A release sitting in Pending usually means something is still waiting to be resolved before it can move forward. Here are the most common reasons, and how to find out which one applies to you.

1. An add-on hasn’t been paid for

This is one of the most common causes and the easiest to miss. If you selected a paid add-on during upload — a promotional package, priority distribution, or any other extra — and the payment for it wasn’t completed, your release stays in Pending until that payment goes through.

Check whether you selected any paid extras when you submitted, and whether that payment actually completed at checkout.

2. Your release has been flagged

If something on your release needs correcting, it won’t progress until you respond. You should have been notified by email and in your dashboard, and the flag appears on the release itself. See What Is “Action Needed” Status on My Release and What Should I Do? for how to respond.

3. Missing documentation

If your release is a cover song or contains samples and the required licensing wasn’t attached, it can’t move forward until that’s provided. See How Do Cover Song Licenses Work?.

4. It’s still in the queue

If you’ve only just submitted, your release may simply be waiting its turn. Review usually takes a few days, and longer during busy periods. See Why Is My Release Stuck in Under Review for So Long?.

5. Your release date is in the future

If you scheduled your release for a future date, it will sit waiting until that date approaches, which is normal and expected. Check the release date you set during upload.

How to find out which one it is

Open your dashboard and go to your catalog, find the release in your list, and open it to view its details. Any flag, note, or outstanding requirement will be shown there, along with the current status.

Also check your email, including your spam folder, in case a notification about the release didn’t reach your inbox. See Why Am I Not Receiving Emails?.

What to do

1. If an add-on payment is outstanding — complete the payment so your release can continue.
2. If your release is flagged — correct what was listed and submit your response.
3. If documentation is missing — upload the required licence or proof.
4. If it’s simply in the queue or scheduled — no action needed, just wait.

If none of these apply

If your release shows no flags, has no outstanding payments, isn’t scheduled for a future date, and has been sitting in Pending well beyond a few days, contact support with the release name and catalog number so the team can check on it directly.

Summary: A release stuck in Pending is usually waiting on something specific. The most common causes are an unpaid add-on selected during upload, a flag requiring you to correct something, missing cover song or sample licensing, simply still being in the review queue, or a release date scheduled for the future. Open the release from your catalog to see any flags, notes, or outstanding requirements, and check your email including spam for notifications. Complete any outstanding payment, fix anything flagged, or upload missing documentation as needed. If none of these apply and it’s been sitting well beyond a few days, contact support with the release name and catalog number.