Playlist placement can transform an artist's career overnight. A single feature on a popular Spotify playlist can mean tens of thousands of new listeners. But curators are flooded with submissions—so how do you stand out?
This guide covers how to find the right curators, pitch effectively, and share your music in a way that gets results.
Understanding Playlist Curators
Types of Curators
Not all playlists are created equal:
- Editorial playlists—Curated by Spotify/Apple Music staff. Submit through official channels (Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists).
- Algorithmic playlists—Generated by the platform (Release Radar, Discover Weekly). You can't pitch these directly; they're driven by listener behavior.
- Independent curators—Music fans, bloggers, and influencers who build playlists around specific vibes or genres. These are who you'll be pitching.
- Record label playlists—Labels curate playlists featuring their artists plus similar music.
What Curators Actually Want
Good curators care about their listeners, not your streaming numbers. They're looking for:
- Music that fits their playlist's vibe and quality standard
- Tracks that flow well with existing songs
- Professional releases (proper mixing, mastering, artwork)
- Artists who seem legitimate and active
What they don't want: desperate pitches, irrelevant music, or anything that feels like spam.
Finding the Right Playlists
Start with Similar Artists
The best playlists for you already feature artists like you. Here's how to find them:
- Go to Spotify and find 3-5 artists with a similar sound to yours
- Click "Discovered On" on their artist page to see playlists they appear on
- Look for independent playlists (not editorial or algorithmic)
- Note the playlist names, follower counts, and curator info
Evaluate Playlist Quality
Not all playlists are worth pursuing. Red flags include:
- Fake followers—Thousands of followers but only 50 monthly listeners per song
- Pay-for-play schemes—Anyone charging money for guaranteed placement. These services often generate fake streams, which can trigger distributor penalties or get your music removed from platforms entirely.
- No cohesion—Random mix of genres that suggests no real curation
- Inactive—Hasn't been updated in months
Good signs: consistent genre/vibe, regular updates, engaged followers (saves, shares), curator with visible online presence.
Finding Curator Contact Info
Once you've identified target playlists:
- Check the playlist description for submission info or links
- Look up the curator's profile for social links
- Search their name + "playlist submissions" or "music submissions"
- Check their Instagram/Twitter bio for contact info
- Look for their website or blog
Crafting Your Pitch
Before the Release: Advance Copies
For best results, reach out 2-4 weeks before release. Curators appreciate early access because:
- They can plan their playlist updates
- It shows you're organized and professional
- They get to discover music before the public
- They can add you on release day for maximum impact
This means sharing music that isn't public yet—which requires private, secure sharing.
What to Include
Your pitch should be brief and contain:
- The music—A private streaming link (not a download, not a public link)
- Release date—When it goes live on streaming platforms
- Why it fits—One sentence on why this track belongs on their specific playlist
- Quick context—Genre, similar artists, anything notable about the track
- Your links—Spotify artist profile, social media
The Pitch Email
Keep it short. Curators skim hundreds of emails. Example:
Hi [Name],
I've been following your [Playlist Name] playlist—the way you blend [specific observation about the playlist] is exactly the vibe I go for in my own music.
I have a new track coming out [date] that I think would fit well. It's a [genre] song with [brief description]. Fans of [similar artist on their playlist] tend to connect with it.
Here's an early listen: [private link]
Would love to be considered. Thanks for your time!
[Your name]
[Spotify] | [Instagram]
How to Share Pre-Release Music
What Not to Do
- Email attachments—Clunky, often blocked, no tracking
- Public SoundCloud/YouTube links—Music is already out, reduces exclusive feeling
- Unlisted YouTube—Unprofessional, can still be found/shared
- Google Drive/Dropbox—Requires download, no presentation, easy to leak
The Professional Approach
Use a private share link that:
- Streams instantly—No downloads, just click and listen
- Looks professional—Your artwork, track info, proper presentation
- Is actually private—Password protection or email verification
- Shows analytics—Know when they listened and for how long
- Can expire—Set it to deactivate after release day
This is what tools like Gatefolded are designed for. You create a share page, add password protection, and send the link. When the curator listens, you get notified.
After You Pitch
Track Your Submissions
Keep a spreadsheet of every playlist you pitch:
- Playlist name and curator contact
- Date pitched
- Whether they listened (if your link tracks this)
- Response received
- Outcome (added, rejected, no response)
Follow Up Sparingly
One follow-up after a week is acceptable. If your share link shows they listened but didn't respond, the track probably wasn't right for them—don't push.
Build Relationships
The best curator relationships develop over time:
- Engage with their content on social media
- Share their playlists with your audience
- Thank them publicly when they add you
- Keep them updated on future releases (not every release, just the relevant ones)
Curators remember artists who are professional, grateful, and not pushy.
Common Mistakes
- Pitching released music—Most curators want exclusive early access
- Mass emails—Obvious BCC blasts get ignored
- No personalization—"Dear curator" shows you didn't do your research
- Wrong genre—Pitching hip-hop to an indie folk playlist
- Begging—"Please, I really need this" is unprofessional
- Offering payment—Most legitimate curators don't accept money
- No Spotify presence—Curators want to link to your artist page
Realistic Expectations
Most pitches don't result in placement. That's normal. Success in playlist pitching is a numbers game combined with quality targeting:
- Pitch 20-30 relevant playlists per release
- Expect a 5-15% placement rate if you're targeting well
- Build relationships over multiple releases
- Quality of playlist matters more than quantity of placements
A single placement on a well-curated 10,000-follower playlist often outperforms 10 placements on 100-follower playlists with fake engagement.
The Takeaway
Getting on playlists requires the same professionalism as any other music industry outreach: research your targets, personalize your approach, share music in a way that's easy to consume, and follow up respectfully.
The artists who succeed at playlist pitching treat it as relationship building, not transaction chasing. Make the curator's job easy, respect their time, and deliver music that genuinely fits their playlist.