Release Radar

In-Depth Explanation

What is Release Radar?

Release Radar is one of Spotify's flagship Algorithmic Playlists. It is a highly personalized playlist that is updated every single Friday for every single Spotify user globally.

The playlist contains up to 30 newly released tracks. It is specifically designed to ensure that users never miss new music from the artists they care about. The tracks featured on a user's Release Radar are generated based on two primary factors:

1. Followed Artists: If a user clicks the "Follow" button on an artist's Spotify profile, any new music released by that artist is guaranteed to appear in that user's Release Radar.
2. Listening Habits: If a user listens to an artist frequently but hasn't officially "followed" them, the algorithm will often still place that artist's new releases in the user's Release Radar.

Why Release Radar is Crucial for Artists

Release Radar is arguably the most reliable and powerful algorithmic driver of streams for independent artists, often generating more streams than Discover Weekly in the first week of a release.

When an artist drops a new single, their primary goal is to get as many immediate streams as possible to trigger the platform's broader recommendation algorithms. If an artist has spent years convincing 10,000 fans to click "Follow" on their Spotify profile, their new single will automatically be placed into 10,000 Release Radar playlists on Friday morning. This provides a massive, guaranteed injection of day-one streams without the artist having to spend a single dollar on advertising.

How to Guarantee Release Radar Placement

Unlike editorial playlists (where human curators choose the music), artists have a high degree of control over their Release Radar performance.

To guarantee that your upcoming single appears on your followers' Release Radar playlists, you must do two things:

1. Deliver the Audio Early: You must upload the audio file to your Digital Distributor at least 2 to 3 weeks before the release date to ensure it is ingested into Spotify's system in time.
2. Pitch the Song: At least 7 days before the release date, you must log into your Spotify for Artists dashboard and formally pitch the unreleased track.
   • Even if the human editors reject your pitch and do not place you on a massive Editorial Playlist, the simple act of submitting the pitch form guarantees the song will be injected into your followers' Release Radar. If you do not pitch the song, there is no guarantee it will be placed.

Pre-Save Campaigns and Release Radar

Running a Pre-Save Campaign is a highly effective strategy for boosting Release Radar performance.

When a fan pre-saves your song via a Smart Link, they are usually prompted to also "Follow" your artist profile. By doing this, you are actively increasing the number of Release Radar playlists your song will land on come Friday morning.

Furthermore, because pre-saves guarantee immediate streams and saves on day one, the algorithm often places your song at the very top of the Release Radar playlist (track 1 or 2) rather than burying it at track 28, significantly increasing the likelihood that the fan will actually listen to it.