How to Get Your Music on Spotify Playlists

Spotify playlist placement can accelerate streaming growth in ways that few other promotion channels match. Getting on the right playlists — editorial, algorithmic, or curated — requires specific, distinct strategies. This guide covers all three.

1. Editorial playlist pitching through Spotify for Artists

Editorial playlists are curated by Spotify's in-house editorial team. Submit your unreleased track through Spotify for Artists between 7 and 28 days before release. Fill in every field — mood, genre, instrumentation, where the song fits in a listener's day, your personal pitch about the track. Spotify editors handle hundreds of pitches per day, so specificity matters. Do not submit tracks that are already live — editorial pitching is pre-release only.

2. Algorithmic playlists: Discover Weekly and Release Radar

Algorithmic playlists like Discover Weekly, Release Radar, and Spotify Radio cannot be pitched. They are triggered by listener behavior signals. To improve algorithmic placement odds: accumulate saves (fans saving your track to their library), accumulate playlist adds (fans adding your track to their personal playlists), and generate repeat streams. Your pre-save campaign directly feeds Release Radar — every fan who pre-saves your track will see it in their Release Radar on release day.

3. Independent curator playlists

Independent playlist curators run playlists of 1,000 to 500,000 followers outside of Spotify's editorial team. Reach them through SubmitHub and Groover, or through direct research — find curators who feature artists similar to yours and contact them directly. Independent curator placements are less powerful than editorial placements but more accessible and can be pursued for existing catalog, not just new releases.

4. Create your own playlist strategy

Many artists underestimate the value of creating and maintaining their own Spotify playlists — featuring your music alongside other artists in your genre. A well-maintained playlist with 500+ followers creates a regular touchpoint for fans and a discovery mechanism for listeners who find the playlist but do not yet know your music. Feature your own tracks, promote the playlist, and grow it consistently.