How to Get on Spotify Playlists

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Before we explain how to get your music on Spotify playlists, you must first know the three types of playlists that exist:

• Editorial playlists: Playlists made by Spotify’s editorial team. An artist can submit their new music to the Spotify editorial team directly through Spotify for Artists. These playlists often have thousands upon thousands of followers, so if you land a placement in one, you could see your streaming and listener numbers skyrocket!

• Algorithmic playlists: Playlists generated by Spotify’s algorithms. Each playlist is curated based on a user’s listening habits and will differ from person to person. This individualized curation can group together similar genres, artists, or moods.

• User-generated playlists: Playlists made by Spotify users like you and me that sometimes have a solid following. This can include playlists made by influencers in the music industry, music blogs, radio stations, and record labels. Artist playlists are curated collections created by artists, featured on their profiles. These playlists highlight the artist’s own music, collaborations, and tracks that have influenced them, serving as a useful tool for connecting with new audiences on platforms like Spotify.

Spotify editorial playlist placement requires you to pitch your song to Spotify, algorithmic playlist placement depends on followers and listener trends, and user-generated playlist placements can happen through word of mouth, online promotion, or coincidence!

Spotify’s editorial team takes a lot of things into account when deciding what music to add to playlists beyond what the song sounds like. They also look at an artists’ general presence in the industry and assess whether they feel as though they are building a following that is excited about future releases. This is also taken into account by Spotify’s algorithms when curating personal playlists for users. Even if you only have a song or two out, if those songs performed well and your page has been growing, you can absolutely get playlisted by Spotify.

Here are all the bases you should cover, as well as a step-by-step description of the pitching process.

1. Be present on all streaming platforms

Independent artists often focus on how to boost their streams solely on Spotify, but remember that Spotify is not the only music streaming service out there. Your potential fans could be using many different platforms! Music discovery now happens across all online music services including Youtube Music, Amazon music, Apple Music, Napster, Tidal, Pandora – the options seem endless. Even uploading your music to platforms like Soundcloud and Bandcamp can put you in touch with new fans.  Make it easy for potential fans to listen to your new music wherever and whenever they can.

💡 Tips about music distribution: If you want to upload your music across multiple music streaming sites as an independent artist, you can distribute your music by using platforms like Tunecore and CD Baby. Make sure to always use lossless WAV files when you upload music to these sites to get the best audio quality possible.

2. Promote your music on social media and be active

In addition to getting your music on all music streaming sites, it is important to gain a following and create a community on social media. Independent artists have the power to shape their own image and tell a story through their social networks. Use these platforms as an opportunity to sell your music, share your latest music videos, or give your followers a behind the scenes look at your songwriting process. Encourage your friends, family, and fans to add your tracks to listener playlists to enhance your exposure.

If you want people to listen to your music, you need to truly engage with your listeners. This happens through social networks but also through newsletters, merchandising, concerts, and more. When you promote your music, you should be taking advantage of all of the platforms at your disposal. Think of yourself as a brand: if you want to get new fans to listen to your music, you need to be extremely visible.

3. Optimize your Spotify release strategy

So, you have music across multiple streaming sites and are building a community on social media. Let’s get back to Spotify. Are you planning to drop a new single? How are you going to get noticed when the platform is host to millions of songs?

Work on a release strategy. Get organized at least 6 weeks in advance, plan to submit your song to whatever digital distribution site you’re using as soon as you can, find target playlists you’d like to be added to, pitch your track to the Spotify editorial team via Spotify For Artists, and gather a team of ambassadors that will share your track on release day! Also think about timing; maybe a specific season or a day of the week is particularly relevant to your song.

On Spotify, it all starts with your Spotify For Artists profile. Take the time to fill in your profile and make it look good: HD photos, biography, news, tour dates. When you release music, you can even sync your lyrics to Spotify by using Musixmatch. In Spotify for Artists, you’ll then be able to check your stats to understand your audience better.

IMPORTANT: You will not be able to pitch your song to the Spotify editorial team until you’ve submitted it for distribution. Without a previous distribution submission, Spotify will not know you are planning a release, as you cannot release music directly on the platform – you need a third party platform like TuneCore or CD Baby. When you pitch your release to Spotify curators via Spotify For Artists more than 7 days before the release date, your track will automatically land on your followers’ Release Radar playlist. Any point after that does not guarantee Release Radar placement.

4. Grab the Spotify algorithm’s attention

Get your listeners to follow you on Spotify

Get your listeners to follow you on Spotify so that your music appears in their Release Radar playlist when you release a new song. Having more followers on your Spotify profile also looks great to the editorial team. You can also provide your fans with a pre-save link before your track is released to boost engagement early.

