Where to pitch each platform: Spotify, Apple, Deezer and YouTube

Every platform has its own door, and only one of the big four lets artists walk through it alone. Spotify's pitch tool is open to any artist with an unreleased song. Apple Music, Deezer and YouTube Music all route editorial pitching through a distributor or label account.

That difference decides how a release is planned. Pitch each platform on its own timeline, and give your distributor the information it needs early enough to act. Here is the map, then the route through each gate.

The map: who can pitch what

The Amazon and Beatport timings come from iMusician's pitching service page, which publishes the lead time it works to for each platform (iMusician). Treat every row's number as a minimum, then add a week of buffer for distribution delays.

Spotify: the direct route

Spotify is the only platform with a free, artist-facing editorial pitch. Open Spotify for Artists, go to Music then Upcoming, choose one unreleased song and complete the form. Deliver the music at least 7 days before release, or the window closes when the song goes live.

1. Deliver the release 3 to 4 weeks out so it appears under Upcoming in time.
2. Pitch one song, fill every field, and send it 14 to 21 days before release when you can.
3. Check Music > Playlists on release day to see what was added.

The full process, including what each field does, is in our Spotify editorial pitch guide. Spotify sometimes also allows music video pitching, which is a separate form under Video & Visuals and a separate pitch (Spotify for Artists).

Apple Music: Connect, not for Artists

This is the most common mix-up. Apple Music for Artists is the analytics dashboard. The Pitch tool is inside Apple Music Connect, the partner platform, and only users with an Admin or Marketing Manager role can open it. Independent artists usually reach it through their distributor, who holds the Connect account.

Apple's deadlines are public: pitch at least 10 days before release for full editorial consideration, and at least 7 days before release for late adds (Apple Music Connect). The form collects the release, mood, genre, language and release date, and pitches live on the Marketing tab of the Connect dashboard.

1. Ask your distributor whether it submits Apple Music pitches and how much lead time it needs. Some automate it; some require a manual request.
2. Have the song delivered and the marketing details ready 14 to 21 days out, so the 10-day deadline never becomes the bottleneck.
3. Include the campaign context the form asks for: focus track, promo plans and any press or radio moments.

Deezer: label and provider accounts

Deezer's Pitching Tool is explicit about access: label accounts and provider (distributor) accounts only, and artists and managers cannot open it directly (Deezer for Creators). The route is the same as Apple: send your distributor the request and the metadata.

Deezer's timing is the clearest of the four:

• Submit the pitch and deliver the music 7 days before release for best results.
• Pitches are accepted up to 14 days after release, but earlier gives the algorithm and the editorial team more time with it.
• No edits are allowed in the 24 hours before release, so the pitch must be correct before that window.
• The form needs the UPC, main artist, release date, product title, priority level, focus track and at least one genre and target editorial team.

Because the pitch needs a UPC, it can only go in after distribution is under way. Plan the release so the UPC exists at least a week before the deadline.

YouTube Music: distributor route

YouTube Music has no artist-facing editorial pitch. There is no equivalent of Spotify for Artists for playlist consideration; editorial pitching goes through your distributor or label (Music24, 9 July 2026). Ask your distributor whether it pitches YouTube Music and what lead time it wants, then treat the release like the others: delivered early, metadata complete, pitch requested.

Independent YouTube Music channels are a separate route. Many are run by one person and accept email or DMs, much like Spotify's independent curators. The same rules apply: check the channel is active, watch for bot signals, personalise the message, and send one follow-up.

Using a distributor pitching service

A distributor pitching service can save the admin and cover the platforms you cannot enter. iMusician, for example, pitches to Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon and Beatport from one submission, and included or paid pitching depends on your plan. The trade-off is another layer between you and the editors: you write the brief, they submit it, and you wait.

If you go this route, ask three questions before you pay:

1. Which platforms do you pitch, and through whose accounts?
2. What is the deadline for handing over the request and the assets?
3. What will you send back if nothing is placed?

Our directory entry for iMusician shows its model, price note and the date we checked it. The service directory lists the other tools, including pitch platforms for independent curators, if you would rather run outreach yourself.

One calendar for every platform

For a single at a planned date, one countdown covers all four:

• Day -28 to -21: deliver the master to the distributor with final metadata and artwork.
• Day -21 to -14: hand the distributor the Apple Music and Deezer pitch requests, with campaign context.
• Day -14: send the Spotify pitch and confirm the release appears in Spotify for Artists.
• Day -10: Apple Music's full-consideration deadline.
• Day -7: last call for Spotify editorial and Release Radar, and Deezer's recommended pitch day.
• Day -3 to 0: independent curator outreach with the pre-release link, then the live link.
• Day +1 to +28: read the playlist and save data on each platform, and note what each pitch returned.

The release timeline checklist expands this into day-by-day tasks with the checks that matter.

Four mistakes across platforms

1. Assuming one pitch covers all. Each platform runs its own editors and forms. Submitting to Spotify does nothing for Apple Music or Deezer.
2. Leaving the distributor out until the last week. Apple Music and Deezer are distributor-gated, so the door closes earlier than it looks.
3. Missing the UPC step. Deezer's form cannot be completed without it, and UPCs arrive with delivery, not with intent.
4. Pitching only after release. Spotify cannot be pitched once live, and the other platforms want their lead time. You cannot retroactively fix a release date.