How to Get on Spotify Playlists: Complete Submission Guide
Getting on Spotify playlists isn't just a nice-to-have for artists in 2025 – it's arguably the most powerful catalyst for music discovery on the platform. With over 100,000 new tracks uploaded daily to Spotify, playlists serve as the primary filter between endless musical noise and meaningful listener connection. A single placement on the right playlist can transform an unknown track into a streaming phenomenon, turning hundreds of streams into hundreds of thousands overnight.
But here's the reality: most artists approach playlist submission completely wrong. They treat it like throwing spaghetti at the wall, hoping something sticks. They submit to random playlists without research, craft generic pitches, or worse – fall for guaranteed placement scams that violate Spotify's terms and damage their careers.
This comprehensive guide cuts through the confusion and misinformation. You'll learn the proven, platform-compliant strategies that actually work for getting your music on Spotify playlists in 2025. From mastering the official Spotify for Artists submission process to building relationships with independent curators, we'll cover every aspect of successful playlist placement that can elevate your streaming numbers and expand your fanbase organically.
Whether you're releasing your first single or looking to break through to the next level, these strategies will help you navigate the complex world of Spotify playlist submission with confidence and results.
Understanding Spotify's Playlist Ecosystem: Your Gateway to Discovery
Before diving into submission tactics, it's crucial to understand the three distinct types of playlists that can feature your music on Spotify. Each operates differently, requires unique approaches, and offers varying levels of impact for your streaming goals.
Editorial Playlists: The Holy Grail of Playlist Placement
Spotify's editorial playlists represent the platform's most coveted real estate. Curated by Spotify's in-house music experts, these playlists command massive followings and can deliver life-changing exposure. Think "Today's Top Hits" (32+ million followers), "RapCaviar" (15+ million followers), or genre-specific powerhouses like "Indie Pop" and "Chill Hits."
Editorial playlist placement can:
- Generate millions of streams within days
- Trigger algorithmic recommendations across Spotify
- Attract industry attention from labels, managers, and booking agents
- Create sustainable momentum for your entire catalog
However, editorial placement is highly competitive and selective. Spotify's editors receive thousands of submissions weekly and typically feature less than 1% of submitted tracks. Success requires exceptional music quality, strategic timing, and compelling storytelling in your submission.
Algorithmic Playlists: The Machine Learning Advantage
Spotify's algorithmic playlists – including Discover Weekly, Release Radar, Daily Mix, and Radio stations – operate through machine learning rather than human curation. These personalized playlists are unique to each user and update regularly based on listening behavior, preferences, and engagement patterns.
While you can't directly submit to algorithmic playlists, you can influence their algorithms by:
- Encouraging complete track plays (not just 30-second samples)
- Building saves, shares, and playlist adds from real listeners
- Generating cross-platform engagement that signals quality
- Maintaining consistent release schedules that feed Release Radar
Algorithmic placement often provides more sustained exposure than one-time editorial features, making it incredibly valuable for long-term career building.
User-Generated Playlists: The Relationship Game
Independent playlist curators – ranging from bedroom playlist enthusiasts to professional music bloggers – control thousands of influential user-generated playlists. While individual playlists may have smaller followings than major editorial lists, the sheer volume of quality user-generated playlists creates enormous collective opportunity.
Benefits of user-generated playlist placement include:
- More accessible than editorial playlists
- Often genre-specific with engaged, targeted audiences
- Potential for building ongoing relationships with curators
- Lower competition for placement opportunities
- Faster response times and feedback
The key to success with user-generated playlists lies in research, relationship building, and providing genuine value to curators and their audiences.
Mastering Spotify for Artists: Your Direct Line to Editorial Consideration
Spotify for Artists isn't just an analytics dashboard – it's your official gateway to editorial playlist consideration and the foundation of professional presence on the platform. Understanding how to leverage every feature can significantly improve your playlist placement odds.
