One of the first questions artists ask before a release is how long the push should last. There is no single right number, but there are clear phases, and each one has a job. Skipping a phase usually costs more than shortening one.
Phase 1: Preparation (four to eight weeks before release)
This is the quiet stretch where most of the real work happens. The song goes to the distributor with full metadata, artwork and credits. Pitches go out to streaming editors, playlist curators, writers and radio. Short-form video ideas get filmed in batches so you are not scrambling on release week.
If you only have two weeks, you can still release, but you lose the chance to pitch editorial playlists properly and most writers will already have their schedules filled.
Phase 2: Release window (release week plus two weeks)
The goal here is concentrated attention: pre-saves converting into first-week listens, posts going out on schedule, ads (if you use them) running against the strongest creative, and coverage landing close together so each piece reinforces the others.
Phase 3: Sustain (weeks three to eight)
Most campaigns stop here, which is exactly why this phase is valuable. New content angles (acoustic take, lyric breakdown, live clip), second-wave playlist pitching and creator outreach can keep a song growing long after release day.
Phase 4: Review
Look at what actually moved: saves, follows, listener locations, which posts drove profile visits. Write it down. The next campaign starts from this page, not from zero.
So what is the answer?
For most independent singles, think in terms of roughly three months end to end: about six weeks of preparation, a focused release window, and several weeks of sustained activity. Longer projects such as EPs and albums simply stretch the same structure.
If you want a broader picture of the channels involved and how they fit together when planning a music promotion campaign, MusicPromoToday's overview walks through each one. The structure works the same in any genre and any country; only the outlets change.