How to Release an EP in India: A 16-Week Plan for

An EP is the sweet spot between a single and an album. Here's a week-by-week plan to release one properly as an independent Indian artist.

An EP (extended play) is the sweet spot for many Indian independent artists: more substantial than a single, cheaper and faster than an album, and long enough to show who you are. But releasing an EP well takes more planning than uploading four songs on a Friday. This guide walks through how to release an EP in India in 2026, from deciding what counts as an EP to the release-week plan, with timelines that work for independent musicians, bands and producers.

What counts as an EP

Streaming platforms define releases by track count and running time, and distributors follow those rules. Commonly used definitions:

Single: one to three tracks, each under 10 minutes, total under 30 minutes.
EP: one to three tracks with at least one track of 10 minutes or longer and a total under 30 minutes, or four to six tracks totalling under 30 minutes.
Album: seven or more tracks, or a total running time over 30 minutes.

Check your distributor's definitions. If you upload a three-track release, it may show as a single unless you meet the EP rules. That matters for how it appears on your profile.

Why release an EP instead of singles

A clearer artistic statement. Four to six songs show range, mood and identity in a way one single can't. Reviewers and Indian music blogs are more likely to cover a cohesive EP.
Stronger pitch material. Festival bookers, booking agents and labels want to hear a body of work.
Physical and Bandcamp sales. EPs suit cassettes, CDs and bundles in a way singles don't.
Awards and grants. Some Indian music awards and grants favour full releases.

Many Indian artists now combine the two: release two or three songs as singles first, then the full EP with one or two new tracks. That keeps streaming algorithms fed and still gives you an EP moment.

Step 1: Plan the EP (12–16 weeks before release)

Choose the songs. Pick tracks that belong together. Aim for four to six.
Pick a focus track. One song leads the campaign, playlist pitches and video.
Set a budget. Recording, mixing and mastering, artwork, a video or visualisers, PR and ads. Be honest about what you can spend.
Pick a release date. Fridays are the global release day. Avoid clashing with big Bollywood or mainstream releases in your language if you can, and think about festival seasons and exam periods if your audience is students.
Clear rights. Get split sheets signed for every co-written song. Clear any samples (sample clearance guide) and get licences for covers (cover song licence guide).

Step 2: Finish the music (8–12 weeks out)

Record, mix and master all tracks. Master them as a set so levels and tone are consistent.
Decide track order. Lead with a strong opener. Put the focus track early.
Prepare clean versions if any track is explicit.
Export WAV files at your distributor's required spec.
Create instrumentals and stems. You'll want them for sync pitches (sync licensing guide), remixes and live backing tracks.

Step 3: Artwork and visuals (8 weeks out)

Commission square cover art at the distributor's required resolution. Avoid text that's too small, URLs, social handles, and logos you don't own.
Make versions for Instagram posts, Stories, Reels covers, YouTube thumbnails and Spotify Canvas.
Plan at least one visual per track: a music video for the focus track, plus lyric videos, visualisers or live sessions for the rest.
Book a photo shoot for press photos. You'll need them for your EPK.

Step 4: Metadata and distribution (6–8 weeks out)

Choose a distributor (see our music distribution in India comparison).
Get ISRCs for every track and note ISWCs for compositions (ISRC and ISWC explainer). If tracks were released as singles before, reuse the same ISRCs so stream counts stay together.
Enter metadata carefully: artist name spelled the same everywhere, featured artists, songwriter and composer names, producers, language, genre, explicit tags and lyrics.
Select all stores: Spotify, Apple Music, JioSaavn, Gaana, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, plus Instagram and Facebook music libraries.
Upload at least four weeks before release so you can pitch.
Register works with IPRS and, if you're a singer, check ISAMRA registration.

Step 5: Pitching (3–4 weeks out)

Spotify: pitch one unreleased track from the EP through Spotify for Artists at least seven days before release. More time is better (Spotify pitching guide).
Apple Music: pitch through Apple Music for Artists if you have access (Apple Music pitch guide).
JioSaavn and Amazon Music: use your distributor's pitching route (JioSaavn for artists, Amazon Music for Artists).
Press and blogs: send a short pitch with a private streaming link and EPK (how to submit music to blogs).
Radio: college and community radio, plus any stations that play independent music (get music on radio).

Step 6: Build anticipation (2–4 weeks out)

Announce the EP title, cover and date.
Share a pre-save link.
Post short clips of each song for Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Make sure your songs will be available in Instagram's music library (how to get your song on Reels).
Tease behind-the-scenes content: writing, recording, the story behind the songs.
Line up a release gig or listening session. An intimate venue or open mic-style night works well for new acts.
Plan any paid ads with a small, tested budget.

Step 7: Release week

Post on release day across all platforms with a smart link.
Premiere the focus track's video on YouTube.
Thank playlist curators, bloggers and fans who share it.
Send the EP to your email list and Bandcamp followers if you sell there.
Play the release gig.
Pin the EP on your profiles.

Step 8: After the release (weeks 1–12)

An EP campaign shouldn't stop after the first week. Keep it going:

Release a video or visualiser for a second track in weeks three to six.
Pitch individual tracks to user-curated playlists.
Post live versions, acoustic takes and stripped-down cuts.
Apply to festivals and showcases with the EP as your main material (festival showcase applications).
Check analytics on Spotify for Artists and your distributor. Which track is growing? Push that one.
Check YouTube Content ID is set up correctly (Content ID guide).

What an EP costs in India

Costs vary widely. Rough categories to budget for:

Recording and production: from almost nothing in a home setup to lakhs in a professional studio
Mixing and mastering per track
Artwork and photography
Music video or visualisers
Distribution fees (annual or per release)
PR, ads and release gig costs

Write the budget down per line before you start. Many Indian EPs stall halfway because money ran out before the video or PR.

Physical copies

Small runs of cassettes, CDs or vinyl suit EPs. Sell them at gigs and through Bandcamp or your own store. Order quantities you can realistically sell. Fifty to one hundred cassettes is a common first run. Pair with print-on-demand merch so you don't over-invest in stock.