Setting Up Your Spotify for Artists Profile for Maximum Impact
Claim and Verify Your Profile Immediately The moment your first track goes live on Spotify (typically 1-2 weeks after distributor submission), claim your artist profile at Spotify for Artists. Verification unlocks crucial promotional tools and signals professionalism to Spotify's editorial team. If you haven't uploaded your music to Spotify yet, check out our guide on how to get your music on Spotify.
Optimize Your Artist Profile Elements:
Profile Photo and Header Image: Use high-resolution, professional images that reflect your brand and genre. Your profile photo appears in search results and playlists, so make it memorable and recognizable.
Artist Bio: Craft a compelling 1,500-character bio that tells your story, highlights achievements, and incorporates relevant keywords naturally. Mention previous playlist placements, notable collaborations, press coverage, or unique background elements that set you apart.
Artist Pick: Feature your latest release or most strategic track prominently. This pinned track appears at the top of your profile and can influence playlist curators reviewing your music.
Social Media Links: Connect all relevant platforms where you actively engage with fans. Cross-platform activity demonstrates broader audience engagement to Spotify's algorithms.
The Art of Spotify Playlist Submission: A Step-by-Step Process
Spotify allows artists to submit one unreleased track per release directly to their editorial team through the playlist pitching tool. This submission window is your most valuable opportunity for major playlist consideration, so maximizing its effectiveness is crucial.
Timing Your Submission Strategically: Submit your track at least 7-14 days before your intended release date. Spotify's editorial team needs time to review submissions and schedule playlist updates. Last-minute submissions typically receive less consideration due to logistical constraints.
Crafting Your Pitch Description: Your 500-character pitch description might be the only thing standing between your track and playlist placement. Make every word count:
Opening Hook: Start with your most compelling element – unique backstory, notable collaboration, or standout production element.
Marketing Context: Briefly mention your promotional plans, existing fanbase size, previous achievements, or upcoming performances that demonstrate momentum.
Playlist Fit: Explain why your track suits specific Spotify playlists without naming them directly. Instead of saying "perfect for Today's Top Hits," describe the energy, mood, or style that would fit editorial playlists in your genre.
Call to Action: End with a clear, professional request that invites further engagement.
Example Effective Pitch: "Indie-pop anthem recorded in Nashville featuring Emmy-winner Sarah Johnson on backing vocals. Building on 500K+ TikTok views and upcoming tour with [Notable Band], this introspective track explores modern relationship dynamics with infectious hooks and cinematic production. Perfect for listeners discovering emotional, radio-ready indie music."
Completing Metadata with Precision:
Genre Selection: Choose primary and secondary genres carefully. Spotify's editorial team filters submissions by genre, so accuracy directly impacts who reviews your music.
Mood and Energy: Select descriptors that genuinely reflect your track's emotional tone. Don't choose popular moods that don't match your music – authenticity matters more than perceived optimization.
Instrumentation Tags: Include specific instruments, vocal styles, and production elements. These tags help Spotify match your music with relevant playlists and algorithmic recommendations.
Cultural and Regional Tags: If your music connects to specific cultures, locations, or scenes, include relevant tags that help Spotify understand your context and target appropriate audiences.
Building Relationships with Independent Playlist Curators
While Spotify editorial placement offers massive exposure potential, independent playlist curators provide more accessible opportunities for emerging artists. Success requires genuine relationship building rather than mass email blasting.
Researching and Identifying Quality Playlist Curators
Evaluating Playlist Quality and Engagement: Not all playlists are created equal. Focus your efforts on curators who maintain active, engaged communities rather than chasing follower counts alone.
Follower-to-Engagement Ratio: Quality playlists typically show evidence of active listening – recent follows, likes on featured tracks, and regular updates. Stagnant playlists with high follower counts but no recent activity often represent dead audiences.
Playlist Consistency: Review the curator's track selection patterns. Do they feature music similar to yours? Do they maintain genre consistency or mood coherence? Curators who understand their audience deliver better results than those who add music randomly.
