For most artists who have their music on Spotify getting added to one of their many brilliant and popular playlists is a most coveted achievement. It’s no easy achievement, though, and there is certainly no magic formula. However, this guide should help you on your way to playlist dominance.

In the past few years, Spotify curated playlists have been viewed as a golden jewel for independent and established artists. Not only is it a great personal achievement to be featured on the playlists (some artists even become their cover stars) but in terms of boosting your reach, it’s a blessing. The playlists are often followed by hundreds of thousands of engaged, organic, and dedicated music lovers. This has made their playlists a direct link to fans across the globe, which for you as an artist is essential for your growth, not to mention revenue gained from potential streams. 

This article hopes to highlight the do’s and don’ts when it comes to trying to get featured on a Spotify playlist.

Always avoid Bots and Non-Human Interaction 

Purchasing streams from organisations may seem like a cost-effective way to boost numbers but truthfully it is a waste of time. The most you will get from a service like this would be a lighter wallet, overinflated and ultimately empty figures, and in some cases a ban from Spotify (particularly if you receive a large number of streams in one go without having that interaction previously). 

The truth is that there are no shortcuts to success, you have to put in the work to get recognised. It’s the fans that truly support music and it will be those people that bring you to success. 

If a playlist service looks dodgy, it almost certainly is

Anyone that spends an extended amount of time on the internet can probably tell when a website is a little fishy. The UI will be poor, it will look like it was built in 1999, and will be slow or just generally unresponsive. Be sure to do your research on each service, check out Trustpilot, or ask other musicians.

Know your music and your audience

If you feel you have done everything right yet your music isn’t gaining the traction you wanted then it’s time to reassess. It is vital that you as an artist have a grip on your music and who its audience is. Questions to ask yourself are “Are the right people hearing my music?” Is my music too niche?

Head back to the drawing table and look at what elements work and those that didn’t. This way you can come back stronger and in a better position, remember you’re always learning and there’s no shame in that.

Getting flagged could mean the termination of your Spotify Artist account 

If you use a playlist placement service and it is unreliable and bot-driven it will be you, the creator that will face the repercussions. Spotify acts as the judge, jury, and executioner, if they find you’re manipulating streams they will terminate your profile and music. What’s more, is that you won’t be able to argue your case directly so you will have to go through your distributor. So, if you are to use a playlist placement service it is vital that it is a trusted one. 

To Conclude

It’s pretty simple. If you’re wanting to get featured on playlists then getting more streams is the most likely way in. However, how you achieve those streams is important. Organic is almost always the best type of engagement, avoid bot-driven services. Keep plugging on your social media, post your music in various subreddits, and if you have a budget for it, invest in a solid PR campaign. In addition to this be sure to have a trustworthy distributor like RouteNote. This way you’ll be recognised by Spotify as a legit artist as they’re one of our many partners.