This week's episode is taken from the new book, Record Label Marketing Strategies. You can get it on Amazon now: http://geni.us/recordlabelmarketing and on our website: http://otherrecordlabels.com/book
 
Essentially, Lead time is the amount of time from the start of an album to its release date. More specifically, in marketing for a new release, I consider lead time to be the time between when the masters are complete, and when the album (or single) is released to the public.
A lot of independent artists finish recording on a Saturday, master on a Sunday, and release on a Monday. There is something beautiful about the spontaneity of home-recording, and the ease of distribution that today’s technology provides. However, a negative byproduct of this immediacy is the failure of artists to give their audience the joy of anticipation. Additionally, giving time for the press and playlist curators will create more chances for your record to succeed.
Also catch up on our Release Roadmap series here: http://otherrecordlabels.com/roadmap