Live date on platforms
The day the release appears on Spotify, Apple Music and other platformsThe currently planned availability – regardless of when the release was made or where it came out before.
The live date on platforms says when a single, EP or album is to appear now at all digital partners – Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Tidal, Amazon Music and others. It is the planned moment from which the title can be streamed or downloaded through distribution by Bez Labelu.
These two dates are not directly related – they are often the same, but they can just as well be completely different. The Original release date is a historical fact (when the release first saw the light of day for the public and listeners), whereas the live date on platforms is a plan for the future (when you now want to publish it through us).
What this date actually determines
- The publication day on the individual platforms (technically, releases usually go live overnight, local time).
- Inclusion in new release sections – if you want a chance of getting into New Music Friday or similar playlists, this is the date that counts.
- The start of tracked statistics – plays, listeners and revenue start being counted from this moment.
- The end of the pre-order (if one is set) – the pre-order logically ends on the release day.
The same dates, or different ones?
| Situation | Original release date | Live date on platforms |
|---|---|---|
| A brand-new single | 1 March 2025 | 1 March 2025 |
| Moving a catalogue from another distributor | 15 June 2021 | 1 March 2025 |
| Reissue of an older album | 30 November 1982 | 1 March 2025 |
| A release so far only on YouTube | 10 September 2023 | 1 March 2025 |
How far into the future to plan the date
We recommend submitting the release for distribution at least 14 days before the release date, but ideally a month in advance. The reason is simple – between submission and actual publication, the release is processed by the individual platforms – checks, technical ingestion and inclusion in the catalogue. It can be done faster, but it cannot be guaranteed, and short deadlines increase the risk that the release will not make it in time. Submission means clicking “Distribute Selected” in the release detail – saving the release alone does not send it to distribution. You will find the details in the article When to send your music to distribution and how long it takes.
If you want to back the release with a campaign, feel free to plan the date 4–6 weeks ahead. That gives you room for promo, reaching out to playlists, shooting visuals and, if you like, setting up a pre-order and a Pre-Save link. To pitch to editorial playlists, submit the recording in Spotify for Artists at least 7 days before the release (ideally 2–4 weeks in advance). You can schedule the whole campaign in the Planner in Artists Bez Labelu.
What this date cannot do
- It cannot be set in the past – platforms cannot “launch” a release retroactively. If you want to keep the information about an earlier release, that is what the original release date is for. When you create a release, the form will not even let you set it in the past – if you want to release as soon as possible, set today’s date.
- It does not guarantee an exact time – platforms have their own processes, and the publication window may shift within the day.
- Once submitted, it cannot be moved at will – you can save a change of date when editing the release, but it only reaches the platforms after the release is sent to distribution again (saving a change does not mean republishing), and not all platforms accept it.
Use the interactive guide to release dates – it walks you through all three types of dates and checks that they fit together logically.