Update Frequency: Active curators regularly refresh their playlists with new discoveries. Monthly or weekly updates indicate engagement and suggest your track won't get buried among stagnant selections.
Curator Activity: Check the curator's Spotify activity, social media presence, and any associated blogs or websites. Curators who actively promote their playlists and engage with artists typically provide more value than passive playlist maintainers.
Finding Relevant Curators Through Multiple Channels:
Spotify Search and Discovery: Search genre-specific keywords, mood descriptors, and activity themes to discover playlists featuring music similar to yours. Pay attention to curators who consistently appear in your genre space.
Social Media Research: Many playlist curators maintain active Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok profiles where they share new discoveries and submission guidelines. Follow relevant hashtags like #playlistcurator, #spotifyplaylist, or genre-specific tags to discover active curators.
Playlist Submission Platforms: Services like SubmitHub and Groover connect artists with verified playlist curators. While these platforms charge submission fees, they often provide access to curators who actively seek new music and guarantee response times.
Music Community Forums: Reddit communities, Discord servers, and Facebook groups focused on specific genres often include active playlist curators seeking submissions. Participate genuinely in these communities before pitching your music.
Crafting Compelling Curator Outreach
Personalization Over Mass Distribution: Generic email blasts to hundreds of curators rarely generate positive responses. Instead, invest time in personalized outreach that demonstrates genuine interest in each curator's work.
Essential Elements of Effective Curator Emails:
Subject Line Strategy: Use clear, specific subject lines that immediately convey your genre and intent. Examples: "Indie Folk Submission for [Playlist Name]" or "New Alternative Rock Track for Consideration."
Personal Connection: Reference specific tracks or artists the curator has featured recently. This demonstrates you've actually listened to their playlist rather than sending blind submissions.
Professional Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself, your musical background, and any notable achievements without overselling. Curators appreciate confidence without arrogance.
Music Presentation: Provide streaming links (Spotify preferred for playlist curators) and brief, compelling descriptions of your track's style, mood, and production highlights.
Social Proof: Mention previous playlist placements, streaming milestones, press coverage, or upcoming releases that demonstrate momentum and professionalism.
Clear Call to Action: Request playlist consideration specifically while respecting their time and decision-making process.
Sample Curator Outreach Email:
Subject: Indie Pop Submission for "Bedroom Vibes"
Hi [Curator Name],
I discovered your "Bedroom Vibes" playlist through your recent addition of Phoebe Bridgers' latest track – incredible selection that perfectly captures that introspective indie pop sound I love.
I'm [Your Name], an indie pop artist from [Location] who just released a new single that might fit your playlist's aesthetic. "Track Name" is a dreamy, reverb-laden exploration of late-night overthinking, featuring intimate vocals over lush instrumental arrangements.
The track has gained traction on a few smaller playlists (150K+ streams in the first month) and fits well alongside artists like Boy Pablo and Rex Orange County that I noticed in your recent updates.
Spotify Link: [Your Track Link]
If it resonates with you, I'd be honored to have it considered for "Bedroom Vibes." No pressure either way – I'll continue following your excellent curation regardless.
Thanks for your time and for consistently sharing great music.
Best, [Your Name]
Optimizing Your Music for Playlist Acceptance
Getting on playlists requires more than just submission strategy – your music itself must be optimized for playlist placement and algorithmic discovery. This involves technical, artistic, and strategic considerations that many artists overlook.
Technical Optimization for Streaming Success
Audio Quality and Mastering Standards: Professional mastering isn't optional in 2025's competitive streaming environment. Playlist curators and Spotify's algorithms both favor well-produced, technically sound recordings that translate well across different listening environments. With the U.S. music market reaching 100 million paid streaming subscriptions for the first time according to the RIAA's latest report, the competition for playlist placement has never been more intense.
