Why Your Music Isn’t Dropping on Release Day

After picking the perfect release date, you draft your rollout plan and everything looks on point. So you upload for distribution. But when midnight hits… your song is nowhere to be found.

So you panic, wondering what you did wrong. “Did my distributor mess up?”, you ask yourself.

Chances are that you’ve gone through this before. And you know what? You’re not alone. In fact, this exact issue trips up thousands of independent artists every week.

But even more importantly, you’re not the problem.
However, you need to know the ways of the Digital Service Providers (DSPs). These guys have behind-the-scenes timelines that are not so widely known.

So the question is, what really happens after you upload your song?

The fact is that your song doesn’t go live instantly — even when you upload everything correctly and your distributor delivers on time. That’s because DSPs like Spotify, Apple Music, and others each have their own ingestion and approval timelines.

How does that work? See the breakdown below:

269vibes global delivers your release within a few minutes to a few hours after you submit it. In turn, the platforms (most of them including Spotify, Deezer, Audiomack, etc.) go live within 24 hours after receiving the release.

But with Apple Music/iTunes, the story is different. Apple reinspects every release, and this process typically takes 5–6 days from when they receive your files. This is a case of strict internal review that you can’t skip.

So even if you plan everything “on time,” you could still end up with a release that’s missing in action on Apple for nearly a week.

“As Soon As Possible” Is Not Always… Soon

Most distributors promise they’ll send your release “as soon as possible.” And it’s true — but that’s not the full picture.

“As soon as possible” really means:

• 1 day for most streaming platforms
• 5 to 6 days for Apple Music
  
  

So if you upload your track two days before release day, you’re likely fine on Spotify, but you’ll almost certainly miss your Apple launch.

The Risky Setback

When only some platforms receive your music on time, your release feels incomplete:

Fans who search for you on Apple or iTunes may think it’s not out yet or never coming.
This impacts negatively on your momentum, streams, and early engagement. You may even miss playlist deadlines that align with your marketing push. All these because of a delay that no one warned you about.

How to Make Sure Your Release Drops Everywhere On Time

To protect your rollout and stay in control, follow these smart submission rules:

1. Submit at least 7 days before your planned release date

This gives all DSPs (including Apple) time to process and publish your track — even with their internal review delays.

 2. Avoid last-minute uploads

Even if a distributor claims fast turnaround, the DSP itself may be the bottleneck. Don’t risk it.

3. Use a release calendar

Plan your release schedule around platform behavior, not just your own readiness. If you want to drop on a Friday, upload no later than the previous Friday.

Trust the Process, But Also Trust the Partner

Highvibes believes in being transparent. We get your music out within minutes to a few hours, but we also know the real game starts once DSPs take over.

That’s why we encourage all our artists to upload early, plan smart, and always ask questions.