Spotify is the world's leading music streaming platform with over 365 million monthly active users, including 165 million premium subscribers. It offers users access to millions of songs, podcasts, and playlists. With such a vast amount of content on the platform, it can be challenging for independent artists and curators to get their music and playlists heard. However, with the right strategy and execution, it is possible to grow and promote your Spotify playlist successfully. In this article, we will discuss some proven tips and tactics that you can use to increase the visibility of your playlist and attract more listeners.

The first step to promoting your playlist on Spotify is to create a compelling playlist. This means selecting songs that fit the theme or mood of the playlist and arranging them in a way that flows well. Consider the target audience of your playlist and select songs that they will enjoy.

One effective strategy is to curate a playlist around a particular theme or mood. For example, if you are creating a playlist for a workout, you might choose high-energy songs with a fast tempo. If you are creating a playlist for relaxation, you might select slower, more mellow songs.

Your playlist's title and description are essential for making it discoverable on Spotify. Make sure to choose a title that accurately reflects the theme or mood of the playlist. For example, "Chill Vibes" is a better title than "My Playlist."

Your playlist description should also accurately describe the playlist's theme or mood. You can include details such as the genre of music, the intended audience, and any special features of the playlist. Make sure to use relevant keywords that people might use to search for playlists on Spotify.

Your playlist's cover art is the first thing that people will see when they come across it on Spotify. Make sure to choose a high-quality image that accurately reflects the playlist's theme or mood. You can use tools such as Canva or Adobe Spark to create eye-catching cover art.

Collaborating with other curators is an effective way to grow your playlist's audience. Look for curators with similar playlists and reach out to them to see if they would be interested in collaborating. You can work together to create a joint playlist or feature each other's playlists on your profiles.

Social media is an excellent tool for promoting your playlist and reaching a wider audience. Share your playlist on your social media profiles and encourage your followers to listen and share it with their friends. You can also use social media to engage with your audience and get feedback on your playlist.

Music bloggers and influencers can be powerful allies in promoting your playlist. Reach out to them and offer to share your playlist with their audience by posting to their music blog. You can also offer to write a guest post or collaborate on a project to help promote each other's work.

There are several playlist promotion services available that can help you promote your playlist on Spotify. These services work by promoting your playlist to their network of users and playlists, increasing its visibility and attracting more listeners. Some popular playlist promotion services include Daily Playlists,  SubmitHub, Playlist Push, and Indiemono.

There are several playlist communities on platforms such as Reddit and Facebook, where you can share your playlist and get feedback from other users. Join these communities and participate in discussions to build relationships with other curators and listeners.

Finally, running ads on Spotify is an effective way to promote your playlist to a wider audience. You can create audio ads that play between songs or display ads that appear on the platform's desktop and mobile versions. To run ads on Spotify, follow these steps:

• Go to Ad Studio and sign up for an account.
• Choose the type of ad you want to create (audio or display) and select your target audience.
• Set your budget and bidding strategy, and create your ad content.
• Submit your ad for review by Spotify's team.
• Once your ad is approved, it will start running on Spotify, and you can track its performance using Ad Studio's analytics tools.

Promoting your playlist on Spotify requires a well-executed strategy and a willingness to put in the time and effort to grow your audience. By creating a compelling playlist, optimizing its title and description, collaborating with other curators, using social media and playlist promotion services, participating in playlist communities, submitting your playlist to Spotify's editorial team, and running ads on the platform, you can attract more listeners and increase the visibility of your playlist. Remember to be patient and persistent, and don't be afraid to experiment with different tactics to find what works best for your playlist. With the right approach, you can achieve success on Spotify and reach a wider audience with your music.

In the music industry, getting your music on Spotify editorial playlists is one of the most effective ways to reach new listeners and increase your exposure. Spotify editorial playlists are curated by the platform's team of experts, and they can be a powerful tool to help you grow your fanbase and increase your streams.
However, getting your music on these playlists is not easy. Spotify receives thousands of submissions every day, and competition is fierce. In this article, we'll walk you through the process of how to pitch your music to Spotify editorial playlists and increase your chances of getting your music featured.

