That’s the hot question in the mind of just about every indie musician on the planet. And with good reason. There are plenty of inspiring stories of musicians who got one song on a crazy-popular playlist and can now pay all their bills with their Spotify checks.
Every time your song is streamed on Spotify you make a
fraction of a cent. If you’re just getting a few streams a day from your fans,
those payouts can be seriously underwhelming. But if your song gets thrown on
a top Spotify playlist with thousands of daily listeners, those cents
can really add up.
So today we’re going to show you how it’s done, walk you
through how the Spotify playlist system is set up, and give you some
ideas that could make your songs more appealing to those
mysterious Spotify playlist curators.
This is Not a Hack
I want to get this out of the way right up front - there’s
no way to game the system here. There is no Spotify playlist
submission form that you can fill out and instantly get placed on one of
the best playlists. It’s going to take a lot of hard work on your part to build
up your Spotify plays, listenership, and credibility.
And it’s probably going to take some time. Just like other
platforms, Spotify has an algorithm that rewards artists who spend a
lot of time on and put a lot of energy into the platform.
On top of that, the quality needs to be there. If you want
your songs to stand next to some of the world’s best tracks on playlists with
millions of followers, your song needs to sound the part. Make sure you’re
A/Bing your songs to ensure you’re hitting the production quality.
How the Spotify Playlist System Works
On Spotify, not all playlists are created equal. The
most popular Spotify playlists are extremely competitive and usually
owned and curated by either Spotify or a major label. Companies or indie labels
own some playlists, and individuals like you and me own the rest. In most
cases, you’re going to have to work you way up the ladder. So let’s go through
the pyramid one by one.
Spotify Playlists
Spotify-curated playlists are at the top of the pyramid.
Some of these playlists (like Coffee Break, undercurrents, and Global Funk) are
smaller and more niche with tens of thousands of followers. While the top
Spotify playlists like Rap Caviar, Are & Be, and Today’s Top Hits have
upwards of a million followers.
A lot of times, the songs that make it to big Spotify
playlists have been tested on the smaller ones. They primarily look at
Spotify data like plays, skips, and finishes to decide how well a song is
performing. If your song performs well you have a greater chance of getting on
playlists and staying on playlists for longer.
It’s also important to note that some Spotify playlists
are curated by Spotify playlist curators, while others like Fresh Finds use an
algorithm to populate the songs based on each user’s particular tastes.
Major Label-Curated Playlists
Next we have the major label-owned playlists. Sony owns
Filtr, Warner owns Topsify, and Universal owns Digster. These playlists get a
decent amount of real estate on the Spotify browse page and are often used to
plug label artists in order to get some plays and hopefully land a spot on
a Spotify playlist.
Individual-Curated Playlists
And finally we have playlists that are curated by
independent spotify playlist curators. I’m grouping these all in the same
category but there’s a pretty big range here. Indie labels, big radio stations,
and big-time music bloggers own some playlists. Others might be owned and
curated by Joe next door.
How to Get Your Music on Spotify Playlists
Getting your songs on Spotify playlists is going to be
a game of working your way up the ladder we just talked about. There’s a lot
you can do here, so let’s go through some ideas one by one.
Sign up for Spotify for Artists
Creating a Spotify for Artists account will instantly get you
verified, which can only help boost your credibility. Plus, you’ll get access
to all kinds of cool features like analytics and notifications when you’re
music is added to playlists. Keep track of this data as much as you can and try
to notice trends. What causes you to get more streams? What causes you to get
more followers?
Direct Fans to Spotify to Get Some Activity Going
The easiest thing you can do is to promote
your music on Spotify and encouraging your fans to follow you and
listen to your songs on the platform so you can boost Spotify plays.
Remember, many Spotify playlists look at data like
plays, finishes, skips, and listen duration, and many individual playlist
curators will want to use tracks that are already getting some love, so
anything you can do to get some social proof behind your songs can only help
you in the long run.
Share links to your Spotify page on social media. Include a
link on your website. Maybe send out an email here and there encouraging fans
to follow you.
That being said, the more active you can be on Spotify in
terms of releasing new music, the easier it will be to get fans excited about
following you. Maybe opt to release a new single every few months to keep the
buzz up.
Create Your Own Spotify Playlists to Promote Your Music
Next, you should start creating your own Spotify
playlists to promote your music. Again, this just gives you another
reason to share Spotify links out to your fans.
Try curating playlists based off mood or activity and
include tracks from bands and musicians you’re really digging right now (and
sprinkle a few of your songs in there as well). Don’t go
overboard with plugging your own songs here. You want these playlists to feel
authentic.
Another cool idea is to collaborate with a bunch of
musicians on a playlist. Come up with a cool idea or a theme, add in some of
your songs, throw in other songs, and play the part of a radio DJ. When you
collaborate like this, you’re exposing your playlist (and your songs) to a
bigger audience, which means more fans and more plays.
Pitch Your Songs to Independent Spotify Playlist Owners
Before you start pitching, you need to figure out what
playlists you’re going to target. Do some searches with keywords that fit your genre
and musical style. And then, start compiling some of the best fits into a
spreadsheet. Include the playlist name, a link, the follower count, the owner,
and any contact info you can find.
It isn’t too difficult to get in touch
with Spotify playlist curators since most link up their accounts to
Facebook. The key is to approach them with the intention of forming a
relationship. Many playlist owners will get tons of generic emails and messages
each day from hopeful artists looking to make it big on Spotify.
The better approach is to connect with them, compliment
their playlist, and maybe suggest a song or two (not your own) that you think
would fit. Pitch your music only after you get an authentic
dialog going. Remember, they are people too with their own agendas, so treat
them with respect.
You’ll be more successful with this strategy if you start
small and work your way up the ladder. Someone with a playlist with a few
thousand listeners will be much more open to your pitch than someone who has
hundreds of thousands of followers. Once you get a successful track record you
can start moving up.
Keep in mind too that playlist owners are always looking out
for fresh new tracks to include. Chances are, if you get some placements on
other playlists, you may very well get included in others.
Support Playlists that Include Your Songs
When your song gets placed on a playlist, do everything you
can to support that playlist and ride the wave.
Share out a link to social media telling fans how awesome
the playlist is. Especially when you’re dealing with independent Spotify
playlist curators, giving back is a surefire way to form a good, long-term
relationship.
Get Featured on Blogs
A lot of music bloggers have their own Spotify playlists,
and getting a good review or two can potentially get you a
spot on their playlists.
How to Ride the Wave
So you’re getting a decent amount of streams and getting
some success on Spotify, now what?
Let me make this clear right now - getting tens of thousands
of plays on Spotify does not necessarily equate to getting
more fans. There are plenty of artists who have gone viral on Spotify - who
make a decent living from Spotify revenue - but can’t even fill their
local venue.
Spotify is NOT in the business of helping artists grow their
fanbase. They’re in the business of getting people to listen on their platform
and pay for the Premium service. I know it’s harsh, but it’s true.
That means it’s up to you to ride the wave of any success
you may get on Spotify. You need to do everything you can to turn those
listeners into fans and supporters.
Make sure you have social media platforms set up, a website, and an email list at the very least. These are places you can direct Spotify followers and listeners to connect and start building that artist-fan relationship.