Competition is something that needs to be considered when releasing an album. The biggest competition a musician can face is usually their biggest inspirations. It's a good idea for musicians to check release dates of other artists, so that they have a better chance to get noticed by press and don't clash, especially if the other artist is bigger. For producers I feel like this doesn't apply as much, in the case of releasing an instrumental album, as it's more to show their skills, although they would have competition with other producers when trying to get hired by a label or artist to help or manage the production of a album.
Another factor to consider is the time of year the album is released. October to December is a bad time to release an album, especially for indie releases, as all the major record companies will be building up towards releasing music for the holiday season. May to August is during the summer, when a lot of artists will be releasing the summer hits that will top the charts. The best time to release an album for an indie release is beginning of spring.
When releasing an album, an artist will need to play shows to promote the release, no way around it. This means taking the time out of their life to travel around and find shows to play. If the artist works a second job, it means booking time off work. It also means finding the finances to fund the tour, including the cost of accommodation if needed, food, travel and any other expenses. (1)
Another factor to consider is the time of year the album is released. October to December is a bad time to release an album, especially for indie releases, as all the major record companies will be building up towards releasing music for the holiday season. May to August is during the summer, when a lot of artists will be releasing the summer hits that will top the charts. The best time to release an album for an indie release is beginning of spring.
When releasing an album, an artist will need to play shows to promote the release, no way around it. This means taking the time out of their life to travel around and find shows to play. If the artist works a second job, it means booking time off work. It also means finding the finances to fund the tour, including the cost of accommodation if needed, food, travel and any other expenses. (1)