      1. Understand Spotify Editorial Playlists
Spotify editorial playlists are curated by Spotify's team of experts, who choose the songs and artists that are featured on them. These playlists are not created by algorithms, and they are not based solely on popularity or streaming numbers.
Instead, editorial playlists are carefully crafted to provide listeners with a unique listening experience. They are often themed, featuring music from specific genres, moods, or themes. Some examples of Spotify editorial playlists include:

• New Music Friday: a playlist featuring the latest releases from various genres
• RapCaviar: a playlist featuring the latest and greatest in hip-hop and rap music
• Pop Rising: a playlist featuring up-and-coming pop artists
• Alternative R&B: a playlist featuring the latest in alternative R&B music

To get your music on these playlists, you need to understand what type of music they feature, and how your music fits into those themes.

       2.  Make Sure Your Music is Ready
Before you start pitching your music to Spotify, you need to make sure that your music is ready to be released. This means that your music should be mixed and mastered to a professional standard, and that you have high-quality artwork and promotional materials.
You should also make sure that your music is available on Spotify, and that it is properly tagged and labeled with accurate metadata. This will help Spotify's curators find your music and evaluate it for inclusion on their editorial playlists.

       3. Identify Relevant Playlists
The next step is to identify the editorial playlists that are relevant to your music. You can do this by searching for playlists that feature similar artists or genres to yours, or by using Spotify's Browse feature to explore different playlists.
Once you have identified the playlists that are relevant to your music, you should create a list of them, along with their curators' contact information. You can usually find the contact information for Spotify's curators on their social media profiles or on their personal websites.

        4. Research the Curators
Before you start pitching your music to Spotify's curators, you should take the time to research them and their playlists. This will help you understand their tastes and preferences, and tailor your pitch to their interests.
You can research the curators by listening to their playlists, reading their blog posts or interviews, and following them on social media. This will give you a better understanding of their tastes and preferences, and help you craft a pitch that is more likely to resonate with them.

        5. Craft a Compelling Pitch
​Once you have identified the playlists and researched the curators, it's time to craft a compelling pitch. Your pitch should be concise, well-written, and tailored to the specific playlist and curator you are targeting.
Your pitch should include the following elements:

• An introduction: Introduce yourself and your music, and explain why you think it would be a good fit for the playlist.
• Personalization: Show the curator that you have researched their playlist and understand their tastes and preferences.
• Context: Provide some context for your music, such as any relevant news, upcoming shows, or other achievements.
• Call to action: Close your pitch with a clear call to action, such as asking the curator to listen to your music. 

You can read more about this topic in my how to get on Spotify Editorial Playlists article. 

Spotify is one of the most popular streaming services in the world, with over 345 million active users as of Q4 2020. The platform uses an algorithm to suggest music to users based on their listening history and preferences. In this article, we will explore the Spotify algorithm in detail, including how it works, how it affects artists and listeners, and tips for getting your music noticed on the platform.
How does the Spotify algorithm work?
The Spotify algorithm is based on a combination of machine learning and human curation. The algorithm analyzes a user's listening history and behavior to make recommendations that are tailored to their preferences. The more a user listens to a particular type of music, the more likely Spotify is to recommend similar music to them.
The Spotify algorithm takes into account a range of factors when making recommendations, including:

1. Listening history: Spotify analyzes a user's listening history to understand their musical tastes and preferences. This includes the genres of music they listen to, the artists they follow, and the playlists they create.
2. Playlists: The algorithm also looks at the playlists a user creates and follows. If a user frequently listens to playlists that feature a particular genre or artist, the algorithm is more likely to recommend similar music to them.
3. Time of day: The algorithm takes into account the time of day that a user is listening to music. For example, if a user typically listens to calming music in the evening, the algorithm may suggest similar music at that time of day.
4. Geographic location: The algorithm also takes into account a user's geographic location when making recommendations. If a user is located in a particular region, the algorithm may recommend music that is popular in that area.
5. Collaborative filtering: Finally, the algorithm uses collaborative filtering to make recommendations. This involves analyzing the listening behavior of other users who have similar musical tastes to the user, and recommending music based on what those users are listening to.

