How songs grow on Spotify
Spotify has three kinds of playlists that matter for a new release. Editorial playlists are chosen by Spotify’s editors. Algorithmic playlists such as Release Radar, Discover Weekly and Daily Mix are made for each listener. Listener and curator playlists are made by everyone else. Spotify does not publish how its algorithms weigh each signal, but the broad picture is stable: songs that people save, add to their playlists, play again and play from your profile tend to be recommended to more people.
That means the best promotion sends real, interested listeners to the song early, and gives them a reason to save it.
Step by step
Deliver the release early
Send the release to your distributor at least four weeks before release day, so it appears in Spotify for Artists in time to pitch and to set up a Countdown Page.
Pitch one song to Spotify’s editors
In Spotify for Artists, pitch one unreleased song from the release, with genre, mood, instruments and a short story about the song.
Start a pre-save campaign
Share a pre-save link so fans save the release before it comes out and it lands in their library on release day.
Update your profile
Set an Artist Pick, add Canvas loops to the tracks and refresh your profile image and bio.
Send people on release day
Post the release page link everywhere you have an audience, with a tagged link in each place, and see which posts lead to clicks through to Spotify.
Keep going after release week
Post new clips, play the song live, and run small ads to the best-performing audience while the song is still new.
Pitching to editorial playlists
- One song per release. You can pitch one unreleased song at a time from Spotify for Artists.
- Pitch early. Pitch at least seven days before release day. A pitched song is also added to Release Radar for your followers, so pitching is worth doing even if you do not expect editorial support.
- Fill in everything. Genre, mood, culture, instruments and the description help the right editor find the song. Mention your plans: a tour, a video, press or ads.
- No guarantee. Most pitches are not picked. Treat a placement as a bonus, not the plan.
Pre-saves and Countdown Pages
A pre-save adds the release to a fan’s library on release day and makes them follow you, so the song reaches them on Release Radar. Spotify’s own Countdown Pages let fans pre-save inside Spotify. A pre-save link on a release page reaches the fans who are not on Spotify too, and can show Apple Music pre-add and other services. See the Spotify pre-save guide for both.
Sending your own listeners
Spotify cannot recommend a song nobody plays. In the first days after release, the listeners you bring yourself matter most:
- Put the release page link in your bios and in every post, story and video about the song. Use a different tagged link for each place.
- Email your fan list on release day. Fans who signed up for news are the most likely to save the song.
- Run small ads to people in the countries where you want listeners, and optimise for clicks through to Spotify, not for link clicks. The Meta ads guide shows how.
- Check which posts and ads led to clicks through to Spotify, and post more where it worked. See tracking Instagram and TikTok clicks.
Spotify’s own paid tools
Spotify offers paid and opt-in tools for artists through Spotify for Artists, such as Marquee and Showcase, which show a release to listeners inside the app, and Discovery Mode, which asks the algorithm to favour chosen songs in exchange for a lower royalty rate on those streams. Which ones you can use depends on your country and your team. Read the current terms in Spotify for Artists before you sign up.
What to avoid
Avoid any service that promises a number of streams, followers or playlist placements in exchange for a payment. Spotify’s rules prohibit artificial streaming, and it can remove streams, withhold royalties or take songs down when it finds them. Bought plays also teach the algorithm that your song is played by people who never come back, which makes later recommendations worse.
Questions
How far ahead should I pitch a song to Spotify’s editors?
At least seven days before release day, and earlier is better. Delivering the release to your distributor four weeks ahead gives you time to pitch.
Does pitching put my song on Release Radar?
Spotify says a song pitched at least seven days before release appears on Release Radar for your followers. That is one reason to pitch every release.
Do pre-saves help on Spotify?
They put the release in fans’ libraries on day one and make them follow you. How much any single signal affects playlists is not something Spotify publishes.
Can I pay to get on Spotify playlists?
Not on editorial playlists. Services that sell placements or streams risk your songs being removed and your royalties being withheld.