As a new songwriter, I’ve quickly learned that getting my music out there is no easy feat. After pouring my heart and soul into crafting the perfect melodies and lyrics, I found myself facing a new challenge: how to get people to actually listen to my songs. That’s when I discovered the power of playlist curators on streaming platforms like Spotify.
These curators are the unsung heroes of the music industry, carefully selecting tracks to create themed playlists that can make or break an artist’s career. As an independent musician, getting featured on the right playlist can mean the difference between obscurity and reaching thousands of potential fans. But with so many curators out there, it can be overwhelming to know where to start.
That’s why I’ve done the legwork for you. After hours of research and personal experience, I’ve compiled a list of the 7 best playlist curators to submit your music to. These curators are known for their openness to emerging artists, their diverse range of playlists, and their potential to give your music the boost it needs.
1. For the Love of Bands
For the Love of Bands is an independent playlist curator based in the Netherlands that focuses on indie, rock, and alternative music. They curate playlists across multiple streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube and Soundcloud. For the Love of Bands accepts submissions for English-language tracks in genres like alternative rock, indie rock, pop punk, and singer-songwriter. They look for authentic, creative, and melodic tracks from independent and emerging artists. Submitting to their playlists is free, though they offer paid options to skip the submission queue. For the Love of Bands also runs a music blog featuring reviews and interviews with indie artists.
2. Playlist Curator
Playlist Curator stands out as one of the most prominent online playlist curators, offering a diverse range of carefully curated playlists across multiple streaming platforms including YouTube Music, Spotify, and SoundCloud. Their extensive collection covers various themes, moods, and occasions, catering to a wide array of musical preferences and listening experiences.
The curation process at Playlist Curator is meticulous and thoughtful, designed to create engaging and high-quality playlists that resonate with listeners. Their team of experienced curators continuously explores new releases, emerging artists, and timeless classics across multiple genres to ensure a diverse music selection. Each playlist is crafted around a specific theme or mood, with every track carefully chosen to contribute to the overall atmosphere and narrative of the playlist.
Playlist Curator maintains strict quality control measures, subjecting each track to a rigorous evaluation process before inclusion. Factors such as production quality, lyrical content, and overall artistic merit are considered to uphold the high standards expected by their listeners1. They also value user feedback, regularly analyzing engagement data and incorporating listener preferences to refine their playlists.
For artists looking to submit their music, Playlist Curator offers a straightforward submission process through their website. They welcome submissions for various themed playlists, including popular categories like “Songs About True Love,” “Songs About Soulmates,” and “Songs About the Sun and Sunshine”. While they carefully consider each submission, they receive a high volume of entries and may not provide individual feedback on rejections.
3. Indiemono
Indiemono is a playlist curator that specializes in indie and alternative music discovery. They offer a free submission system for artists to submit tracks to their editorial playlists on Spotify. Indiemono organizes submissions by genre “boxes” to help them focus on curating playlists with a cohesive vibe, but they consider tracks for multiple playlists. They aim to support independent artists by providing a platform for music discovery. Indiemono does not provide individual feedback on submissions due to high volume, but they will reach out to artists if a track is selected for a playlist.
4. iMusician
iMusician is a digital music distributor that also curates playlists across genres on Spotify and other streaming platforms. They offer free playlist submission for artists through their website. iMusician has playlists covering various genres including indie, jazz, electronic, and more. To submit, artists can select the playlist that best fits their genre and fill out a submission form with track details. Their team of curators reviews submissions and adds selected tracks to relevant playlists. As both a distributor and curator, iMusician aims to support independent artists in promoting their music and reaching new listeners.
5. Tunemunk
Tunemunk is a platform that connects artists with Spotify playlist curators from around the world. They offer a free submission tool that allows musicians to submit their tracks to relevant playlists based on genre, mood, and other factors. Tunemunk’s network includes both their own curated playlists as well as independent curators. Artists can browse playlists by genre categories like blues, EDM, pop, rap, and more to find suitable options for their music. The platform also features playlists focused on specific popular artists, which can be useful for submitting tracks with a similar style or sound. Tunemunk aims to simplify the playlist submission process for independent artists looking to gain exposure on Spotify.
6. Playlist Push
Playlist Push is a music promotion service that connects artists with playlist curators on Spotify. They offer a curator program where qualified playlist owners can earn money by reviewing music submissions from artists. Curators can earn up to $15 per song review and receive instant payouts to their bank accounts. To qualify as a curator, individuals must own and manage a Spotify playlist with a significant number of followers that meets Playlist Push’s requirements. The platform emphasizes that curators maintain full creative control over their playlists and are not required or incentivized to add tracks. For artists, Playlist Push provides an opportunity to get their music in front of established playlist curators for potential playlist inclusion and feedback.
7. SoundCampaign
SoundCampaign is a music promotion company that facilitates connections between artists and independent Spotify playlist curators worldwide. They run promotional campaigns lasting up to 14 days, during which artists’ tracks are submitted to relevant curators for review and playlist consideration. Curators provide professional feedback on submitted tracks, which can help artists improve their music. While SoundCampaign does not guarantee playlist additions or specific streaming numbers, they offer an Artist Protection Program that reimburses customers if curators do not listen to or review their songs. The platform aims to generate organic exposure for artists through curator reviews and potential playlist inclusions. SoundCampaign also provides analytics for artists to track their campaign performance and see which playlists are generating the most streams.