The Spotify algorithm also takes into account the popularity of a particular track or artist. If a track is popular among a large number of users, the algorithm is more likely to recommend it to other users.
How does the Spotify algorithm affect artists?
The Spotify algorithm can have a significant impact on the success of an artist. If an artist's music is recommended by the algorithm, it can lead to increased exposure and streams, which can in turn lead to greater popularity and success.
However, getting your music noticed by the Spotify algorithm can be challenging. With so much music available on the platform, it can be difficult for new and emerging artists to break through and get noticed by the algorithm.
One way that artists can increase their chances of being recommended by the Spotify algorithm is by focusing on creating high-quality music that resonates with listeners. If an artist's music is well-received by listeners, it is more likely to be recommended by the algorithm.
Artists can also increase their chances of being recommended by the algorithm by promoting their music through playlists and social media. By creating their own playlists and sharing their music with their fans on social media, artists can increase their visibility on the platform and increase the likelihood of being recommended by the algorithm.
Another way that artists can increase their chances of being recommended by the algorithm is by collaborating with other artists. If an artist collaborates with a popular artist or is featured on a popular playlist, it can increase their exposure and make them more likely to be recommended by the algorithm.
Tips for getting your music noticed on Spotify:

1. Focus on quality: The most important thing when it comes to getting noticed on Spotify is creating high-quality music that resonates with listeners. Make sure that your music is well-produced, well-written, and showcases your unique sound and style.
2. ​Promote your music: Use social media and other marketing channels to promote and spread awareness to your music and new releases. 
3. Send your new releases to music blogs in your genre. 
4. Build your followers and monthly listeners on Spotify. 
5. Release often and consistently. Release music every 5-6 weeks minimum. If you can release tracks more frequently the better. This tells Spotify that you are an active artists. 

How do you get on Spotify Editorial Playlist? In this article we will be covering many important aspects of Spotify Editorial Playlists. These tips and tricks can improved your chances of successfully landing a placement on one of these amazing playlists. Hello, my name is Grizzly Beatz and I am a LoFi music producer from Los Angeles, CA. I have been producing beats for well over a decade now and excited to share with the music community some information I have learned regarding editorial playlists. Below is an overview of what we will  be covering to help you get on Spotify editorial playlists.  

• benefits of Spotify editorial playlist placements
• how to prepare your song for the playlist(s)
• how to schedule your release
• how to pitch your song to the editorial curators
• how to improve your chances by positive pre & post release signals

It is no secret that getting on an editorial placement can be a game changer for any musician. I have been fortunate enough to get on several Spotify Editorial placements within a few of each other. My first playlist placements was with Spotify Gold Instrumental Beats in October 2022. The next month in November 2022 I landed a placement in their Late Night Beats Playlist. Then in January of 2023, I landed another Editorial Playlist "LoFi Cafe" playlist. 

These playlist have contributed hundreds of thousands of streams as well as thousands of new monthly listeners and followers. I also noticed that many user generated playlist curators were finding my song on the editorial playlist and adding it to their playlist. I am gaining about 50 new Spotify followers a day and about 3-4K streams a day on average. I was able to achieve this without a record lable, and without knowing anyone over at Spotify. Just by creating quality music, perfecting my pitch and doing what I can to show Spotify to take me seriously. We will cover the steps below. 

Its a good idea to create a song specifically for the editorial playlist that you are trying to get placed on. Listen closely to the playlist. What instruments do you hear, what is the mood, the tempo, the length of the track. Also pay attention to the titles and album cover styles. This is what you will want in the back of your mind once you finished your song. Try to make a track that fits the feel of the playlist. Also shorter songs tend to do better, try to keep under the 3 minute mark. Pay attention to how the songs in the playlist end, do they end abruptly or short fade out. I noticed that long fade outs tend to not do well, as listeners may think the song stop playing or internet went out and will skip or restart their Spotify. 
​When mixing and mastering your song make sure to check the loudness of the track (Lufs) using a loudness meter plug-in. You want your mastered track to be around -12dB. Spotify will lower to -14dB but it is better to have the track slightly louder than it is to be lower than -14dB and Spotify having to increase the level. 

