How To Write A Spotify Editorial Playlist Pitch in 2024 // SPOTIFY MARKETING
If you want to learn how musicians are going viral and getting millions of streams on their music RIGHT NOW! Every week I do a stream where I break down how the artists blowing up in different music genres are doing it FOR $5 A MONTH. You get access to my full library of cheat codes and breakdowns of how musicians are going from no fans to millions in just months GO HERE AND SIGN UP!
Promoting your music on Spotify through editorial playlists is essential for transforming a budding artist into a recognized name. However, many musicians struggle to craft effective pitches. This guide will teach you how to write a compelling Spotify playlist pitch that can capture the attention of curators and boost your music career.
Understanding the Importance of Editorial Playlists
Spotify editorial playlists are a significant driver for new music discovery, second only to TikTok. They can elevate an artist from obscurity to prominence. However, many musicians are unaware of how to present themselves compellingly in their pitches, leading to missed opportunities.
Setting Up for Success
Before crafting your pitch, ensure your Spotify profile is optimized. Spotify favors promoting artists who maintain an engaging profile. This includes updating your artist profile and playlists regularly. A well-maintained profile can keep users on Spotify, encouraging them to subscribe and stay engaged.
Timing is crucial: Submit your pitch within a 28 to 7-day window before your song release. Ideally, aim for the longer end of this range to maximize your chances. This strategy increases the likelihood of being considered, as curators have more time to review your submission.
Crafting Your Pitch
1. Highlight What Makes You Exciting
Your pitch should start by emphasizing what makes you unique. This part should be concise, ideally one sentence, but can use up to 250 characters. This is
your chance to capture the curator’s interest immediately. Here’s how to frame it:
- Exciting Element: Identify what makes you stand out. This could be your sound, your background, or a unique story behind the song. For example, if your music blends unexpected genres or has a distinctive lyrical approach, highlight this.
- Curiosity-Inducing Descriptions: If you’re struggling to pinpoint what makes you exciting, try to create curiosity. Describe your music in a way that intrigues the reader. For instance, “Imagine the raw energy of punk rock infused with the electronic beats of modern dance music.”
2. Use Cosigns to Build Credibility
Cosigns are endorsements or associations that lend credibility to your pitch. These can come from various sources:
- Influential Quotes: If someone well-known in your genre has praised your work, include this quote.
- Media Features: Mention any coverage you’ve received from prominent blogs, magazines, or radio shows.
- Collaborations and Associations: Highlight collaborations with notable producers, features, or being part of a well-known label.
- Past Playlist Placements: If you’ve been featured on other playlists, especially smaller, genre-specific ones, mention these to show your track record.
Knowing your community and niche is crucial. Use keywords and micro-genre terms relevant to your music to show you understand the landscape. This demonstrates to the curator that you are part of a specific musical community.
3. Outline Your Promotion Plans
Spotify wants to see that you are actively promoting your music. Include details about your promotional efforts:
- Music Video: Mention if you have a music video lined up.
- Press Campaign: Outline any planned press releases or media coverage.
- Tour Plans: If you have an upcoming tour, include this information.
- Social Media Campaigns: Describe any significant social media strategies you plan to employ.
While this is the least important part of the pitch, it shows that you are serious about your music and willing to put in the effort to promote it.
Writing and Refining Your Pitch
After drafting your pitch, refine it by writing it in five different ways. This may seem tedious, but it’s crucial for ensuring your pitch is as compelling as possible. Show these drafts to trusted peers for feedback. Be open to making adjustments based on their suggestions. Remember, you’re competing with major labels and well-connected indie distributors, so your pitch needs to stand out.
Example Pitches
To give you a clearer idea, here are some example pitches:
Example 1: High, period
“High, period’s new track blends hyperpop with intricate electronic beats, creating a sound that’s both familiar and innovative. Endorsed by influential blogs like Indie Shuffle and featured on smaller playlists like Fresh Finds, this track is perfect for New Indie Spotlight. With a full press campaign and a summer tour, we’re set to make waves.”
Example 2: Incel Hypebeast
“Incel Hypebeast combines the raw energy of punk rock with the lyrical depth of hip-hop. Their latest track ‘Bud Chasing the Woke Mind Virus’ has been described as ‘a powerful fusion of genres’ by local music critics. We believe this song would fit well on Indie Fresh Finds and are launching a music video and press pitch to promote it.”
