Finding the right playlist curators to submit your music to can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. As an independent artist, you know how crucial it is to get your tracks in front of the right ears. The right playlist can be a game-changer, boosting your streams, growing your fanbase, and even catching the attention of industry professionals. But with so many options out there, where do you start?
I’ve been in your shoes, navigating the labyrinth of music promotion, and I’ve gathered a list of the top 10 playlist curators that can help you get your music heard. These platforms offer a range of services, from free submissions to premium campaigns, ensuring there’s something for every budget and genre.
So, let’s dive in and explore the best playlist curators to submit your music to!
- iMusician
iMusician is a digital music distribution platform that helps artists and labels distribute their music to a wide range of streaming and download platforms worldwide. It is known for its transparent pricing, lack of long-term contracts, and an array of features designed to help artists grow their fanbase and monetize their music.
iMusician simplifies the music distribution process into three main steps: uploading tracks, sending them to stores, and getting paid. Artists begin by creating a free account and uploading their music using a straightforward form. Once uploaded, iMusician’s team verifies the audio files, cover art, and metadata to ensure compliance with digital platform standards. The music is then distributed to a vast array of platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and genre-specific stores like Beatport. Artists can track their streaming analytics and collect royalties without worrying about minimum payouts or withholding taxes. Additionally, iMusician offers features like playlist pitching to increase the chances of getting featured on editorial playlists, which can significantly boost an artist’s visibility and streams.
Playlist Curator is one of the most prominent online platforms dedicated to curating and distributing music playlists. They offer a wide variety of themed curated playlists that cater to different moods and occasions, ensuring that there is something for every listener. Their playlists are available on major streaming platforms like Spotify, YouTube Music, and SoundCloud, making it easy for fans to discover new music.
Submitting your music to Playlist Curator is a straightforward process. Artists can start by visiting the submission page on their website and filling out a form with their song details. Each submission is carefully reviewed by the Playlist Curator team, who assess the track based on strict criteria to ensure it aligns with the theme and quality of their playlists. While they receive hundreds of submissions each month, only the best tracks make it into their popular playlists.
Once a song is accepted, it can be featured in one of their many themed playlists, such as “Songs About True Love,” “Songs About Soulmates,” “Songs About Trust And Honesty,” and “Songs About The Sun And Sunshine.” These playlists are designed to fit various themes and emotions, helping artists reach the right audience. Playlist Curator does not notify artists if their music is rejected, so if you haven’t heard back within a month, it’s safe to assume that your submission wasn’t selected.
In addition to playlist placements, Playlist Curator offers a convenient feature for listeners to bookmark their favorite playlists by registering an account on their site. This allows users to easily access and listen to their favorite curated playlists anytime.
- Daily Playlists
Daily Playlists is a free platform that connects artists with playlist curators. It allows artists to submit their music to various playlists, increasing their chances of getting featured and gaining more streams.
Artists start by signing up for a free account on Daily Playlists. After logging in, they can search for playlists that match their music genre and submit their tracks directly to the curators. The platform provides a user-friendly interface where artists can track their submissions and see which playlists have accepted their music. Daily Playlists also offers tools to help artists promote their music on social media and other platforms, making it easier to reach a broader audience. The service is entirely free, making it accessible for independent artists looking to grow their fanbase without incurring additional costs.
- SubmitHub
SubmitHub is a popular platform that connects artists with music bloggers, playlist curators, and influencers. It offers both free and paid submission options, providing flexibility for artists with different budgets.
Artists can create an account on SubmitHub and start submitting their music to various curators. The platform uses a credit system, where each submission costs a certain number of credits. Free credits are available, but artists can also purchase premium credits to increase their chances of getting noticed. Premium submissions guarantee that curators will listen to at least 20 seconds of the track and provide feedback, although acceptance is not guaranteed. SubmitHub also allows artists to filter curators by genre, ensuring that their music reaches the most relevant audience. The platform’s transparency and feedback system make it a valuable tool for artists looking to refine their music and promotional strategies.
- SongRocket
SongRocket is a music submission platform designed to help artists get their tracks featured on Spotify playlists. It offers both free and paid submission options, providing a range of services to suit different needs.
