New Music Friday is a global music industry initiative and playlist concept that designates Friday as the universal release day for new music. Launched in July 2015, it replaced the previous system where different countries released music on different days (Tuesdays in the US, Mondays in the UK). This standardization was driven by digital streaming platforms and the need for coordinated global releases to combat piracy¹. Spotify's flagship "New Music Friday" playlist has become one of the most influential music discovery platforms, featuring curated selections of new releases that update weekly².