7 Playlist Curators for Upcoming Music Releases
As an independent artist, I know firsthand the thrill of releasing new music and the subsequent challenge of getting it heard. In today’s digital landscape, playlist inclusion has become a crucial stepping stone for emerging artists like myself. It’s not just about creating great music anymore; it’s about finding the right ears to listen to it. That’s where playlist curators come in – these musical gatekeepers can be the difference between your track languishing in obscurity and reaching thousands of potential fans.
After years of trial and error, countless submissions, and a fair share of both rejections and successes, I’ve compiled a list of the 7 best playlist curators to submit your music to. These curators have proven track records of supporting independent artists, maintaining engaged listener bases, and curating playlists that genuinely resonate with music lovers.
1. Boost Collective
Boost Collective is a multifaceted platform that offers both music distribution and playlist promotion services. As a playlist curator, they focus on helping artists increase their exposure on Spotify through strategic playlist placements.
Boost Collective operates by allowing artists to submit their tracks for consideration. Their team of curators then works to match songs with appropriate playlists from their network. What sets Boost Collective apart is their emphasis on organic growth and compliance with streaming platform policies. They use advanced advertising campaigns on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to drive real listeners to their playlists, ensuring that the right music reaches the right audience.
The platform prides itself on quick turnaround times, aiming to add submitted tracks to playlists within 24 hours. They also stress the importance of frequent playlist updates, recommending that curators add new songs every 1-3 days to keep playlists fresh and engaging for listeners.
One of Boost Collective’s unique selling points is that their playlist promotion service is often included for free when artists use their distribution services. This integrated approach provides artists with a comprehensive solution for both releasing and promoting their music.
2. Playlist Curator
Playlist Curator stands out as one of the most prominent playlist curators on the internet, offering a diverse range of carefully curated music playlists across multiple streaming platforms. Their extensive collection caters to various moods, themes, and occasions, making it easy for listeners to find the perfect soundtrack for any moment.
The curation process at Playlist Curator is meticulous and thoughtful, designed to create engaging and high-quality playlists that resonate with their audience. Their team of experienced curators continuously explores new releases, emerging artists, and timeless classics across multiple genres, ensuring a diverse music selection. Each playlist is crafted around a specific theme or mood, with every track carefully chosen to contribute to the overall atmosphere and narrative.
Quality control is a crucial aspect of Playlist Curator’s approach. Before a track makes it onto one of their playlists, it undergoes a rigorous evaluation process. Factors such as production quality, lyrical content, and overall artistic merit are considered to maintain the high standards their listeners expect. Additionally, they value user feedback and regularly analyze engagement data to refine their playlists and better serve their audience’s preferences.
Playlist Curator offers their curated playlists on major streaming platforms, including YouTube Music, Spotify, and SoundCloud. This multi-platform approach ensures that listeners can access their favorite playlists regardless of their preferred streaming service. Some of their most popular playlists include “Songs About the Sun and Sunshine,” “Songs About Hope,” and “Songs About Ambition,” each designed to evoke specific emotions or cater to particular themes.
For artists looking to submit their music, Playlist Curator provides a straightforward submission process. Musicians can fill out a form on their website to have their tracks considered for inclusion in relevant playlists. The platform carefully considers each submission, applying strict criteria to ensure that only high-quality tracks that align with the playlist themes are selected.
3. SpinGrey
SpinGrey is a playlist curation service that offers artists the opportunity to submit their music for consideration on their curated Spotify playlists. They maintain an active presence on social media platforms, particularly Instagram, which they use to share updates about their playlists and promote new releases.
What makes SpinGrey stand out is their Patreon-based submission system. This model allows artists to submit their music with priority to SpinGrey’s playlists and social channels. By using this approach, SpinGrey creates a more direct line of communication between artists and curators, potentially leading to more personalized playlist placements.
SpinGrey maintains a collection of curated playlists on Spotify that cover various genres and moods. This diversity allows them to cater to a wide range of musical styles, increasing the chances for artists to find playlists that fit their specific sound. Artists interested in submitting to SpinGrey can explore these playlists to identify the ones that best align with their music before making a submission.