Loudness Standards: Spotify normalizes audio to approximately -14 LUFS, so mastering your tracks to this standard ensures optimal playback quality. Overly compressed or distorted masters can sound worse than properly mastered tracks when Spotify applies its normalization.
Dynamic Range: While streaming platforms apply loudness normalization, maintaining appropriate dynamic range enhances listening experience and algorithmic performance. Tracks with natural dynamics engage listeners better than heavily compressed audio.
Stereo Imaging and Mix Clarity: Ensure your mix translates well on various playback systems – smartphone speakers, earbuds, car stereos, and high-end headphones. Playlist curators often evaluate tracks on multiple systems before making selection decisions.
Strategic Song Structure for Streaming: Modern streaming consumption patterns influence how successful tracks are structured. Understanding these patterns can improve your playlist acceptance rates and streaming performance.
Hook Placement: Place your strongest melodic or rhythmic hook within the first 15-30 seconds. Playlist listeners typically decide within this timeframe whether to continue listening or skip to the next track.
Engagement Sustaining: Maintain listener interest throughout the entire track with dynamic changes, unexpected elements, or evolving arrangements. Tracks that hold listeners until completion receive stronger algorithmic signals.
Optimal Length Considerations: While song length varies by genre, tracks between 2:30-4:00 tend to perform well in playlist contexts. Extremely short tracks may seem incomplete, while very long tracks risk losing casual listeners.
Genre-Specific Playlist Positioning
Understanding Genre Expectations: Different musical genres have distinct playlist cultures and curator expectations. Tailoring your approach to genre-specific norms significantly improves acceptance rates.
Pop and Mainstream: Focus on hook strength, professional production quality, and broad appeal. Curators prioritize tracks with commercial potential and mass audience engagement.
Indie and Alternative: Emphasize authenticity, artistic vision, and unique sonic elements. Indie curators often value creative risk-taking and distinctive artistic voices over commercial polish.
Hip-Hop and R&B: Highlight lyrical content, vocal performance, and production innovation. Many hip-hop curators consider cultural relevance and artistic credibility alongside musical quality.
Electronic and Dance: Prioritize energy, dancefloor functionality, and production sophistication. Electronic music curators often evaluate technical production skills and genre knowledge.
Folk and Acoustic: Emphasize songwriting quality, emotional authenticity, and storytelling ability. Folk curators typically value lyrical depth and genuine artistic expression.
Positioning Your Music Within Genre Contexts: When pitching to genre-specific playlists, frame your music in terms familiar to that community. Use appropriate terminology, reference relevant influences, and demonstrate understanding of genre traditions and innovations.
Advanced Strategies for Playlist Success
Beyond basic submission tactics, sophisticated artists employ advanced strategies that compound their playlist success over time. These approaches require more effort but generate significantly better long-term results.
Building Your Own Playlist Strategy
Creating Artist Playlists That Drive Discovery: Don't just focus on getting onto other playlists – create your own playlists as promotional tools and relationship-building opportunities.
Genre-Focused Playlists: Create playlists featuring your music alongside established artists in your genre. This positions your tracks in context and helps listeners discover your music through familiar favorites.
Mood and Activity Playlists: Develop playlists around specific moods or activities that feature your music naturally. Examples: "Late Night Study Sessions," "Sunday Morning Coffee," or "Road Trip Essentials."
Collaborative Opportunities: Create collaborative playlists with other artists, industry professionals, or music fans. Collaborative playlists expand your network and create mutual promotional opportunities.
Regular Updates and Promotion: Maintain active playlist management by regularly adding new discoveries and promoting your playlists across social media platforms.
Leveraging Your Playlists for Relationship Building: Use your playlists as conversation starters with other artists and curators. Featuring someone's music in your playlist creates natural opportunities for networking and reciprocal promotion.
Cross-Platform Integration for Maximum Impact
Social Media Amplification: Successful playlist placement should trigger broader promotional campaigns across all your active social media platforms. According to IFPI's Global Music Report 2025, streaming revenues exceeded $20 billion for the first time, representing 69% of total recorded music revenues, making playlist placement more crucial than ever.
