’t heard it. Our reading: releases less than 4 weeks apart can compete for the same slot, so the planner flags them.
Upload windows. Each release gets its own upload window: TuneCore and Ditto suggest 3 to 4 weeks ahead, and DistroKid recommends at least two weeks if you want to pitch.
Singles before an EP or album. Only unreleased songs can be pitched, and Release Radar leaves out re-releases of songs already on Spotify, so the planner always keeps at least one new song for the project’s release day.

The pace check is a rule of thumb, not a Spotify rule: guides for independent artists commonly suggest a release every 4 to 8 weeks while you are growing. The planner shows it as a check and never blocks a faster or slower plan.

Worked example: four singles, one every 4 weeks

Four finished songs, a first release on Friday 13 November 2026, all singles:

Fri 13 Nov 2026: Single 1. Upload between Fri 16 Oct and Fri 30 Oct; pitch from when it shows under Upcoming until Fri 6 Nov.
Fri 11 Dec: Single 2. Pitch window Fri 13 Nov to Fri 4 Dec, 21 days.
Fri 8 Jan 2027: Single 3. Pitch window Fri 11 Dec to Fri 1 Jan.
Fri 5 Feb 2027: Single 4. Pitch window Fri 8 Jan to Fri 29 Jan.

All three checks pass: at least a week to pitch every song, 4 weeks between releases, and a pace inside the common range. At a weekly pace the same four songs would leave only the release day of each single to pitch the next one.

Questions artists ask

How often should independent artists release music?

There is no official answer. Many guides suggest every 4 to 8 weeks while you are growing, but the right pace is one you can keep with finished songs and time to post about each one. The planner checks any pace against Spotify’s pitching rules.

Can I release a single every week?

You can, but each song could then only be pitched on the day the previous one comes out, because Spotify takes one pitched song at a time, at least 7 days ahead. Weekly singles also compete for Release Radar, which shows each listener one song per artist per week.

Should every release come out on a Friday?

If you can, yes. Friday is the global release day for new music, and it is the day Spotify refreshes Release Radar. Your distributor accepts other days too, which is why the planner moves your start date rather than refusing it.

How many singles should come out before an EP or album?

There is no rule. Keep at least one unreleased song for the EP or album’s release day so you can pitch it, because songs that are already out can’t be pitched and Release Radar leaves out re-releases. The planner lets you choose between one and four singles first.

Does each single need its own upload?

Yes. Each single is its own release with its own upload window, 2 to 4 weeks before its Friday. A single can still go on the EP or album later as part of a separate release.

Related tools and guides

Music release planner: every deadline for one release, worked back from its Friday.
Single, EP or album?: what stores will call your songs, and which route gives the most pitches.
Release-week content planner: what to post around each release day.
How Spotify Release Radar works · Is Spotify promotion legit? · How much does Spotify promotion cost?
All guides · All free tools

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Sources

Spotify for Artists: Pitching music and videos to Spotify playlist editors (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
Spotify for Artists: Getting music on Release Radar (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
IFPI: on creating New Music Fridays in 2015 (20 Jul 2023)
TuneCore Help: How long does it take for my music to go live in stores? (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
DistroKid Help: Why do I not see my release under Upcoming in Spotify for Artists? (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
Ditto Music Support: How long before my release date should I upload my music? (updated 13 Feb 2024)
Orphiq: How often should artists release music? (4 Oct 2026, practitioner guide)

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