4. Rizing Playlists
Rizing Playlists is a playlist curation service that focuses on promoting independent artists across various genres. They operate a network of Spotify playlists designed to help emerging musicians gain exposure and grow their listener base.
The submission process for Rizing Playlists is straightforward. Artists can visit their website and submit their tracks for consideration. The Rizing team then reviews each submission, evaluating factors such as production quality, originality, and fit with their existing playlists.
One of the key features of Rizing Playlists is their commitment to supporting independent artists. They often highlight lesser-known musicians alongside more established acts, providing a platform for up-and-coming talent to reach new audiences. This approach has made them a popular choice among indie artists looking to boost their Spotify presence.
Rizing Playlists also emphasizes the importance of genre-specific curation. They maintain playlists across a wide range of musical styles, from indie rock and hip-hop to electronic and folk. This specialized approach allows them to cater to niche audiences and provide a more targeted promotion service for artists.
5. Soundplate
Soundplate is a free platform that caters specifically to electronic dance music (EDM) artists and fans, offering a range of services including playlist curation and music promotion. As a playlist curator, Soundplate provides a unique opportunity for artists to submit their tracks to independent Spotify playlists at no cost.
The submission process on Soundplate is straightforward and user-friendly. Artists can search through the platform’s database of playlists using genre filters to find curators that best match their music style. Once they’ve identified suitable playlists, they can submit their tracks directly through the platform by clicking the “Submit Music” button on the playlist page and entering their track details.
One of the key advantages of Soundplate is its focus on the EDM genre, which allows for more targeted submissions and potentially higher chances of playlist inclusion for electronic music producers. However, it’s worth noting that while submissions are free, artists are required to follow the curator’s playlist on Spotify as part of the submission process.
In addition to playlist submissions, Soundplate offers a range of other services that make it a comprehensive resource for EDM artists. These include music distribution, promotional tools, event listings, educational content, and networking opportunities. They also operate as an independent label, further expanding their role in the electronic music ecosystem.
6. Submit Hub
SubmitHub is one of the largest and most established platforms for music submissions, connecting artists with a wide variety of industry professionals including playlist curators, music bloggers, record labels, and radio stations. The platform’s extensive network and user-friendly interface have made it a go-to resource for many independent artists seeking to promote their music.
To use SubmitHub, artists create a profile and upload their tracks to the platform. They can then browse through thousands of curators, filtering by genre, popularity, and other factors to find the most relevant opportunities for their music. The submission process uses a credit system, where artists can choose between free standard credits or paid premium credits.
One of SubmitHub’s standout features is its commitment to providing feedback. Curators are required to listen to at least 20 seconds of each submission and provide written feedback if they choose not to approve the track. This ensures that artists receive valuable insights even if their track isn’t selected for playlist inclusion.
SubmitHub also offers detailed analytics on submission performance, allowing artists to track their progress and refine their submission strategy over time. The platform’s transparency and wide range of opportunities make it a powerful tool for artists looking to expand their reach and connect with industry professionals.
7. SongRocket
SongRocket is a music promotion platform that specializes in Spotify playlist pitching, offering artists a streamlined way to get their music in front of relevant playlist curators. The platform’s approach focuses on matching tracks with appropriate curators based on genre and other factors, increasing the likelihood of successful placements.
To use SongRocket, artists create a campaign by selecting a track and setting a budget. The platform’s system then analyzes the track and matches it with relevant playlist curators from their network. This targeted approach helps ensure that submissions reach curators who are most likely to be interested in the artist’s style of music.
One of SongRocket’s key features is its comprehensive campaign analytics. Artists can view detailed information about their campaign’s performance, including which curators have listened to their track and any feedback provided. This level of transparency allows artists to gain valuable insights into how their music is being received.
SongRocket operates on a credit-based system, where artists purchase credits to fund their campaigns. This model allows for flexibility in campaign budgeting and gives artists control over how much they want to invest in their playlist promotion efforts.
The platform also emphasizes the importance of curator-artist communication. Through SongRocket, artists can interact directly with curators, fostering relationships that could lead to future opportunities beyond just playlist inclusion.