When choosing a song title, it  helps to choose something that fits the mood of the playlist(s) that you plan to submit to. For example the track that I got added to the LoFi Cafe editorial playlist was titled "Mocha". I believe this helped capture the attention of the curator. I also made sure to take note of the artwork styles being used by others in the playlist. In the LoFi/Chillhop genre popular styles include anime characters or colorful artistic images, so ultimately this was the type of cover I went with for this release. 

Since with albums you can only submit one song off the album to the editorials, you should focus on releasing tracks as singles. You can release several tracks as singles (spread out with 4 weeks in between releases) and pitch all of them. Then you can release an album with those same songs with a few new ones sprinkled in. This time with the album you can pitch one of the newly added tracks. If you provide the same ISRC numbers for the singles on the album release, the streams from the single release will carry over to the album. 

Did you know that collaborating with other artists and producers that have been featured on Spotify Editorial Playlists before can increase your chances of having the track added to one. To do this you must put the collaborator as a Primary Artists when uploading through your DSP like Distrokid. This way it will appear in both artist's Spotify for Artists app, meaning both will be able to pitch it. The track will also show up on multiple profiles meaning more exposure. When pitching the Editorial Curators can see a list of editorial playlists any of the artists submitting have been featured on in the past. This will increase the chances of them taking you seriously. 

Before releasing your song on your own, consider releasing it through record labels that support your genre. I make LoFi beats so I will pitch to several record labels first to see if any will be willing to do a label release. This year I will have releases with labels like Chill Moon Music, Lifted LoFi Records, Widen Island, Retune Project and more. Having a release with a known label can help increase your chances of an editorial playlist placement as well as being discovered by their audience. Note that you will most likely need to split all streaming royalties 50/50 with the label. 

Head to the Spotify For Artist page (http://artists.spotify.com), log in with your artist account and fill out your profile information as completely as possible. You also want to make sure that you claim and verify your profile. This will get you the blue checkmark by your name on your Spotify profile. 

Tips for creating a great Spotify artist profile: Your profile is an important part of the decision-making process when it comes to inclusion on playlists. Spotify takes pride in their platform as the number one music streaming service, and their playlist curators give preference to artists who offer detailed profiles that include great photos and graphics. Don’t skimp on this area — take the time to write an appealing biography, and be sure to include plenty of photos, logos, and other artwork along with links to your website and social media accounts.

Below are some videos from Spotify For Artists that covers completing your profile, verifying your profile and updating your profile image. 

You want to be able to pitch to the editorial curators at least 4 weeks prior to release. Many would say that Friday's are the best day to release new music, but out of the several placements I have had only one was release of a Friday, the others were released on a Tuesday. This might be because there is less competition and better chances you will get listened to. 

So in order to pitch the song needs to be in your Spotify For Artists upcoming releases section at least 4 weeks prior to release. So you need to upload your song through your DSP like Distrokid at least 5 weeks before its release to give it time to get sent over to Spotify For Artists. Distrokid is a great option for releasing your music through as you can release an unlimited amount for only $19 a year. Click here to join Distrokid and save 7%

In Spotify For Artists, click on music, then upcoming. You should see your future release track(s) there. ​

You will be able to pitch to the curators from here. Under the playlist pitch section you will see the option to pitch. We will cover the steps to pitching below. 

​Now that your song has been uploaded, it’s time to submit the correct track information to Spotify. When you click on the PITCH A SONG button, you’ll be brought to a page that will ask you general information about your track.

Select the Main Genre of your song first, and then choose your Subgenres — categories that are more specific to your music style. Your Subgenre selection is critical, because it’s easier to get on smaller Subgenre editorial playlists than the larger main categories.

The next step in describing your song to Spotify is Music Culture, which relates to any religious or cultural influences on your music. For example, if your song contains Christian lyrics, it will have a higher chance to land on the Top Christian editorial playlist. If none of the culture options apply to your track, select the “None of these” option.

Moods, the next step in song description, lets you highlight the types of emotions you intend to convey with your track. After that is Song Styles, where you’ll indicate whether your track is a live production, an in-studio recording, an acoustic version, or something else. You’ll also choose the Language of your lyrics; whether the song is a cover, remix, or instrumental; and which instruments are featured in the track.

You can also specify your location during the submission process, in order to target local fans and playlists near you. For example, if you are from Ireland and your track is a folk song, you’ll have a good chance to get on editorial Spotify playlist Irish Folk – Ballads.

