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How Long Does Music Distribution Take?

Standard Delivery Timeline

InterSpace typically delivers your release to most platforms within 5–7 business days of passing quality control. However, we strongly recommend submitting your release at least 3–4 weeks before your desired release date for the following reasons:

  • Some platforms take longer to process new releases (see below).
  • Submitting 3+ weeks ahead makes you eligible for Spotify editorial playlist pitching.
  • It gives you time to run a pre-save campaign and build early momentum.

Platform-Specific Timelines

PlatformTypical Delivery Time
Spotify3–5 business days
Apple Music / iTunes3–7 business days
YouTube Music5–7 business days
TikTok / CapCut5–10 business days
Amazon Music5–7 business days
Deezer3–5 business days
Tidal5–7 business days
Beatport / Traxsource10–14 business days
Boomplay / Audiomack3–7 business days

What Causes Delays?

The most common reasons for delayed distribution are:

  1. Quality control rejection — your release was flagged for an audio, artwork, or metadata issue. You will receive an email explaining what to fix.
  2. Incomplete metadata — missing contributor credits, language settings, or genre selections.
  3. Platform backlogs — high-volume periods (e.g., around major holidays) can slow individual platform ingestion.
  4. 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.

Tips for a Smooth, On-Time Release

  • Submit at least 4 weeks before release day.
  • 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.