The Spotify playlist ecosystem is tremendous sketchy.
You in all probability already know this; in case you’ve spent 5 minutes researching the best way to get on Spotify playlists, I’ll wager you’ve already come throughout a world of enjoyable phrases like…
- “Disengaged streams”
- “Botted lists”
- “Certain I’ll add your track to my playlist it solely prices $90 right here’s the PayPal hyperlink”
Yeah, all that stuff sucks.
I get it. Dangerous concentrating on, botted lists, payola – it’s all actual. Playlists supply the promise of streams, however a number of artists have discovered that the truth of attempting to get positioned on one is usually sort of soul-crushing. It’s sufficient to make any ethical, rational particular person second-guess the entire idea.
Which is simply too dangerous. As a result of, regardless of all of the ugliness on the market, I stay a agency believer that playlisting can be a very efficient option to get a bunch of individuals to listen to your music. I’ve simply seen it work too many occasions to assume in any other case.
And it is sensible, proper? Playlists are actually the muse of Spotify. Of course they may also help get you extra streams.
Now, there’s actually nuance to this. In order for you a extra detailed breakdown of whether or not or not playlist pitching is worth it, you possibly can try an article I wrote earlier this 12 months referred to as “Does Playlist Pitching Work?” (and spoiler: my reply is “generally”).
However in the present day, whereas I do wish to acknowledge the potential sketchiness of playlists, I additionally wish to transfer on from that first query – the query of whether or not playlists work – and get into the following query.
The subsequent query is that this:
Assuming it is worthwhile to get on a very good playlist, how can I discover good playlists?
As a result of I feel realizing a number of strong solutions to that query goes a great distance towards serving to you navigate the ecosystem’s sketchiness – and a great distance towards getting you outcomes that truly fulfill the promise of playlists, fairly than betraying it.
And with that prolonged intro, let’s get into it. Listed here are 3 ways to search out playlists (and curators) value pitching.
1. Use a instrument.
That is in all probability the best option to discover good playlists. The concept is that you just pay for entry to software program that features sort of like Google for playlists: You seek for a key phrase, the instrument exhibits you outcomes that match, and also you click on into the outcomes to get the small print and make your pitch.
From what I’ve seen, there are two variations of those instruments.
One model is actually a static database that’s manually curated with info on playlists and curators.
The second model is a search instrument that pulls stay information from Spotify’s API.
With the primary model (a static database), you may get actually detailed information – data like curator Twitter handles, SubmitHub profiles, related web sites, and extra. The downside is that the info can go old-fashioned fairly quick.
Playlist Radar is an instance of a instrument that makes use of this method.
With the second model (a stay search instrument), you get up-to-the-minute data, since you’re actually querying Spotify’s stay API and churning by way of each playlist on the platform. This implies you’ll see real-time follower progress curves and playlist engagement information – nevertheless it additionally signifies that you don’t get something outdoors of Spotify’s API (like SubmitHub profiles, and so forth.). Any contact data these instruments flip up is often pulled proper from playlists’ descriptions.
Artist Tools is an instance of a instrument that makes use of this method.
Personally, I exploit Artist Instruments once I run playlisting campaigns or do playlist analysis. (Relatedly, the hyperlink up there may be an affiliate hyperlink.)
I just like the live-query method as a result of it helps you consider the standard of a playlist instantly. Artist Instruments, particularly, pulls up this little data field that provides a fast analysis of a listing’s high quality, which I’ve discovered to be fairly useful.
However there are many different choices, too. I simply had a name final week with the group behind Playlist Supply, and I’ve used the free model of Playlist Map. From what I can inform, all of those look like strong choices, and actually, the primary performance throughout all of them is fairly constant.
One last observe on utilizing instruments:
Once you go this route, the construction of your search is every part. Lots of individuals search by style to start out out; that’s nice, nevertheless it’s sort of restricted, as a result of most playlists are constructed for moods greater than for genres.
Should you use a instrument, I’d suggest attempting a number of completely different approaches to develop the playlists you discover. Don’t simply search by style; search by different elements, like temper or related artists. You’ll get extra outcomes this fashion – and the longer your record of playlists to pitch, the higher likelihood you’ve at getting positioned.
Lengthy-story-short, utilizing a instrument is a strong (and simple) choice.
2. Discover playlists by way of related artists on Spotify.
Should you don’t wish to pay like $15 / month for a instrument, no worries. You will discover playlists your self without spending a dime; it’ll simply take slightly extra time.
In my expertise, one of the best ways to search out new playlists your self is to make use of what Kohrey from the Model Man community calls the “About Part Technique.”
Right here’s the gist:
- You go to Spotify and use their search bar to discover a playlist within the style you’re concentrating on.
- You test to ensure the playlist is run by a third-party curator (i.e., not Spotify or some main model like Topsify) and is high-quality (by plugging it right into a free instrument like isitagoodplaylist.com).
- You discover an artist on that playlist who has fewer than 50,000 month-to-month listeners.
- You go to that artist’s profile and scroll by way of their “Found on” part.
- You add the entire playlists that appear like good suits to your record, then dig by way of the descriptions to search out curator contact data.
