A successful release requires more than dropping a track and hoping for the best. Strategic playlist promotion starts weeks before release day and continues weeks after. This guide covers the complete timeline: pre-release research and pitching, pre-save campaigns, release day execution, and post-release follow-up to maximize your release's impact.
TLDR: Start playlist research 6-8 weeks before release. Pitch user-generated playlists 4-6 weeks out. Submit to Spotify editorial 2-3 weeks before release. Launch pre-save campaigns 2 weeks out. On release day, monitor for adds and share placements on social media. Post-release, analyze results and follow up with non-responsive curators. The combination of advance pitching, pre-saves, and editorial submission creates compounding momentum.
The Complete Release Timeline
Here's the week-by-week breakdown for optimal release strategy:
8 weeks before release: Finalize track and begin distribution upload process. Start playlist research using AI matching to identify target playlists.
6 weeks before: Continue playlist research. Create pitch tracking spreadsheet. Begin drafting personalized pitches for top targets.
4-5 weeks before: Start pitching user-generated playlists. Some curators schedule adds in advance or need weeks to review submissions.
3 weeks before: Submit to Spotify editorial through Spotify for Artists. Continue user-generated playlist outreach.
2 weeks before: Launch pre-save campaign. Create pre-save landing page through your distributor. Promote across social media.
1 week before: Final pitch push to remaining playlist targets. Ramp up pre-save promotion. Prepare release day social media content.
Release day: Monitor Spotify for playlist adds. Share any placements on social media. Thank curators publicly who added your track.
Week 1-2 post-release: Send follow-ups to curators who didn't respond. Continue monitoring for delayed adds. Analyze initial streaming data.
Week 3-4 post-release: Review Spotify for Artists analytics. Identify high-performing playlists. Build relationships with curators who added you.
Pre-Release Playlist Research
Thorough research before pitching maximizes acceptance rates:
Use AI matching: AI playlist matching identifies playlists based on audio similarity, not just genre keywords. This pre-qualifies playlists for sonic fit.
Check quality scores: Verify quality scores above 70 to avoid wasting pitches on bot-heavy playlists.
Analyze recent additions: Listen to playlists and note recent additions. Understanding curator taste helps personalize pitches.
Note update frequency: Prioritize playlists updated within the past 2 weeks. Active curators are more likely to respond.
Gather contact information: Compile email addresses and Instagram handles using the Curator Outreach Playbook methods.
Pre-Save Campaign Strategy
Pre-saves drive Release Radar placement and first-day momentum:
Set realistic goals: Target 100-200 pre-saves for emerging artists. 500+ pre-saves for artists with established audiences.
Create urgency: Offer incentives (exclusive content, early access to visuals) for pre-savers. Limited-time offers drive action.
Promote consistently: Post about pre-saves 2-3 times per week in the lead-up. Vary content to avoid repetitiveness—behind-the-scenes, lyric teasers, cover art reveals.
Use all channels: Email list, Instagram stories, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook. Each platform reaches different audience segments.
Track conversions: Use trackable pre-save links (from your distributor) to measure which channels drive the most pre-saves.
Editorial Submission Best Practices
Spotify editorial submission through Spotify for Artists offers potential for massive reach:
Submit early: At least 7 days before release, ideally 2-3 weeks. Editorial teams plan playlists in advance.
Be honest about genre: Accurate genre selection helps editorial teams route your submission correctly. Don't game the system with mislabeling.
Tell a compelling story: The story field matters. Explain what makes this release special, any inspiration, or notable collaborations.
Include relevant details: Mood, instruments, culture, and song meaning help editors understand your music beyond genre labels.
Manage expectations: Editorial placement is competitive. Most independent submissions don't get placed. View it as one part of a broader strategy, not the only strategy.
Release Day Execution
Release day is the culmination of your preparation:
Monitor for adds: Check Spotify for Artists (there's often a 1-2 day delay) and third-party tracking tools for immediate add notifications.
Share placements: When you see a playlist add, share it immediately on social media. Thank the curator publicly. This drives traffic to the playlist and strengthens the curator relationship.
Encourage streaming: Ask your audience to stream the track, save it to their library, and add it to their own playlists. Engagement signals matter most in the first 24-48 hours.
Avoid panic: If you don't see playlist adds immediately, stay calm. Many curators add tracks in the days and weeks following release, not necessarily on release day.
Continue pitching: Release day isn't the end of pitching. Continue outreach to curators who haven't responded. Some prefer adding tracks with a few days of streaming data.
Post-Release Follow-Up
The week after release determines long-term trajectory:
Send follow-ups: 7-10 days after initial pitch, send polite follow-ups to non-responsive curators. Reference your release date: Hi [Name], following up on my pitch for [Song Title]. It released last Friday and has been getting strong engagement—thought you might want to check it out for [Playlist Name].
Analyze performance: Review Spotify for Artists data. Which playlists are driving the most streams? Which have the highest save rates? Use this data to refine future targeting.
Thank curators: Send thank-you messages to curators who added your track. This isn't just polite—it builds relationships for future releases.
Note non-responders: Track which curators didn't respond. You can re-approach them with your next release, referencing that you've been working on new material.
Measuring Release Success
Define success metrics before release:
Stream goals: Set a first-week stream target based on your current monthly listeners. Reaching 10% of monthly listeners in week one is solid for emerging artists.
Save rate: Target 20%+ save rate (saves divided by unique listeners). High saves indicate strong audience connection and trigger algorithmic recommendations.
Playlist placement count: Track how many playlists added your track. Compare to previous releases to measure growth.
Follower growth: Net new Spotify followers during release week indicate audience building beyond one-time listeners.
Algorithmic triggers: Discover Weekly and Radio placements in the weeks following release indicate algorithmic momentum.
Common Release Day Mistakes
Starting too late: Beginning playlist research on release week wastes early momentum. Start 6-8 weeks ahead.
No pre-save campaign: Without pre-saves, Release Radar reach is limited. Pre-saves are low-effort, high-impact.
Over-relying on one strategy: Don't put all hope on editorial placement. User-generated playlists and pre-saves provide baseline momentum regardless of editorial outcome.
Forgetting follow-up: Most curators don't respond to first pitches. Without follow-ups, you leave significant opportunity untapped.
Ignoring analytics: Releasing without reviewing performance data means missing insights that improve future releases.
Building Momentum Across Releases
Each release should build on the previous:
Catalog promotion: Playlist placements for new releases often drive listeners to explore your catalog. Ensure previous releases are optimized for discovery.
Curator relationships: Curators who add one release are likely to add future releases if the relationship is maintained.
Data accumulation: Each release provides data about which playlists, genres, and demographics respond best to your music. Apply these insights cumulatively.
Audience growth: Followers gained from one release are pre-save candidates for the next. Release-over-release growth compounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Summary
A release day playlist strategy spans weeks before and after the actual release. Start research 6-8 weeks early. Pitch user-generated playlists 4-6 weeks before release. Submit to Spotify editorial 2-3 weeks early. Launch pre-save campaigns 2 weeks out. On release day, monitor adds, share placements, and encourage engagement. Post-release, follow up with non-responders, analyze performance data, and build curator relationships. Each release builds on previous learnings and relationships, creating compounding momentum across your release calendar.