Instagram Integration: Share playlist placements through Stories with music stickers, create feed posts celebrating milestones, and use IGTV for behind-the-scenes content about your playlist journey.
TikTok Momentum: Create TikTok content featuring your playlisted tracks, participate in relevant audio trends, and engage with the TikTok music community to drive cross-platform discovery. Learn more about maximizing TikTok for music promotion in our comprehensive TikTok strategy guide.
Twitter Networking: Engage with playlist curators and music industry professionals on Twitter, share your playlist achievements authentically, and participate in music community conversations.
YouTube Content Creation: Develop YouTube content around your playlist successes – behind-the-scenes videos, acoustic versions of playlisted tracks, or educational content about your musical process.
Email Marketing Integration: Incorporate playlist achievements into your email marketing strategy. Share playlist placements with your subscriber base, provide exclusive content related to playlisted tracks, and use playlist success as social proof for new subscriber acquisition.
Common Playlist Submission Mistakes to Avoid
Understanding what NOT to do is often as valuable as knowing best practices. These common mistakes can damage your reputation with curators and harm your long-term playlist prospects.
Submission Etiquette Violations
Generic Mass Outreach: Sending identical emails to hundreds of curators signals laziness and disrespect for their individual work. Curators can easily identify mass-distributed pitches and typically delete them immediately.
Inappropriate Follow-Up Frequency: Bombarding curators with repeated emails, social media messages, or aggressive follow-up campaigns destroys relationships and can result in being blocked from future consideration.
Ignoring Submission Guidelines: Many curators provide specific submission instructions on their social media profiles or websites. Failing to follow these guidelines demonstrates poor attention to detail and disregard for their preferences.
Over-Promising and Under-Delivering: Making exaggerated claims about your music's popularity, upcoming opportunities, or industry connections that you can't substantiate damages credibility and trustworthiness.
Technical and Strategic Errors
Poor Audio Quality Submissions: Submitting unmastered demos, low-bitrate files, or technically flawed recordings wastes curators' time and reflects poorly on your professionalism.
Mismatched Genre Targeting: Pitching electronic dance music to indie folk playlists or country music to hip-hop curators shows lack of research and wastes everyone's time.
Incomplete or Unprofessional Presentations: Sending broken streaming links, missing contact information, or poorly written pitch descriptions creates unnecessary barriers to playlist consideration.
**Violating Platform Terms of Service: Attempting to buy playlist placements, using fake engagement services, or employing any tactics that violate Spotify's terms can result in track removal and account penalties.
Tools and Resources for Effective Playlist Promotion
Leveraging the right tools and platforms can streamline your playlist submission process while improving your success rates. Here's a comprehensive overview of resources that successful artists use for playlist promotion.
Playlist Submission Platforms
SubmitHub: The Industry Standard SubmitHub connects artists with verified playlist curators, music bloggers, and industry professionals through a credit-based system. The platform offers both free and premium submission options, with premium submissions guaranteeing response times and detailed feedback.
Advantages: Verified curator quality, guaranteed responses, detailed feedback on rejections, broad genre coverage, and integrated analytics tracking.
Best Practices: Research curators thoroughly before submitting, craft personalized pitches even within the platform, and use free credits strategically while investing premium credits in high-quality opportunities.
Groover: European-Focused Platform Groover specializes in connecting artists with European playlist curators, radio programmers, and music industry professionals. The platform emphasizes relationship building and provides detailed feedback from industry professionals.
Advantages: Strong European curator network, guaranteed feedback from industry professionals, relationship-focused approach, and integration with streaming analytics.
Considerations: More expensive per submission than SubmitHub, smaller catalog of curators compared to broader platforms, and geographic focus may not suit all artists.