Artists can sign up on SongRocket and start submitting their music to various playlist curators. The platform allows artists to choose between free submissions, which have a lower chance of acceptance, and paid submissions, which offer a higher likelihood of being featured. SongRocket also provides detailed analytics and feedback from curators, helping artists understand how their music is being received and how they can improve. The platform’s focus on Spotify playlists makes it an excellent choice for artists looking to increase their presence on this popular streaming service.
- Soundplate
Soundplate is a music technology company that offers a range of tools and resources to help artists promote their music. It provides a free platform for submitting music to Spotify and Deezer playlists, as well as other promotional tools.
Artists can use Soundplate to submit their music to hundreds of Spotify and Deezer playlists for free. The platform features a simple submission process: artists select a playlist that matches their genre, click the ‘Submit Music’ button, and enter their track details. Soundplate also offers tools like Soundplate Clicks, which creates smart links for promoting music across different platforms, and a music visualizer for creating promotional videos. By combining playlist submissions with these additional tools, Soundplate helps artists grow their fanbase, increase streams, and better understand their audience.
- SpinGrey
SpinGrey is a playlist curation service that offers artists the opportunity to submit their music for consideration on their curated playlists. They also maintain an active presence on social media platforms like Instagram, providing multiple avenues for artist promotion.
SpinGrey operates through a Patreon-based system, allowing artists to submit their music with priority to SpinGrey’s playlists and social channels. Artists can explore SpinGrey’s collection of curated playlists on Spotify, which cover various genres and moods, to find the best fit for their music. By subscribing to SpinGrey on Patreon, artists gain direct access to submit their tracks, ensuring that their music is reviewed with priority. Additionally, SpinGrey uses Instagram to share updates about their playlists and new releases, creating an additional promotional channel for artists.
- Boost Collective
Boost Collective is a music distribution and promotion platform designed to help artists get their music onto playlists and increase their exposure on Spotify. They offer a suite of services tailored to meet musicians’ unique needs, from distribution to advanced analytics.
Artists begin by selecting their song on Boost Collective’s platform and initiating a campaign. The platform’s curators then work to place the submitted tracks on suitable playlists within 24-48 hours. Boost Collective emphasizes frequent playlist updates, recommending that curators add new songs every 1-3 days to keep playlists fresh and engaging. The platform also provides personalized dashboards where artists can track their campaigns and playlist placements. Boost Collective’s approach aims to leverage playlist exposure to gain listeners, which can lead to algorithmic support from Spotify and sustained growth.
- Rizing Playlists
Rizing Playlists is a music discovery platform that helps artists get their tracks featured on curated Spotify playlists. They focus on providing a diverse range of genres, ensuring that there is always something new and exciting for listeners to discover.
Artists can pitch their music to Rizing Playlists via a submission form available on their website. Once submitted, the track undergoes a thorough review process by the editorial team, who evaluate it for potential inclusion on their playlists. If accepted, the artist is notified via email. Rizing Playlists does not engage in payola or direct paid placements, adhering strictly to Spotify’s terms and conditions. This ensures that only the best tracks are added to their playlists, maintaining a high-quality listening experience for their audience.
- SoundCampaign
SoundCampaign is a music promotion company that connects artists with independent Spotify playlist curators around the world. They focus on providing promotional campaigns that generate valuable interactions for artists.
Artists create a campaign on SoundCampaign by uploading a track, selecting genres, and choosing a budget. The platform then sends the track to relevant curators in their network, who provide honest and professional feedback. Curators decide whether to add the track to their playlists based on its quality and fit. The campaign lasts up to 14 days, during which artists receive notifications about the partial results and final outcomes. SoundCampaign emphasizes organic growth and does not guarantee specific results, but they do offer an Artist Protection Program that reimburses customers if curators do not listen to or review their songs.
- MySphera
MySphera is a freemium Spotify playlisting service that pairs curators with artists. It offers both free and paid submission options, providing flexibility for artists looking to promote their music.
Artists can submit their tracks for free through a curator contact form available on MySphera’s platform. For broader reach, artists can opt for a paid campaign, which pitches their song to the “best-fit” curators based on genre and other factors. Paid campaigns include features such as a minimum potential reach, weekly updates, and social media promotion. The platform specializes in genres like Hip-hop, EDM, Lofi, and Electronic, making it a suitable choice for artists in these categories. MySphera provides detailed updates and feedback throughout the campaign, helping artists understand their performance and refine their promotional strategies.
