How to get the most out of being an artist on streaming services, build a buzz, and get your music on Spotify playlists.
If you want your music to be successful on streaming platforms, it’s unfortunately not enough to put your music on Spotify and then sit back and wait for success. Wondering how to get your music onto Spotify playlists?
You’ll have a better chance of getting music on Spotify playlists if you remember our top tips for artists. The music streaming revolution has made releasing songs available to all, which is an amazing thing. But you need to create a bit of hype to get it in the right places, which ultimately means catching the eye of Spotify playlist makers.
But first you need to create some excitement around your music to attract the attention of curators on Spotify and other streaming services. Remember these top tips to help build a buzz on Spotify.
Generate some hype before release.
Start your marketing campaign well before release day. Don’t sleep on Pre-saves, digital versions of pre-orders.
They guarantee engagement before the release hits streaming services. And when release day comes about, Spotify will see the strong performance, making it a more attractive prospect for inclusion on their playlists.
Make sure to keep your Spotify artist page looking professional.
The more active and up-to-date your profile is, the better. Don’t forget that those coveted play counts and follows are from real listeners, and you want turn a casual listener into one of your fans, not simply a fan of whatever playlist your track ends up on.
That means giving your Spotify profile a more personal feel – make sure your profile picture and featured images are good, your bio reads well, keeping everything up to date, and utilizing the Artist Picks section.
Work your music analytics.
Be savvy when you choose which song to pitch to curators. Check on your Spotify for Artists analytics and choose a track that’s been really popular with listeners to pitch it to Spotify’s independent playlisters.
A constant uptick in subscribers and listeners each month makes it more likely for your music to be noticed and onto those all-important Spotify playlists. Make smart promo decisions and put that marketing legwork in to make sure those numbers keep steady.
When you’re pitching new releases to Spotify’s official inhouse playlists, make sure to give enough time before the release date to pitch on Spotify for Artists. You can only choose one track per release, so pick the one you think has the biggest potential.
Spread the word across all your music social media pages.
Make sure you’ve got links to your Spotify on all your social media accounts. Wherever you find yourself promoting yourself online, hit the Spotify follow button there too.
Ultimately Spotify wants you to promote their playlists to your fans, and being active on social media – building a following and interacting with your audience, means more streams of the playlists you want to get added to. And whilst getting playlisted is important, it’s arguably just as useful to build a loyal base of fans who’ll stream your other music beyond that one playlist.
Instagram only lets you add one link to your page bio, so you can create a handy landing page with all your links in one. No more copying and pasting individual links. Learn about Smart Links here.
Artists can be playlisters too.
Putting together a playlist yourself can give listeners an insight into your musical influences and put your music into context with other bands. If you’re a verified Spotify artist you can create playlists on your page.
Verify your account on Spotify by claiming your profile on Spotify for Artists. As well as looking professional and making you feel like a “real” artist, that blue tick shows Spotify you’re worth investing time in!
Try making playlists of musicians of a similar genre to yours, not only for a flowing listening experience but also to attract the attention of other bands who might return the favor by popping you on their playlist too. (Sneak in a couple of your own songs onto the playlists too, of course.)
Unofficial playlists are an easy win.
There’s huge promotional power to be found from independent playlisters, and it’s easier to get their attention than the big inhouse Spotify playlists.
Whether they’re run by music journalism bloggers or simply music lovers with a knack for matching incredible music together, getting a spot on multiple independent playlists is valuable for plays and inching your way up the algorithm.
Make sure you’re personalizing your pitch. Find out the right email; the name of the curator; research what music they promote; and follow their playlists on Spotify.
Make the Spotify playlist makers come to you.
A less needy option than spamming the inboxes of overworked Spotify playlist curators is to make it easy for them to find you. Make sure you’re in all the spaces that you need to be in order to be seen, always active on social media and engaging with other musicians – check out our top tips for social media for musicians here.
Get out there and gig, and seek out opportunities for networking in the real world. If you’re generating a hype outside of Spotify, tastemakers will be curious enough about you to seek out your music on Spotify, and hopefully want to share your music.
Every contemporary musician who’s serious about building a music career has one eye on New Music Friday as the pinnacle of a new song’s success. It’s not all talent and luck. Give your music the best possible chance of success on Spotify and other streaming services by getting noticed by Spotify playlisters.
Source: Madeleine Amos