Daily Playlists: Direct Curator Access Daily Playlists offers direct access to playlist curator contact information through a subscription-based database. This approach provides more control over your outreach but requires more time investment.
Advantages: Direct curator contact access, detailed playlist analytics, regular database updates, and complete control over your outreach messaging.
Requirements: Strong email outreach skills, time investment for personalized communication, and comfort with direct relationship building.
Analytics and Tracking Tools
Spotify for Artists Analytics: Master every aspect of Spotify for Artists' analytics dashboard to understand your playlist performance and optimize future submissions.
Key Metrics to Track: Playlist discovery sources, listener demographics, geographic performance patterns, and save-to-stream ratios that indicate genuine engagement.
Advanced Features: Canvas video performance, artist pick effectiveness, and cross-platform traffic sources that inform broader promotional strategies.
Third-Party Analytics Platforms: Platforms like Chartmetric, Songstats, and Soundcharts provide deeper insights into playlist performance, competitor analysis, and industry trends.
Competitive Intelligence: Track which playlists feature artists similar to you, monitor their performance patterns, and identify emerging playlist opportunities.
Performance Optimization: Analyze which types of playlists drive the most engagement for your specific music style and focus your efforts accordingly.
Social Media and Networking Tools
Twitter Lists for Industry Networking: Create Twitter lists of playlist curators, music bloggers, and industry professionals in your genre. Regular engagement with these lists can lead to organic relationship building and collaboration opportunities.
LinkedIn for Professional Networking: Many music industry professionals, including playlist curators, maintain active LinkedIn profiles. Professional networking on LinkedIn can lead to more substantial industry relationships than casual social media interaction.
Discord and Reddit Communities: Many genres have active Discord servers and Reddit communities where playlist curators actively participate. Genuine community participation can lead to natural playlist opportunities and industry connections.
Measuring Success and Optimizing Your Approach
Effective playlist promotion requires continuous measurement, analysis, and optimization. Understanding which strategies generate the best results allows you to focus your efforts on the most productive approaches.
Key Performance Indicators for Playlist Success
Streaming Metrics and Patterns: Track not just total streams, but the quality and engagement patterns of your playlist-driven traffic.
Completion Rates: Monitor what percentage of playlist-driven listeners complete your tracks versus skipping early. Higher completion rates indicate better playlist-audience alignment.
Save and Add Rates: Track how many playlist listeners save your tracks or add them to their personal playlists. These actions provide strong algorithmic signals and indicate genuine fan conversion.
Follow-Through Behavior: Analyze whether playlist listeners explore your other tracks, follow your profile, or engage with your content on other platforms.
Geographic and Demographic Patterns: Understand which playlist audiences convert best for your music and focus future efforts on similar demographics.
Relationship Building Metrics: Success in playlist promotion often comes through relationship building rather than one-off submissions.
Response Rates: Track which types of outreach generate the highest response rates from curators and refine your approach based on successful patterns.
Repeat Placements: Monitor which curators feature your music multiple times, indicating strong relationships worth nurturing and expanding.
Referral Networks: Note when playlist curators refer you to other curators or opportunities, suggesting strong professional relationships.
Long-Term Strategy Development
Portfolio Approach to Playlist Building: Successful artists build diverse playlist portfolios that provide multiple discovery pathways for their music.
Tier-Based Strategy: Develop relationships with curators across different influence levels – from emerging curators with smaller but engaged audiences to established curators with massive reach.
Genre Diversification: If your music spans multiple genres or subgenres, develop separate playlist strategies for each musical direction.
Geographic Expansion: Build playlist relationships in different geographic markets to expand your international presence and touring opportunities.
Seasonal and Trend-Based Planning: Align your playlist submission strategy with seasonal trends, cultural moments, and industry patterns.
Release Calendar Coordination: Plan releases around seasonal playlist updates, industry events, and cultural moments relevant to your music.
Trend Participation: Monitor emerging playlist trends and position your music to participate in relevant movements while maintaining authenticity.