Release music often

On Spotify, releasing new tracks often is rewarded; if you release a track every 2 months, Spotify’s algorithm will give you a little boost. Sure, this is easier said than done. After all, songwriters and musicians are not machines. Our advice is to get all of your tracks ready and then plan to release them one by one by using the waterfall strategy. If you have new releases on a steady basis, your fans will always have new music to listen to. Also, don’t hesitate to create and share your own playlists that include your own tracks, which will strengthen your identity on Spotify.

5. User-generated playlists: the gateway to Spotify algorithmic and editorial playlists

User-generated playlists are a great way to get on Spotify playlists, both algorithmic and editorial, thanks to proven traction. The more your song gets added to user-generated playlists, the more the algorithm notices that people like your track. If the algorithm sees that many different listeners are saving your song to their music library, more data is collected on your listener base, and thus more potential listeners can be targeted.

How do you find an interesting user-generated playlist?

The easiest way to find interesting user-generated playlists is to look at artists similar to you. The curators that make these playlists are usually looking to uncover the best music in the indie music scene. They want to promote indie artists and are always looking to discover new music. They benefit from you just as much as you benefit from them! Here is how to find user-generated playlists through up-and-coming and similar artists:

1. Check out profiles of artists who have between 1k and 50k listeners per month – including your “Similar Artists”
2. Go to “Overview” ⇒ “Fans also like”
3. In “About” → “Discovered On”…
4. Once you find the playlists that brought them the most streams, aim for the ones that are not created by Spotify. You might have a chance of getting your music in that playlist too!

How do you get into these user-generated playlists?

Now that you’ve found user-generated playlists that your music could fit into, how do you get into them? We propose three options which can be used all together to boost your chances of success:

• Contact the playlist curators directly if you find them on Instagram, TikTok, a website contact form, or anything that allows for direct messaging or email.
• Use Groover; there are tons od active playlists on the platform and by contacting them directly through Groover, you are guaranteed a response in less than 7 days.
• If you’ve created a playlist yourself that has a good following, you can offer a playlist swap with another Spotify playlist curator. If they are an artist too, then everyone wins – solidarity!

SPOTIFY PITCH WALKTHROUGH

Let’s go through the Spotify pitch process step-by-step so you’re prepared when the time comes for you to do it yourself! Remember – you have to have submitted your next release with your distributor in order to pitch it! Once that’s done, you can:

1. Log in to your Spotify for Artists page

This will allow you to manage access and manage your releases.

2. Go to “Pitch from next release” under the Home tab or “Upcoming” under the Music tab

Depending on your device, to find your unreleased music to pitch, you can either:

• Go to “Home” and click “Pitch from next release” above it
• Click the “Music” tab, followed by “Upcoming” 

Music → Upcoming tabs

3. Click “Pitch a song” beside the release you would like to pitch

Next to your upcoming releases, you’ll find a purple button saying “Pitch a song” right below the phrase “Get heard by our editors”. Click that to continue.

4. Confirm your team and song

If you have teams with access to your Spotify for Artists (label, manager, etc), Spotify will ask who you’re pitching on behalf of. If you’re an indie artist and the sole admin of your page, you don’t need to worry about this.

Next, you must choose the song you’re pitching. This is only relevant if your next release is an EP or album with multiple tracks. If it’s a single, you’re already set.

5. Confirm your hometown and current location

Because some playlists are location-based, Spotify wants to know where you’re at and who to target. Provide your hometown as well as the place you’re currently based before moving on to the next step.

6. Add song details

This is an extensive section of the pitching process that helps editors understand your release as best they can, so be thoughtful about your answers. In multiple choice fashion, you’ll be given a selection of possible answers and asked to choose:

• 3 genres (Jazz, Rock)
• 2 music cultures (African, Christian)
• 2 moods (Romantic, Chill)
• 2 song styles (Christmas, Acoustic)
• What instruments were used (Piano, Samples)
• Whether your release is a cover or remix
• Whether it was recorded in studio or live
• Whether it is an instrumental song

7. Add a description

If you nail this section, you’re golden. Spotify will provide you with an optional text box where you can pitch your song in 500 characters or less. Try to make your description a mix between an explanation of what context the song could be listened to in, the meaning behind it, and your creative process. Attempt to fit a story in the word count.

CONGRATS! You’ve pitched to Spotify! With a little luck, you’ll find yourself on an editorial playlist shortly after your release drops. Happy pitching 🙂

For more concrete advice on playlists, we recommend the guide for artists and playlist curators 👉  Work Hard Playlist Hard

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Next articles:

> How to submit music to playlists?
> How to use Spotify Canvas to add looping videos to your music?
> Spotify for Artists: The Ultimate Guide to Boost Your Streams
> How do I get featured on Spotify’s editorial playlists?
> How to grow your own playlist and gain followers?
> How much do artists get paid on Spotify?

To go further:

> 7 Tips to stand out from the crowd and get more streams on Spotify

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To get into Spotify playlists, check out Groover ⭐️