The Two Phases of Going Live
Getting your music live involves two separate phases, and it helps to understand both:
- Quality control review — our QC team checks your release (see how the QC process works)
- Store delivery — after approval, your release is delivered to and processed by each platform
Phase 1: Quality Control Review
We maintain a standard 3 business day review process with our QC team — but in practice, most releases are processed well ahead of that, typically within 24 to 48 hours of submission.
| Option | Review Time |
|---|---|
| Standard review | Within 3 business days (most releases processed in 24–48 hours) |
| ⚡ Fast-Track (rush fee) | Under 24 hours |
⚡ Fast-Track Processing
Release date coming up fast? You can have your release processed in under 24 hours by paying a one-time rush fee. After you submit your release, the Fast-Track option is offered right on your release page — click the ⚡ Fast-Track button, complete the payment, and your release jumps to the front of the QC queue. The current fee is shown at checkout.
Phase 2: Store Delivery Timelines
Once your release passes QC, delivery times are in the hands of each platform:
| Platform | Typical Delivery Time |
|---|---|
| Spotify | 3–5 business days |
| Apple Music / iTunes | 3–7 business days |
| YouTube Music | 5–7 business days |
| TikTok / CapCut | 5–10 business days |
| Amazon Music | 5–7 business days |
| Deezer | 3–5 business days |
| Tidal | 5–7 business days |
| Beatport / Traxsource | 10–14 business days |
| Boomplay / Audiomack | 3–7 business days |
Note: Fast-Track speeds up our QC review, not the platforms' own ingestion — store delivery times above still apply after approval.
Plan Backwards From Your Release Date
Even with fast QC, we strongly recommend submitting at least 3–4 weeks before your desired release date:
- Submitting 3+ weeks ahead makes you eligible for Spotify editorial playlist pitching
- It leaves time to run a pre-save campaign and build early momentum
- Slower platforms (Beatport, TikTok) have time to ingest before release day
- If QC flags something, you can fix and resubmit without missing your date
More on picking dates: Understanding Release Scheduling and Dates
What Causes Delays?
- Quality control rejection — your release was flagged for an audio, artwork, or metadata issue. You will be notified with the exact reason (see Why Was My Release Rejected?).
- Incomplete metadata — missing contributor credits, language settings, or genre selections.
- Platform backlogs — high-volume periods (Fridays, major holidays) can slow individual platform ingestion.
- Pre-release verification — new artists may face additional verification steps on certain platforms.
My Music Has Been Delivered But Is Not Showing — What Now?
Once InterSpace marks your release as delivered, it can still take 24–72 hours for it to appear in search results on each platform. If it has been more than 10 business days since your release date and your music still does not appear, please contact support with your release ID and the affected platform. See also: My Music Is Not Showing on Spotify or Apple Music
Tips for a Smooth, On-Time Release
- Submit at least 3–4 weeks before release day — use Fast-Track as a rescue, not a routine.
- Double-check your artwork (3000×3000 px minimum JPEG/PNG).
- Ensure audio files are WAV or FLAC at 44.1 kHz / 16-bit or higher.
- Fill in all metadata fields — do not leave contributor or composer fields blank.
- Set your explicit/clean flag correctly.
- Run through Best Practices for Preparing Your Release before submitting.