Example 3: Unnamed Band
“Our latest single offers a unique blend of shoegaze and dream pop, described as ‘ethereal and hauntingly beautiful’ by local tastemakers. Previously featured on niche playlists like Melancholy Mornings, this track is ideal for Chill Vibes. We’re planning an extensive social media campaign and have a music video ready to drop.”
Submitting Your Pitch
Once your pitch is finalized, log into Spotify for Artists and navigate to the upcoming tab to submit your song for consideration. Here’s how to proceed:
- Choose Your Genre: Look at relevant playlists to decide which genre fits best. Be strategic and consider where your music aligns most naturally.
- Select Styles and Moods: Select up to two styles and two moods that best describe your track. Avoid misrepresenting your music, as this can backfire.
- Identify Your Location: With Spotify’s growing emphasis on location-based playlists, choose a location that makes sense for your artist profile.
- Paste Your Pitch: Insert your refined pitch and submit.
Post-Submission Strategy
If your song doesn’t get placed, don’t be discouraged. You’ve gained valuable experience and insights that can improve your next pitch. Continue releasing singles to build momentum, as each release sets up the next for success.
- Build Organic Streams: Focus on getting your music on smaller, independent playlists. The more organic streams you generate, the higher your chances of landing on an editorial playlist in the future.
- Engage with Your Community: Continue to engage with your community and make connections. Networking within your genre can lead to valuable cosigns and support.
Conclusion: Persistence and Adaptation
Effective Spotify playlist pitches require a blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and persistence. By highlighting what makes you unique, leveraging cosigns, and outlining your promotional efforts, you can craft pitches that captivate curators. Remember to refine your pitch, seek feedback, and continuously engage with your musical community.
The digital music landscape is competitive, but with the right approach, you can significantly increase your chances of getting featured on Spotify’s editorial playlists. For more detailed guidance on writing compelling pitches, watch the linked video. Keep refining your strategy, and your music career will undoubtedly benefit from these efforts.
If You Liked That Here's How To Go Deeper
Musformation (FREE)
Scour the Internet and you will see almost nothing that is unanimously agreed upon, but our content is an exception as it’s suggested across social media to anyone starting out trying to learn how to build a fanbase. This is the starting point, our YouTube Channel tells musicians everything they need to know to grow while being continuously praised as the best information in the business even by those who work with the biggest artists. We constantly hear that major label A&R and top managers tell musicians to study our channel and come back to them when they have traction. We cover how to start your project as well as how to how to get fans as you are releasing music on a regular basis. If you prefer reading a website I have that foundation built here as well. Just follow the arrows and read, watch or however you prefer taking it in. Some people even listen to this YouTube playlist on their morning drives. If you only watch this we are happy we helped you. Hit us up if you ever need more and get subscribed with notifications on since we drop new knowledge weekly for free.
Musformation Labs ($5 a month)
Every week you get an hour long video where Jesse Cannon shows you how musicians are changing their lives by getting people to finally hear their music. In each video we dissect an artist that has been suggested by the members who has recently blown up and break down exactly how they did it. We also break down the cheat codes for how artists in nice genres regularly break out and show you what to focus on and what not to focus on. We also recap new trends, or news that could help you break your music as apps, algorithms and platforms change. We end each installment with a Q&A every week where I answer your questions live on air and put a lot of effort into answering them thoroughly.
Musformation Calls ($200/hour)
Many of you have heard so much advice its hard to know what YOU should do so you need to talk to someone who can talk you through it. Jesse personally does each call for an hour of undivided attention. Whether you just have questions, want to brainstorm ideas for content, discuss how you can find the best team or collaborators we are haeppy to talk. We have you fill out a quick form beforehand so we can make sure we are the right fit for a call. After doing calls with over 2500+ different musicians we have never been asked for a refund because we make sure everyone we take on is a good fit. After the call you get a transcript, notes and a video recording of it. Any time you don’t use during the first call is credited to your account and can be used in the future.
Musformation Growth ($999-$10,000)
Some of you need need a bi-weekly call to align strategy with growth. We only take on artists we feel we can be helpful in your growth and are ready for this stage of strategy. While you may have the money we try to only do this with people we feel we can help. We pride ourselves on these relationships as none have lasted less than 36 months.