Is a press release a week after release pointless?

Not pointless, but it’s too late for anything that gets booked before release day. Premieres, features and Spotify’s editorial pitch are gone. Radio, local press and blogs that cover released music are still open.

Some outlets spell out the timing. Austin’s KUTX tells artists not to wait until the music is out to pitch its Song of the Day, and says at least two weeks ahead is ideal. Sydney’s FBi Radio wants premiere requests at least a week before release. Spotify’s pitch closes the moment the song goes live, as our promotion plan explains.

Airplay is more forgiving. KUTX’s music submission page asks for new or upcoming releases and says the newer the better. A song that came out last week still counts as new there. Our radio FAQ covers more stations that take independent music.

So don’t send the release-day announcement a week late. Nobody covers “out now” as news. Send something with a reason to write today:

• a video or live session that just dropped
• a show coming up in the writer’s city
• a local angle for your hometown paper or station

Keep it to one page with a streaming link, a download link, a short bio and a photo. Then pitch the next song before it’s out. Write the release note the day you upload, so it’s ready while outlets can still book you.