Do Spotify Monthly Listeners matter?
Why are monthly listeners important for any artist trying to promote their music and grow an audience? Let’s dive in.
When measuring the success of your music or popularity as an artist, there’s no single metric that defines it all. However, monthly listeners on Spotify are often one of the most closely watched metrics. You could have thousands of followers on social media, but if your monthly listener count doesn’t reflect the same popularity, it might leave people scratching their heads, wondering why.
Do monthly listeners matter?
In short, yes, monthly listeners do matter. But why should you care about this statistic?
Spotify offers two key publicly available metrics: streams per song and monthly listeners. Initially, I thought total streams were the clearest way to establish demand and prove you had a strong fanbase. However, streams can be misleading. You might have a viral hit that racks up streams quickly, but that buzz can fade just as fast. While it’s great to advertise that you’ve had a popular song, if you don’t find ways to keep those listeners engaged, your monthly listeners will drop as the hype dies down.
What are monthly listeners?
A Monthly listener is a unique user who has streamed your music at least once in the last 28 days, whether this be from their library, a playlist, or your artist page.
Did you know that only 19% of artists on Spotify had more than 1,000 monthly listeners last year? Meaning having a strong monthly listener count can set you apart from other artists and highlight your lasting appeal.
The monthly listeners statistic is available under the artist name on your artist page on Spotify.
Why are monthly listeners more valuable than streams?
Monthly listeners reflect an artist’s long-term engagement. A high monthly listener count shows that your music has lasting appeal and that you’ve built a dedicated fanbase of people who keep coming back for more.
This being said, it doesn’t mean that streams aren’t important. It shows you have people potentially listening to the same song multiple times rather than just once and moving on, especially if you have a song that is consistently being streamed over a longer period of time as these streams add up.
How can I increase my monthly listeners?
Boosting your monthly listeners won’t happen overnight, especially if you’re aiming to create long-term engagement. But here are some tips to help you get there:
1. Consistency is key
If you take away one piece of advice, let it be consistency. Artists who find success often have a regular release schedule. This doesn’t mean you need to release music constantly, but whether you’re putting out new music monthly, quarterly, or even annually, the key is to stay consistent and keep your audience engaged.
2. Stay active on social media
It is crucial to be consistent on social media, just as it is important to release music regularly. Use platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and X to direct traffic to your Spotify page. Share content regularly that showcases your music, and make sure your bio includes a functional link to your Spotify. The easier you make it for fans to discover your music, the better.
3. Promote your music
Promotion doesn’t have to be complicated. You can run ads on Instagram and Facebook, but there are also plenty of free ways to promote your music, like word of mouth, live performances, and digital marketing tools available from platforms like PUSH.FM. Getting the word out is essential for maintaining and growing your listener base.
4. Submit to playlists
Playlisting is one of the best ways to grow and retain monthly listeners. Try submitting to Spotify-curated playlists through your Spotify for Artists account, or explore third-party playlists using services like SubmitHub. If you distribute your music with RouteNote, you can even get a 20% discount on SubmitHub’s services, giving you more exposure opportunities. Please search for playlists with caution as many services will offer to net you lots of streams for a price. This is against Spotify’s terms of service and will result in the removal of your release. For more advice on how to avoid this click here.
5. Keep your profile and pages up to date
Your Spotify artist page is almost like a digital storefront for your music, so keep it fresh. Have a new single? Make it your ‘Artist Pick’. Consider adding canvases to your songs to make them visually engaging. If you’ve updated your visuals or artwork lately, make sure to reflect that on Spotify.
By focusing on these strategies, you can grow and maintain a strong base of monthly listeners. Streams may fluctuate, but a consistent listener base shows you have a lasting impact in the music world.