Getting your music featured on playlists is one of the best ways to grow your fan base by getting your music discovered by new listeners around the world.
And thanks to Spotify’s Playlist Pitching Tool, gone are the days when artists need to rely on connections with playlist curators or get help from their record label for their music to reach more listeners. The pitching tool lets independent artists submit their music for consideration with the chance to be featured on the biggest playlists on Spotify, curated by their own in-house editorial team.
From “Today’s Indie Rock” to “Rap Caviar”, your song being featured on one of these editorial playlists will not only tap into new audiences but potentially help your streaming numbers skyrocket ($$).
How does the playlisting tool help promote my music?
The Playlist Pitching Tool is designed to make the playlist curation process fair, opening up the submission process to every artist (not just those supported by a record label or network of connections). Everyone, whether you’re an artist, label, or manager, can submit an unreleased song for consideration by the editorial playlist curators. Spotify has editors all around the world — music experts and cultural ambassadors whose job is to spread music around the world.
How do I submit my music to Spotify playlists?
1. Log in to Spotify for Artists on Desktop. Then, there are three ways to find and submit a song (note: you can only submit unreleased music).
2. At the top of the Home tab, select ‘SUBMIT A SONG’ next to the release you want to submit.
OR
3. In the catalog tab, under UPCOMING, select SUBMIT A SONG next to the release you want to submit.
How early should you submit to Spotify playlists?
Before your unreleased music shows up in your Spotify for Artists account, you will need to go through a distributor like Amuse to first deliver your music to streaming stores.
If you haven’t already, you can sign up here to Amuse and upload your music to stores. When you’ve uploaded your music through Amuse you will get an estimated release date unless you’re on Boost and Pro, then you can choose your release date. Make sure to check back in the app — as soon as your music is delivered, it will show up as unreleased in Spotify for Artists, ready for playlist pitching!
We recommend that you submit your unreleased track for playlist consideration at least 7 days before the release date to give Spotify curators time to review your pitch.
Can I submit to Spotify playlists after release?
Spotify for Artists won’t allow you to pitch your music post-release, but their editors are constantly looking at signals from their data for songs that are gaining organic momentum on their platform.
Increase your chances of getting on Spotify playlists
We asked Ryan Celsius, artist, music curator, and Amuse A&R for his insider tips on making a pitch that stands out.
How important is track selection when pitching?
”If you are releasing an album or an EP all at once, it is important to note that you will only be able to pitch one track from the entire project. Selecting the best track to pitch is very much key to building the success of the album. If your project contains multiple genres, it is best to select the track that fits into the most well-known genres from your project.”
What should artists consider when selecting the genre?
“Improving your chances of getting into an editorial playlist on Spotify relies on crafting the pitch so that curators can identify your music easily.
The first step (genre selection) within the pitch form is often the most important for this reason. You can select up to 3 genres for your music from an existing list of genres created by Spotify; each selection should be as close to describing your sound as possible. To get a better idea of what curators are looking for, select a genre and then search Spotify for associated playlists and compare your sound to the songs included.”
Let's talk about the track description. Many artists might struggle with this part — what’s your advice for them?
“The free-form description section is one of the most vital pieces of the pitch and gives you a chance to give your unique input on your music and show your enthusiasm. This section should include clear keywords to identify your song’s genre and any unique effort that went into the creation of the track.
Also, include related information about how the song is being released and promoted. For example, mention well-known platforms or communities within your genre that you see your music fitting within. Additionally, use your previous research by looking through existing playlists to reference specific artists with that you are similar.”
Check out Ryan Celsius's Spotify below!
What happens after I’ve submitted my music to Spotify for playlisting?
Your track is now on its way to being discovered and heard by ~millions~ (if you nailed your pitch). Editors will search through submissions based on the information you shared to consider new tracks for their playlists.
Reminder: If you submit your song seven days in advance, the track will automatically appear in every one of your Spotify followers’ Release Radar playlists. Make sure you work with your music distribution service (like Amuse) to ensure your track is delivered to Spotify before the deadline. The earlier you submit your track the better!
Have you not claimed your Spotify for Artists profile yet? Read our guide “How To Claim Your Artist Profile” before you have the option to pitch your music.
Ready to submit your music to more playlists? Read our article “How To Submit Your Music to Playlists” which breaks down submitting to Apple Music, user-curated playlists, and our very own Amuse editorial Spotify playlist “Selected by Amuse”.
