Can I contact Spotify editors directly?

No. According to Spotify, the pitch in Spotify for Artists is the only way to suggest a song for editorial playlists. It is free and only possible before release.

How early do I need to pitch to Spotify?

According to Spotify in good time before release, usually at least about a week ahead. More lead time is better. Check the current wording in the Spotify for Artists help pages.

Is it OK to pay for a playlist placement?

It is not advisable. According to Spotify, paid guaranteed placements and bought streams break its rules and can lead to streams being removed or songs being taken off playlists. Paying only to have a song passed on to curators, with no guarantee, is a different thing.

How many curators should I contact?

A few that fit rather than many at random. A personal message to a playlist you have actually listened to usually achieves more than many identical emails.

How long should I wait for a reply?

Usually one to two weeks. After that you can ask once, politely. If it stays quiet, leave it for this song.

Can I submit a song that is already out?

To independent curators, yes; many actually want a finished Spotify link. For Spotify's editorial playlists, the pitch is only possible before release, according to Spotify.

Should I attach my song as a file?

No, unless the curator explicitly asks for it. Attachments often end up in spam. A single link to listen is enough.

How to Pitch Playlist Curators: A Guide for Musicians

How to find playlists that fit, which submission route to use when, what belongs in a good message and how to spot offers you should avoid. Step by step, no prior knowledge needed.

Two kinds of playlists, two routes

On Spotify there are roughly two kinds of playlists you can apply to. Editorial playlists are run by Spotify itself. Independent playlists belong to private listeners, blogs, labels or other musicians. There are also automatically generated playlists such as Release Radar, which you cannot apply to.

For editorial playlists there is only one route: the pitch in Spotify for Artists. According to Spotify, this only works for a song that has not been released yet, and for one song per release. You find the form in Spotify for Artists under Music, in your upcoming releases, once your distributor has delivered the song.

On timing: according to Spotify you should pitch in good time before release, usually at least about a week ahead. If you meet that deadline, Spotify says the song will also appear in your followers' Release Radar. More lead time does no harm. There is never a guarantee of an editorial placement, and emailing Spotify staff does not replace the pitch.

With independent playlists the curator decides. Here it pays to search carefully and write personally. That is what the rest of this guide is about.

Finding playlists and curators that fit

The most important rule: your song has to truly fit the playlist. Listen to at least the first ten tracks before you write to anyone. A small playlist with a matching sound usually does more for you than a big one where your song feels out of place.

Spotify search: type in your genre, a mood or an occasion, for example “indie folk autumn” or “new synthwave”, and filter by playlists. Try several terms.
Read the playlist description: many curators explain there how to submit. You will often find an email address, an Instagram handle or a link to a form.
Open the creator's profile: click the name below the playlist title. You will see the person's other playlists and can look up the name in a search engine or on Instagram.
“Fans also like”: on your artist profile and on the profiles of similar artists, Spotify shows related artists. Check under “Discovered on” which playlists feature them. Those playlists often suit you too.
Social media: search Instagram, TikTok or musician groups for the playlist name. Many curators have a profile where they accept submissions.
Check that the playlist is alive: was it updated in the last few weeks? Does it include smaller artists? Then your chances are better.

Submission routes compared

There are three common ways to submit a song. Which one fits depends on who you are contacting and whether the song is already out.

Platforms such as SubmitHub and Groover connect musicians with curators, blogs and radio stations. You upload your song there and choose who receives it. According to the providers, you pay for the submission and a response, not for a placement. Terms and costs change, so check the provider's website before you sign up.

The three common ways to submit a song to playlists
Route	For whom	When	Keep in mind
Pitch in Spotify for Artists	Spotify's editorial playlists	Before release; according to Spotify in good time, usually at least about a week ahead	One song per release, unreleased songs only, no guarantee
Direct email or the curator's form	Independent playlists	Usually after release, once the song has a link	Use the route the curator names in the description
Platforms such as SubmitHub or Groover	Curators, blogs and radio stations registered there	Before or after release, depending on the platform	Terms change, check the provider's website. A placement is not guaranteed

What belongs in a good message

Curators get a lot of messages and usually read only the first lines. So keep yours short and show right away that you know the playlist. Five or six sentences are enough.

If you struggle to get started, the pitch text generator turns your details into a template. Then adapt it for each playlist individually.

What to put in the message and what to leave out
Include	Leave out
A personal greeting and the name of the playlist	The same message sent to dozens of recipients
One sentence on why the song fits this playlist, such as a similar track that is on it	Big words like “unique” or “the next hit”
Genre, mood and one or two comparable artists	Your whole life story
Exactly one link to the song, ideally the Spotify link	File attachments such as MP3 or WAV, and several links at once
A short thank-you and your name	Demands, deadlines or swap offers

What to avoid and how to spot shady offers

Mass emails are easy to recognise and quickly end up in spam. Following up every day is annoying and lowers your chances. The biggest mistake, though, is paying for a placement.

According to Spotify, services that promise a guaranteed placement or a fixed number of streams in exchange for money violate its terms. Such offers often rely on bots, meaning programs that play songs automatically. Spotify says it can remove artificial streams from your numbers, withhold the related royalties and take songs off playlists. Bot playlists hurt you in other ways too: they bring no real listeners and can confuse the recommendations for your song.

What is allowed is paying a service to pass your song on to independent curators, as long as no placement is guaranteed. These signs point to offers you should stay away from:

A fixed number of streams or a sure placement is promised.
The curator asks for money to add your song to the playlist.
The playlist has a lot of followers, but the artists on it have hardly any listeners.
The playlist mixes genres at random or consists almost entirely of unknown tracks with no clear theme.
You are contacted out of the blue by email or direct message, often with price packages.
There is no name, no website and no profile that leads to a real person or editorial team.

Following up, keeping track and staying realistic

Most messages get no reply. That is normal and says little about your song. One polite follow-up is fine, usually after one to two weeks. If nothing comes back, tick the playlist off for this song and try again with your next release.

Write down who you contacted, when, and what came of it. That way you do not write to anyone twice and you see which curators reply at all. A spreadsheet will do, or the pitch tracker, which stores your submissions in your browser.

Expect few yeses for many requests, especially at the start. A placement in a small playlist that fits is a good beginning. Playlists are also only one building block. A cleanly mastered song, complete metadata and a release planned in good time help with every submission. The release checklist shows what should be done before release day.

Our own genre playlists accept submissions too, free of charge and with no guarantee of being added.

Create a template for your message to curators in a few minutes.

Open the pitch text generator

Frequently asked questions

Can I contact Spotify editors directly?: No. According to Spotify, the pitch in Spotify for Artists is the only way to suggest a song for editorial playlists. It is free and only possible before release.
How early do I need to pitch to Spotify?: According to Spotify in good time before release, usually at least about a week ahead. More lead time is better. Check the current wording in the Spotify for Artists help pages.
Is it OK to pay for a playlist placement?: It is not advisable. According to Spotify, paid guaranteed placements and bought streams break its rules and can lead to streams being removed or songs being taken off playlists. Paying only to have a song passed on to curators, with no guarantee, is a different thing.
How many curators should I contact?: A few that fit rather than many at random. A personal message to a playlist you have actually listened to usually achieves more than many identical emails.
How long should I wait for a reply?: Usually one to two weeks. After that you can ask once, politely. If it stays quiet, leave it for this song.
Can I submit a song that is already out?: To independent curators, yes; many actually want a finished Spotify link. For Spotify's editorial playlists, the pitch is only possible before release, according to Spotify.
Should I attach my song as a file?: No, unless the curator explicitly asks for it. Attachments often end up in spam. A single link to listen is enough.