Finally, the Tell Us More section is where you’ll actually describe your song in order to pitch the track to Spotify’s curators. This section is crucial to demonstrate the quality and care that you placed into creating and recording the song, and will provide the curators with a sense of authenticity and priority during the selection process.

Now, it’s time for the real pitch. You must take care with the way you sell your music, or yourself as an artist, on Spotify. The curators are interested in how the submitted songs will impact themselves, their audience, and Spotify’s overall audience development. Be sure to include impactful details, if you have them, such as if you’ve worked with a well-known producer, collaborated with a recognized artist, or been featured on a popular show (e.g. podcast, YouTube channel, radio, or television). You should also add some keywords that describe which communities you want to influence and help narrow down your genre or style.

Below is an example of a pitch

" “Not A Care" is a chill and jazzy LoFi instrumental perfect for listening to while enjoying a cup of coffee or reading your favorite book. This track has been featured in several viral TikTok videos. It would be perfect for the "Lush LoFi" "LoFi Beats or "LoFi Cafe" playlists. It is scheduled to be featured on several industry blogs such as Word is Bond.  Grizzly Beatz is the youngest son of jazz drummer and composer Alphonse Mouzon, who recorded with Steve Wonder, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Weather Report, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, & more."

Below is a video where Spotify curators talk about what they look for in an artists and their music, what they consider a successful pitch and more. 

For more information on how to pitch to Spotify's editorial curators visit: ​Help - Pitching music to our playlist editors – Spotify for Artists

First off if you are not curating your own playlist you need to start now. In these playlists you will want to include your own music but also include popular artists in your genre within them. This will help tell Spotify which artists are similar to you and will help you get your music added to their Artist Radio playlists. 

Along with this curating a playlist(s) can help you not only get your name out there within your genre but also increase your Spotify followers, pre-saves, playlist likes and more. Curators can use playlist submission gates like "DailyPlaylist.com". "Soundplate.com" or on their own website using "Toneden" to grow their following in return. This is a great way to start getting pre-saves on your upcoming release to start sending positive signals to the Spotify algorithm. If you do not want to curate your own playlist you can use Toneden as a submission gate for free downloads or special coupons.  To learn more about the Spotify Algorithm read my How The Spotify Algorithm Works In 2023 article. 

Once the track releases you will want to send as much traffic and listeners to the track. There are several ways of doing this, but below are a few. 

• Facebook & Instagram Ads
• Embed on your website
• Submit to blogs in your genre (many embeds send great signals to Spotify)
• Submit to user Spotify playlist (Ko-Fi.com, DailyPlaylist.com, Soundplate.com, etc)
• Post on Reddit Channels (r/Music and r/Spotify)
• Share on YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter, Facebook
• Email blast to your email list on the day of release

If you do not get added to a Spotify editorial playlist right away do not worry. I have had a track get added 3 weeks after its release, so keep promoting it for a good month after its release. If you don't land a playlist do not get discouraged and give up. It is a numbers game. The more you release and pitch the more of a chance you will land one. 

I hope these tips help you get on your next Spotify Editorial Playlist Placement. If you found any of these helpful I would appreciate if you comment below and share on social media and help spread the love and help other artists. Also if there are any tips and tricks that I may have left out please let me know in the comments section. Thank you so much for your time and wish you much success in your Spotify journey. 

SoundPlate: https://soundplate.com/
Daily Playlists: ​https://dailyplaylists.com/
SubmitHub: ​https://www.submithub.com/
Ko-Fi: ​https://ko-fi.com/
Playlister Club: ​https://www.songtools.io/
Playlist Push: ​https://playlistpush.com/
Indie Mono: ​https://indiemono.com/music-submit/
Grizzly Beatz: https://www.grizzlybeatz.com/lofi-playlist-submissions

Toneden: ​https://www.toneden.io/
Hypeddit: ​https://hypeddit.com/
Feature FM: ​https://feature.fm/

DistroKid: https://distrokid.com
TuneCore: https://www.tunecore.com/
CD Baby: https://cdbaby.com/
LANDR: ​https://www.landr.com/

Updated 3/6/2023