Long-Term Relationship Nurturing: Maintain ongoing relationships with curators between releases through social media engagement, mutual promotion, and genuine community participation.
Conclusion: Your Roadmap to Playlist Success
Getting on Spotify playlists in 2025 requires a sophisticated understanding of the platform's ecosystem, genuine relationship building skills, and strategic long-term planning. The artists who succeed don't rely on shortcuts or guaranteed placement schemes – they invest in authentic connections, professional-quality music, and systematic approaches to playlist outreach.
Remember that playlist placement is not an end goal but a means to building a sustainable music career. Every playlist placement should drive broader fan acquisition, cross-platform engagement, and long-term relationship building. Focus on creating music that genuinely resonates with listeners, building authentic relationships with curators and industry professionals, and maintaining consistent professionalism in all your interactions.
The strategies outlined in this guide provide a comprehensive framework for playlist success, but the most important element remains your music itself. No amount of strategic outreach can compensate for tracks that don't connect emotionally with listeners. Invest in your craft, understand your audience, and approach playlist promotion as one component of a broader artistic and career development strategy.
Start by mastering the Spotify for Artists submission process for your next release. Research and connect with 10-15 relevant independent playlist curators in your genre. Create your own artist playlists that showcase your music alongside influences and peers. Most importantly, maintain consistency in your efforts – playlist success rarely happens overnight but builds momentum through sustained, professional engagement with the playlist ecosystem.
Your breakthrough playlist placement might be just one well-crafted submission away. Use these strategies, stay authentic to your artistic vision, and build the relationships that will support your music career for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting on Spotify Playlists
How long does it take to hear back from Spotify editorial after submitting through Spotify for Artists?
Spotify typically doesn't provide direct feedback on editorial submissions, and most artists never hear back regardless of acceptance or rejection status. Editorial playlist updates happen weekly or monthly depending on the playlist, so you may discover placement organically through streaming analytics rather than notification. Focus on submitting strong tracks consistently rather than expecting responses.
**Is it worth paying for playlist placement services?
Legitimate playlist promotion services that connect you with real curators can provide value, but avoid any service guaranteeing specific playlist placements or promising unrealistic results. Platforms like SubmitHub and Groover charge reasonable fees for curator access and guaranteed feedback, which can be worthwhile investments. Never pay for guaranteed playlist spots, as this violates Spotify's terms and can harm your account. For a detailed comparison of legitimate services, see our review of the best playlist promotion services.
How many playlists should I submit to for each release?
Quality over quantity always wins with playlist submissions. Focus on 15-25 highly relevant, well-researched playlist opportunities rather than mass-submitting to hundreds of random playlists. Personalized outreach to curators whose playlists genuinely fit your music generates significantly better results than shotgun approaches.
Can I submit the same track to multiple Spotify editorial playlists?
You can only submit one track per release through Spotify for Artists' official playlist pitching tool, but Spotify's editorial team considers that track for all relevant playlists in their system. You don't need to choose specific playlists – their team evaluates your track for any editorial playlist where it might fit.
What's the best day and time to submit to playlist curators?
Tuesday through Thursday, typically between 10 AM and 2 PM in the curator's time zone, tends to generate better response rates. Avoid Monday mornings and Friday afternoons when industry professionals are managing weekly transitions. However, relationship quality and submission relevance matter far more than timing.
How do I know if a playlist has fake followers?
Look for engagement indicators like regular playlist updates, follower growth patterns that align with playlist activity, and evidence of listener interaction with featured tracks. Playlists with hundreds of thousands of followers but no recent activity or obviously purchased follower counts typically provide little value even if they accept your music.
Should I follow up with playlist curators who don't respond?
Send one polite follow-up after 2-3 weeks for initial submissions, then wait at least 3 months before reaching out again with new music. Excessive follow-up damages relationships and can get you blocked from future consideration. Focus your energy on building new curator relationships rather than pressuring unresponsive contacts.