When's the Best Day to Release an Album?
1. Friday: The Traditional Route (But Not for Everyone)
Friday has long been the go-to day for album releases. It’s the end of the week, people are ready to blow off steam, and streaming platforms like Spotify tend to highlight new releases on Fridays. But here’s the catch: if you don’t already have an established catalog or a solid following, you might want to reconsider. Fridays are typically reserved for artists with a solid discography or those who have something worth talking about, like a highly anticipated release, a major collaboration, or a big promotional push backed by significant industry support. If you're a smaller band or an independent artist with limited resources, Friday might not be the best choice.
2. Saturday and Sunday: Avoid Them
If you’re thinking of dropping your album on the weekend—don’t. Saturday and Sunday are the slowest streaming days of the week, period. People are busy doing their own thing, and music discovery takes a back seat. If you’re trying to make an impact, avoid the weekend entirely.
3. Monday: Steer Clear Unless You Have a Big Budget
Mondays might seem like a clean slate at the start of the week, but unless you’re coming out with a massive budget and an aggressive promotional campaign, it’s a bad idea. The industry is still talking about everything that went down over the weekend: big shows, festivals, major releases... Think of events like Ghost performing at the VMAs or Metallica releasing a new single. You’re competing with all of that noise, and unless you can come out swinging, it’s best to let Monday pass.
4. Tuesday: The Safe Bet
Tuesday used to be the go-to day in the U.S. before everything shifted to Friday. But there’s still some merit to a mid-week release. Dropping on a Tuesday gives your album more time to breathe before the weekend flood. Music journalists and reviewers might give it more attention since it won’t be competing with the Friday surge. It’s a smart, safe bet.
5. Wednesday and Thursday: The Sweet Spot
If you want days that aren't as crowded but still give your album solid visibility, Wednesday and Thursday are great options. There’s less competition, and you’re still early enough in the week to build momentum. However, if you’ve only got a few songs or are planning to release singles before your full album, avoid Thursdays. You’ll want to save Throwback Thursday (TBT) as a tool to reintroduce older tracks or give your old releases more life. On the weeks you’re not dropping new music, TBT can help keep the buzz going around your earlier releases.
6. Avoid the Noise
Don’t drop your album around major holidays unless there’s a thematic reason to do so. You don’t want your release overshadowed by holiday madness. The same goes for releasing around big events —if a major festival or a huge band is about to steal the spotlight, consider holding off a bit. Timing is everything.
7. Don’t Release Your Album on the Same Day as Your Release Show
Here’s a mistake bands make all the time: they drop their album on the day of the release show. Sure, it sounds logical, big day, big event, right? Wrong. By then, the fans coming to your show are already pumped to see you. Dropping the album earlier in the week gives people a chance to digest it, learn the lyrics, and build even more hype for the gig. Let your release day and your show feed off each other, not collide.
8. Ask for Help
If you're about to release a new album or single and still aren’t sure which day is best, we at Against PR can help. Not only do we promote your release, but we also guide you on the best timing to maximize impact. All you need to do is reach out to us. Your success is our success!