Navigating the music industry as an independent artist can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to getting your music heard by the right audience. One of the most effective ways to boost your visibility and reach new listeners is by getting your tracks featured on popular playlists. But with so many playlist curators out there, where do you even begin?
I’ve spent countless hours researching and testing various platforms to find the best playlist curators that can help you get your music in front of the right ears.
Whether you’re looking for a quick submission process, personalized feedback, or a more targeted approach, this list has got you covered. Here are the 10 best playlist curators to submit your music to, each offering unique features and benefits to help you take your music career to the next level.
1. SubmitHub
SubmitHub is a platform that connects artists with music bloggers, Spotify playlisters, and social media influencers. It is known for its transparency and efficiency in music submissions.
SubmitHub allows artists to submit their tracks to various curators using credits. There are two types of credits: standard and premium. Premium credits guarantee a response within 48 hours, where curators must listen to at least 20 seconds of the track and provide feedback or accept the submission. If curators do not respond within the timeframe, the credit is refunded. This system ensures that artists receive timely and constructive feedback, making it easier to navigate the often opaque world of music promotion.
2. Playlist Curator
Playlist Curator is a leading platform dedicated to curating and distributing music playlists across major streaming platforms such as Spotify, YouTube Music, and SoundCloud. Known for its diverse and meticulously crafted playlists, Playlist Curator caters to various moods and occasions, making it a go-to resource for music enthusiasts seeking both mainstream hits and hidden gems.
Submitting music to Playlist Curator is a straightforward process designed to ensure that only high-quality tracks make it to their playlists. Artists can submit their songs through a form available on the Playlist Curator website. Each submission is carefully reviewed based on strict criteria to ensure it aligns with the themes and quality standards of the playlists. Due to the high volume of submissions, artists are advised that if they do not hear back within a month, their music was not selected for inclusion.
Users can easily bookmark their favorite playlists by registering an account on the Playlist Curator website, allowing them to revisit and enjoy their selected tunes at any time.
3. Playlist Push
Playlist Push is a service designed to help artists get their music onto Spotify playlists. It leverages Spotify’s data to place songs in the right context and maximize their reach.
Artists start by applying for a campaign and uploading their track. Playlist Push then sends the music to a targeted group of curators who have two weeks to review and potentially add the song to their playlists. The platform provides real-time updates and a comprehensive report at the end of the campaign, detailing the performance and reach of the track. While the effectiveness can vary due to the dynamic nature of playlists and curators, Playlist Push is generally considered a worthwhile investment for boosting Spotify streams and algorithmic growth.
4. iMusician
iMusician is a digital music distributor that offers a range of services including music distribution, mastering, and promotion. It allows artists to retain full ownership of their music and earnings.
iMusician provides a comprehensive suite of tools for music distribution and promotion. Artists can submit their tracks for playlist consideration across major streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Beatport. The platform also offers an Artist Hub for managing promotional activities, including pre-save pages and web presence. iMusician’s customer support is highly regarded, providing personalized assistance in multiple languages. This makes it an attractive option for independent artists looking to maintain control over their music while accessing professional-grade services.
5. SoundCampaign
SoundCampaign is a playlist promotion service that focuses on connecting artists with Spotify curators. It is known for its niche genre coverage and smaller, more targeted playlists.
Artists submit their tracks to SoundCampaign, which then distributes the music to a network of curators. The platform allows artists to track responses and engage with curators directly. While the approval rate can be lower compared to other services, SoundCampaign provides a user-friendly dashboard and solid customer support. The service is considered high-risk but can yield high rewards if the campaign aligns well with the curators’ preferences.
6. Daily Playlists
Daily Playlists is a free platform that enables artists to submit their music to thousands of playlists and curators quickly and efficiently.
Artists can submit their tracks to over 18,000 playlists spanning more than 90 genres using Daily Playlists’ user-friendly platform. The service offers an automatic submission tool that simplifies the process, allowing artists to focus more on creating music. Daily Playlists also provides an Artist Pro membership, which includes advanced analytics, automatic campaign management, and additional promotional features. This makes it a versatile tool for both emerging and established artists looking to expand their reach on Spotify.
7. Soundplate
Soundplate is a London-based music technology company and record label that offers a range of tools and services to help independent artists promote their music. It focuses on playlist promotion and provides a free platform for submitting music to Spotify and Deezer playlists.
Soundplate allows artists to submit their music to a vast library of independent Spotify and Deezer playlists. Artists can browse playlists by genre or style and use the ‘Submit Music’ button on each playlist page to enter their track details. Soundplate emphasizes the importance of submitting music to relevant playlists to avoid high skip rates, which can negatively impact Spotify’s algorithmic recommendations. Additionally, Soundplate offers tools like Soundplate Clicks, which allows artists to create music landing pages and pre-save campaigns. The platform also encourages artists to engage with curators by sharing playlists on social media, fostering long-term relationships that can lead to future placements2.
8. MySphera
MySphera is a music promotion platform that connects artists with micro-influencers and playlist curators. It aims to provide personalized music promotion by leveraging the reach of influencers who have a dedicated following.
Artists can submit their music to MySphera, which then matches their tracks with relevant influencers and playlist curators. The platform uses data-driven algorithms to ensure that the music reaches the right audience. Influencers and curators listen to the submissions and decide whether to promote the tracks on their channels and playlists. MySphera focuses on organic growth, aiming to create genuine engagement and long-term fan relationships. The platform also provides detailed analytics to help artists understand the impact of their campaigns and optimize future submissions.
9. For The Love Of Bands
For The Love Of Bands is a music blog and playlist curator dedicated to supporting and promoting independent artists. It offers a variety of playlists across multiple genres and provides additional promotional services like blog features and social media promotion.
Artists can submit their music to For The Love Of Bands through their website. The platform offers both free and paid submission options. Free submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis, while paid submissions receive a faster response and guaranteed feedback. Once a track is submitted, it is reviewed by the editorial team, who decide whether to feature it on their playlists or blog. The platform also encourages artists to engage with their community by sharing their features on social media, which helps to build a supportive network of indie musicians and fans.
10. Indiemono
Indiemono is a Spanish-based playlist curator that focuses on creating handcrafted playlists for various moods and genres. They pride themselves on curating playlists manually rather than relying on algorithms, ensuring a high-quality listening experience.
Artists can submit their tracks to Indiemono through their website. The submission process is straightforward: artists provide their Spotify track link and choose the most relevant playlist for their music. Indiemono’s team of curators listens to each submission and decides whether to include it in their playlists. The platform is known for its transparency and commitment to supporting independent artists. Indiemono also offers additional promotional opportunities, such as blog features and social media shoutouts, to help artists gain more exposure.
11. Rizing Playlists
Rizing Playlists is an independent playlist curator that highlights up-and-coming artists across various genres, including pop, hip-hop, R&B, and country. The platform is dedicated to discovering fresh sounds and promoting new music.
Artists can pitch their music to Rizing Playlists via a submission form on their website. The submission process involves providing a public Spotify link and some details about the track. Once submitted, the track undergoes a thorough review process by the editorial team. If accepted, the artist is notified via email, and the track is added to one of Rizing Playlists’ curated playlists. The platform emphasizes the importance of submitting high-quality music that aligns with the playlist’s style to increase the chances of being featured. Rizing Playlists does not engage in payola or direct paid placements, ensuring a fair and ethical promotion process.
