There is a free tool inside Spotify for Artists that sends your song straight to Spotify's editorial team. It costs nothing and needs no contacts. Most independent artists waste it for a silly reason: they find out about it after the song is already out, and by then it is no longer eligible.
Three kinds of playlist
- Editorial: built by Spotify's human team. These are the recognizable ones by genre or mood. You pitch to these, and they are what this post is about.
- Algorithmic: Discover Weekly, Radio, Release Radar. You cannot pitch to them; they trigger on their own based on how listeners react. This is where an artist is actually built over time.
- Independent curators: made by any user. There are serious curators, and there is a huge market of scams charging for "placement". Be careful there.
The rules you cannot skip
Minimum 7 days, ideally 4 weeks
Seven days before release is the technical minimum the system accepts. With that margin your pitch lands at the back of the queue.
If you want a real person to hear your song, pitch four weeks out. That is the lead time the editorial team needs to move your track across different genre desks and regional markets.
One song per release
If you are releasing a five-track EP, you pick one. Just one. Think about which represents the project best and which has the strongest shot in its genre, which is not always your favorite.
Once it is live, the window closes
This is the rule that ruins the most releases. When the song goes live it stops being eligible for editorial pitching. There is no way to pitch music that is already out.
The pitch is not a promotion task for later: it is part of planning ahead.
Step by step
- Upload the release to your distributor with the date scheduled at least four weeks ahead.
- Wait for it to appear in Spotify for Artists. Usually a few hours to a couple of days after your distributor delivers it.
- Go to Music and find your upcoming release. The pitch option is there.
- Fill in the form: genre, subgenre, mood, main instruments, whether it is a cover, whether it has vocals, language, where it was recorded.
- Write the description. This is the part a person actually reads.
- Submit and leave it alone. There is no confirmation and no reply. If you make a playlist, you will see it in your stats on release day.
What to write in the description
- Lead with how it sounds, not your biography. "Rock ballad with clean guitars and a female lead vocal" says more than "we are a band with a lot of passion".
- Name real artist references that place your sound. Be honest: comparing your single to a superstar works against you.
- Give useful context: where you are from, whether it is part of an EP, whether there is a story behind the song.
- Add any traction signal: shows, press, monthly listeners, whether your previous track did well in a specific market.
- Skip the emotional filler. "This song comes from the heart" carries no information.
What almost nobody knows: it helps even if you do not make it
This is the part that should change how you see pitching.
Even if your song does not land on a single editorial playlist, everything you filled in (genre, mood, instrumentation, language) stays with Spotify as metadata. The system uses that to understand your music and recommend it to new listeners.
In other words, the pitch feeds the algorithmic engine, which over time moves far more numbers than any editorial playlist. That is why it is worth pitching every time, even knowing the odds of placement are low.
Mistakes that cost you the release
- Learning about the pitch on release day. Nothing to be done. Wait for the next one.
- Pitching at seven days. Technically valid, practically useless.
- Picking a genre that is not yours because you think there is less competition. It lands on the wrong editor's desk.
- Paying for "guaranteed placement". Spotify does not sell slots on its editorial playlists. Anyone offering that is scamming you, and artificial streams can get your song pulled.
- Releasing a master that does not compete. The editor hears your track next to professional releases. If yours sounds weak, no pitch copy will save it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay to pitch?
No. Spotify for Artists is free and pitching is included. The only thing you pay for is the distributor that uploads your music.
How do I know if I was selected?
There is no advance notice. You see it in your Spotify for Artists stats once the song is live, under stream sources.
Can I pitch an older song I want to relaunch?
Not if it is already out. Some artists re-release with a new version, an acoustic or a remix, which counts as a new release and therefore is pitchable.
Is it worth pitching with 20 monthly listeners?
Yes, because of the metadata. And because there are small editorial playlists, niche or regional, where a new artist has real odds they would not have on the big ones.
How often should I release?
Releasing regularly gives the algorithm more chances to understand you and more moments of exposure. But one well-produced single outperforms four rushed ones. If you plan to release more often, plan production further ahead.
Plan your release with enough lead time
If the master has to be ready four weeks before the date, production starts earlier. Let's talk about your calendar.
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