Greetings Friends! I hope you are all staying safe and healthy during these uncertain times. Today, it’s all about Spotify! Specifically, Spotify playlists and all the basics, ins and out around this very important part of music releases in 2020.
The following are some key points to give you an overview of Spotify Playlists and why they are so important to musicians and recording artists releasing music to streaming platforms:
WHAT IS A PLAYLIST?
Well, let’s start the basics. Simply, a playlist is a collection of often random songs, put together in a sequential format of sorts. There are literally playlists for every type of imaginable genre, mood and style to suit your taste! Many of the more prominent playlists on Spotify are put together by ‘curators’ and have a significantly larger market reach, which is why you may see certain playlists more often than others. General Spotify users can also create their own playlists and share them worldwide.
WHY PLAYLIST?
Arguably the most important reasons why you should consider getting your music on a playlist, are to increase your streams and reach a new audience! All recording artists and anyone who releases music commercially should consider getting their release on a suitable playlist. Remember, it doesn’t matter which genre you work in, whether you’re a band, a solo artist or a singer songwriter you should still be pursuing relevant playlist placement!
WHEN TO SUBMIT FOR A PLAYLIST?
So, when should you consider submitting your music to a playlist? A great time is when you have a pending new release, you could target a new releases playlist. In particular, research within your local community for a playlist that promotes local artists! Alternatively, you may have an existing release that has gathered a large number of streams, this is also an ideal category of song to submit to a playlist. Spotify is hugely algorithm based and it’s possible you may be discovered by your large number of streams, but submitting an already successful release is excellent social proof of your relevance in the music marketplace.
HOW TO GET ONTO A PLAYLIST?
Now onto the juicy part! How do you get onto a Spotify playlist?! Firstly, the most important thing to do (if you haven’t already) is to sign up for Spotify For Artists. This will provide you with your own social page on Spotify and also give you access to important data and metrics around your music releases (e.g. which locations you are streamed the most, how many new followers each month etc). Take your time to complete your profile thoroughly, remember this is like your website or your front page for all your fans to learn about you. I recommend checking out some major label artists to see how to utilize Spotify for artists to the maximum!
Secondly, I recommend researching Spotify playlist curators online. There are a number of websites which provide information on how to submit for a playlist, some of these websites actually allow you to contact the curator directly with a submission. It’s important to start small! If you are a new or up and coming artist, the chances of getting placement on a very popular playlist are unlikely. Look for a niche playlist that is more geared towards new artists or even look for a niche genre playlist! In short, start small and work your way up to the bigger playlists.
Thirdly, make sure you have active profile on all major social media platforms. In particular, one of the best ways to organically grow streams is by sharing your Spotify music to Instagram Stories!
Well, I hope this has provided you with a helpful overview of Spotify Playlists and their role in the current world of music streaming! All the best with your streaming in 2020!
Until next time,
Mike