- You employ every new playlist as a place to begin to search out extra artists and extra playlists.
If that bullet record made the method appear complicated, I’m sorry. You would possibly discover it simpler watching Kohrey explain it on video:
Crunch your keyboard for an hour with this technique, and also you’ll have a reasonably in depth record of playlists {that a}) suit your style and b) are open to putting smaller artists.
3. Attain out to the individuals who have playlisted you earlier than.
This third idea requires that you’ve music on Spotify with some streaming traction already – so, in case you haven’t launched a track but or when you’ve got lower than 1,000 streams, this isn’t for you.
However in case you have been on Spotify for a pair years and you’ve got ten thousand streams or extra, that is a simple win.
Right here’s the thought:
- Go to your Spotify for Artists portal.
- Go to Music -> Playlists.
- Set the date vary to “Since 2015.”
- Scroll right down to the Listener playlists and comb by way of to see playlists which have pushed streams for you prior to now.
- Pull up these playlists in Spotify and search for curator contact data.
- Attain out and ask the curators in the event that they’d place your music once more.
A few weeks in the past, I discussed that my buddy Joel is doing this for his upcoming launch cycle. Joel has over 30M streams. So, certain, he has a number of playlists to select from when he does this, now – however he’s additionally proof that this method works.
Bonus: Pay to make use of a playlist community.
Okay, tremendous, I’ll throw this one in: Final (and perhaps least, relying in your perspective), I feel it solely is sensible to say playlist networks as an choice for locating curators.
By “playlist networks,” I’m principally referring to any platform {that a}) has collected and pre-verified a bunch of playlist curators, and b) offers you the chance to select who your music is shipped to.
In different phrases, I’m not speaking about Playlist Push or Indie Music Academy or any service that submits your music for you, hands-off – however I’m speaking about choices like SubmitHub, the place you get to hand-pick curators your self and ship them your music.
A number of of those embrace:
- SubmitHub (You possibly can submit without spending a dime however in order for you outcomes, you’ve just about bought to pay $1 – $3 per submission)
- SoundPlate (Free, however it’s a must to observe curators / playlists to undergo them)
- Daily Playlists (Identical idea as SoundPlate however you possibly can pay for credit, too)
With these networks, the downside is that many of the playlists they function are small / not tremendous impactful.
That’s as a result of, in case you’re a curator who’s constructed a giant playlist and is contemplating becoming a member of a community, you’ll in all probability lean towards becoming a member of one thing like Playlist Push (the place you’ll make $12 per track evaluation) fairly than becoming a member of one thing like Day by day Playlists (the place you’ll make subsequent to nothing).
Nonetheless, the good thing about these networks is that they make the entire means of looking and submitting very easy – and hey, so long as they’ve bought engaged followings, even small playlists may also help.
Remaining ideas on discovering playlist curators
Three notes on technique earlier than I log out:
1. This takes a very long time and requires a number of pitching.
Most frequently, you’ll get a two-to-five-percent placement price. In different phrases, pitch 100 curators, and also you’ll get two-to-five placements.
This undeniably sucks.
But it surely does get a bit simpler over the long run – as a result of in case you get 5 placements for one launch, you possibly can pitch these curators once more to your subsequent one. As you retain placing music out, the placements will construct.
However, yeah, it’s a grind.
2. You’re gonna get individuals asking for payola.
I’d say that about half of the playlists that look good at first blush end up to require fee for placement. The curator will say one thing like, “Hey, love your track! I’d love so as to add it to our playlist. It prices $50.”
This situation is hard.
You possibly can completely report these individuals to Spotify. Historically, I’ve emailed Spotify to do that, however they now have a “Report” button baked in in case you right-click on a playlist on desktop.
However curators would possibly have the ability to finagle their means round Spotify’s Phrases of Service by claiming that they personal a number of playlists, and that your fee doesn’t assure placement on a particular record.
It’s difficult, and it’s made trickier by the truth that, usually, it actually would be value $50 to be included on an individual’s record.
Basically, although, right here’s what I’d suggest: When individuals reply to your pitch and ask for cash – simply ignore them. It saves you time and the difficulty of coping with people who find themselves in all probability in it for a fast buck.
It takes some digging, however there are curators who will place your track on a playlist with out requiring fee. You’ve simply bought to search out them.
And that lengthy, discouraging spiel brings me to this final level:
3. You don’t have to pitch playlists to get individuals to listen to your music.
Look, there are different methods to search out ears. A very powerful factor isn’t to get on playlists, anyway – it’s to make good music over an extended time frame and construct actual relationships.
Yeah, the entire playlist ecosystem is sketchy. Yeah, the method of pitching is a grind. However I’ve spent the previous a number of thousand phrases writing about all of it as a result of, if you need extra streams, pitching playlists is one of many paths ahead.
Playlists are only one option to get extra streams on Spotify. They’re a way to an finish.
That’s it.
Playlists are usually not lower than that – however they undoubtedly are usually not greater than that, both. Don’t stress an excessive amount of.
All proper, that’s it for this text. I hope a few of this has been useful. Man, it’s a loopy world on the market. As at all times, right here’s wishing you good luck in it.
