How to get on Spotify Playlists. And stay there.

Nowadays, anyone can put their music online for thousands, even millions, of people to listen to-it’s all so easy! And one of the most popular platforms to get your music out there is Spotify. 

And it's not just because Spotify had 182 million premium subscribers worldwide in the first quarter of 2020 (double its 2017 numbers).

Oh no, it's definitely not that.

On Spotify, there are no publishers/gatekeepers. Which is great, because it means there’s no one to argue with before getting your music to fans. Also, with over 2 billion playlists, Spotify has a spot for everyone. Yes, we do corny jokes here too.

Let's not forget about the money. 

When people stream your song on Spotify, you get paid a portion of a cent (about 0.003 - 0.005)! It’s not a lot on its own, but imagine the number of listeners streaming your music daily. At the end of the dy, you're going home with a pretty tidy sum.

So how do you get those streaming numbers? By ranking on a Spotify playlist, of course! 

Here are a few tips on making it there.

But first, a little reminder:

You cannot con the system. Getting on a Spotify playlist requires serious work, hard work, time, and consistency. The Spotify algorithm only rewards those who have put in effort in their music and on Spotify too. No freebies here

Second, a little background info:

There are two kinds of playlists on Spotify. They are the Spotify Playlists, which consists of playlists curated by in-house specialists. Some of these curated playlists have millions of followers (RapCaviar, Today’s Top Hits, and more) and some just have thousands (Undercurrents, Coffee Break, etc.).

However, not all Spotify playlists are curated by humans, some are algorithm-driven. The belief is that if your song does well in the smaller playlists, then it has a chance with the big leagues.

Then, there are the others. These playlists range from those owned by labels like Sony (Filtr), Warner (Topsify), and Universal (Digster) to those created by indie companies, and down to average people like you and me.

So now we are done with our little detours, let’s dive into getting you that playlist placement!

1. CREATE AN ACCOUNT AND GET VERIFIED:

The first step to getting your music on Spotify is to create an account with them. After that, you need to be verified, so you can have that little blue checkmark that shows you’re credible. Luckily, Spotify has got just the thing to make the process of account creation and confirmation a total breeze, the ‘Spotify for Artists Account.’ This account comes with instant verification and cool features like analytics and notifications that help track how well your music is doing.

Little tip. Take some time to create an eye-catching biography for the curators, it’ll get their attention.

2. MAKE YOUR OWN SPOTIFY PLAYLIST:

Why wait to be featured on a big playlist, when you can create yours? Curate other artists’ music based on mood, genre, or activity, and sprinkle in a few of yours – not too much, though. Make sure the title of your playlist is original and exciting. Share links to your playlists on your website and on social, so you can get followers.

3. PROMOTION:

Yes, you have to work on getting your fans to follow you on Spotify, add you to their playlists, and of course, stream your songs. Curators make use of data like the number of plays, skips, listen durations, and finishes to determine whether your work deserves a place on their playlist.

You can’t get this with fake streams either, the algorithm will get you, and you’ll be booted off Spotify along with all your music. So, these streams have to be legitimate, and you can only do this with a hefty dose of Spotify playlist promotion. We’re talking about sharing links everywhere and making sure you stay relevant. Sounds like work, huh? That’s where we come in.

We, at Music Promotion Corp, can make this more comfortable for you. Working with more than 2,000 Spotify Playlists, we can make your dream of getting massive plays on Spotify and boosting your fanbase, a reality. We also offer a variety of services, which include website design and promotion.

With our four different promotion packages, we can tailor your Spotify promotion goals to fit your pocket – you don’t have to break the bank on this one.

4. GET TO PITCHING:

You don’t have to wait for playlists curators to find you all the time, you can go after them yourself. Do a keyword search on the essential concepts present in your music, then select the playlists that reflect these. Once you have a list, proceed to get the contacts of the curators or owners of these playlists. This should be easy as most owners/curators link their social media accounts to their profiles.

Follow them on social, and strike up a conversation. The aim is to build a lasting relationship, not a pitch and run. Curators will be more likely to feature your work if you show some interest in theirs too. Also, don’t just go for the big fishes, they’re usually too busy being bombarded with pitches. Start small and work your way up.

Some playlists have entire websites or social media accounts where you can submit your music. This doesn’t mean you’ll be automatically placed on the playlist, though.

5. SHOW SUPPORT:

When you get featured on playlists, make sure you show your gratitude. You can share links to the playlists and do all you can to direct people traffic to it. You could also invite the owner(s) to your show, so they get a better taste of your music and hopefully feature you more.

6. GET REVIEWS:

Getting your music reviewed on a blog is a great way to gain traction on the Spotify scene. Spotify also crawls music blogs, and if your work is making good waves, then you’ll probably find yourself hanging out in the Fresh Find playlist, huzzah!

7. SUBMIT TO SPOTIFY:

You could submit your music directly to Spotify for consideration. There are rules that you have to keep though:

• The music has to be unreleased.
• It must be submitted at least 7 days before the release date. Earlier submissions get favourable consideration, so it’ll be wise to make that submission earlier than 7 days.
• It should be submitted with some info (genre, mood, instrumentation, cover/original).
• Only one track at a time. You can only send a second if the first has been released.
• Keep your fingers crossed. That’s not in the rules, though.

If this is a little overwhelming, we could also help with your Spotify playlist submission,

8. MAKE YOUR LISTENERS STAY:

Getting a playlist placement and lots of streams are one thing; keeping the listeners is another. This requires consistently producing good music. It doesn’t end there though; you have to make those listeners your fans. Encourage them to follow you on social media. Add them to your mailing list and keep them posted about your shows, and what you’re up to.

9. SPREAD OUT:

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Spread your wings, create a niche in other mediums like Youtube, Amazon, Itunes, etc. You have to work different angles, don’t spend your whole time on Spotify, your musical breakthrough might just be somewhere else.

Now you know how to secure a spot on a Spotify playlist. You just need to be consistent, make good music, put in some Spotify time, and network. If you do all this, you’d likely get that spot one day. It’s no overnight stuff, so be patient.

Remember, we're always here to support your work.