Pitching guarantees your specific track appears in your followers' Release Radar, but Release Radar doesn't require pitching to function. Your new releases can appear in followers' Release Radar regardless of whether you pitch, but without a pitch, you don't control which track is featured.
How Release Radar Works
Release Radar is a personalized algorithmic playlist updated every Friday. It features new releases from artists each listener follows, listens to regularly, or might enjoy based on their taste profile.
For your followers specifically:
- New releases from artists they follow get prioritized
- Pitching determines which track represents your release
- Without pitching, Spotify's algorithm chooses
What Pitching Guarantees
When you pitch at least 7 days before release:
For your followers: Your pitched track will appear in their Release Radar. This is guaranteed regardless of editorial selection.
For non-followers: Pitching does not guarantee Release Radar placement for listeners who don't follow you. That's determined by algorithmic taste matching.
The pitch submission includes metadata that Spotify uses to route your track to the right listeners. Even if editors don't select your track for editorial playlists, the pitch data influences algorithmic placement.
Without Pitching
If you release without pitching:
Your followers may still see your release in their Release Radar. The algorithm knows you released new music and knows who follows you.
You lose control over track selection. For albums and EPs, Spotify's algorithm decides which track to feature. It might not be your preferred focus track.
You lose metadata optimization. The detailed genre, mood, and style information you provide during pitching helps algorithmic routing. Without it, you're leaving discovery to less informed algorithmic decisions.
The 7-Day Rule
The pitch must be submitted at least 7 days before release for the Release Radar guarantee to apply.
Submit on time: Pitched track appears in followers' Release Radar on release Friday.
Submit late (less than 7 days): No guarantee. Your track may appear, but Spotify can't promise processing in time.
Don't submit at all: Followers may see your release, but algorithm chooses the track and you've provided no optimization data.
Release Radar vs. Editorial
These are separate systems:
| Feature | Editorial Playlists | Release Radar |
|---|---|---|
| Selection | Human editors | Algorithm + follow data |
| Audience | Anyone following the playlist | Your followers + algorithm matches |
| Pitching effect | Determines consideration | Guarantees inclusion for followers |
| Guarantee | None | Yes (if pitched 7+ days early) |
You can be rejected from editorial playlists but still guaranteed Release Radar placement for your followers. These outcomes are independent.
Maximizing Release Radar Impact
To get the most from Release Radar:
Pitch early: 7 days minimum, 4-6 weeks recommended.
Choose your track carefully: For albums/EPs, the track you pitch is the one sent to Release Radar.
Optimize metadata: Genre, mood, and style tags help algorithmic matching beyond your follower base.
Build followers: More followers = more Release Radar exposure. Every new follower is a guaranteed Release Radar listener for future releases.
The Follower Math
Only about 3-5% of your followers will see your release in their Release Radar any given week. With 1,000 followers, that's 30-50 listeners from Release Radar alone.
This seems small, but it's consistent. Every release reaches this engaged segment. And strong engagement from these listeners can trigger algorithmic recommendations to non-followers.
Common Misconceptions
"I need editorial placement to get on Release Radar." No. Release Radar (for followers) works independently of editorial selection.