Original release date
The day the release first reached listenersA historical fact that does not change – not after a reissue, nor after switching to a new distributor.
The original release date is the day the release (single, EP or album) was made public for the very first time – whether on CD, vinyl, cassette, as a download, on streaming platforms, on YouTube or anywhere else. It is permanent information tied to the release and should not change over time.
Why this date matters at all
Streaming platforms show the year each release first came out. If a single, EP or album has been around for a while and you are now just moving it to Bez Labelu (or sending it to the platforms for the second time), the platforms need to know that it is not a new title but an existing work. The original release date carries this information.
The same information is also used by collecting societies, music databases and the platforms’ algorithms when sorting catalogues, making recommendations and assessing new releases.
The album Thriller came out on 30 November 1982. Neither Spotify nor any other streaming service existed at the time – yet that is exactly the year you see for the album on Spotify. That is because it is the original release date, which stays tied to the title forever, regardless of when it later appeared digitally.
When and how to fill in this date
When you enter a release with us, you will come across two mandatory dates – the original release date and the live date on platforms. The original release date must not be later than the live date on platforms – the release form will not even save such a combination. The logic is simple:
- A brand-new release that has never come out anywhere: Original release date = live date on platforms (both dates are the same).
- A release that has already come out somewhere (an older single, an album from the past, switching from another distributor, previously only on YouTube, etc.): Original release date = the day the release first came out, and the live date on platforms = the day the version distributed by us is to appear now. When switching from another distributor, follow the article How to switch from another distributor to Bez Labelu; for reissues, follow the article Re-releasing albums, EPs and singles.
The original release date cannot be shifted for convenience – for example, to make an old title look “younger” by entering the current year. Platforms compare these details with publicly available sources, and discrepancies may lead to the release being rejected or removed from the platforms.
Marketing impact
The original release date is a historical detail – on its own, it is no use for promoting something as “brand new”. If you want the platforms to include you in sections such as New Releases, what counts is the live date on platforms, not the original release date. That is why the two dates must be told apart correctly.
We have prepared an interactive guide to release dates that will help you step by step to determine the right values for your specific case – including reissues, switching from another distributor and brand-new releases.