Ah, the modern musician’s conundrum: how to get your carefully crafted tunes heard amid the tsunami of 100 million other tracks on Spotify? It’s like trying to get noticed at a massive festival while wearing the same band t-shirt as everyone else. “Stream me!” you whisper into the void, as the algorithm cheerfully ignores you in favor of whatever Ed Sheeran’s just released.
Well, grab yourself a cuppa (or something stronger if this isn’t your first rodeo), and let’s have a proper natter about your options. Because, let’s face it, your mum can only create so many accounts to boost your numbers before Spotify catches on.
The Lay of the Land
Before we dive headfirst into the promotional mosh pit, let’s acknowledge the brutal truth – there are three main ways to get your music noticed on Spotify:
- Build Relationships: The slow burn, like chatting up the cute barista for months before asking them out.
- Trade Playlists: The “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” approach, beloved by musicians since the dawn of time.
- Pay the Pros: The “I can’t be arsed with all that faff” option that costs actual money (you know, that stuff you’re not making from streaming).
Plus, there’s always Spotify’s own Ad Studio, which is essentially paying Spotify to promote your music on… Spotify. A bit like paying your landlord to tell people how nice your flat is.
Right then, let’s break these down, shall we?
Option 1: Building Relationships with Playlist Curators (The Long Game)
This approach is rather like cultivating a garden – it takes ages, you’ll get your hands dirty, and there’s a good chance some passing cat will use it as a toilet just when things start growing. But when it blooms, oh how lovely it is!
Finding Your Curator Soulmates
First things first, you need to find curators who might actually give your bizarre experimental jazz-metal fusion a chance. And no, your cousin’s “Shower Jams” playlist with 12 followers doesn’t count.
Tools like Chartmetric or good old-fashioned Spotify stalking can help you identify playlists in your genre. Look for ones with a decent following but not so massive that the curator probably has a team of minions sifting through submissions (looking at you, Spotify Editorial).
Pro Tip: If the playlist is called “SEND $20 TO GET ADDED” or “GUARANTEED PLACEMENT!!!”, maybe give it a miss, yeah? Unless you’re particularly fond of setting money on fire.
The Art of the Non-Desperate Pitch
Right, you’ve found some playlists that suit your vibe. Now you need to reach out without sounding like that bloke at the bar who immediately asks for your National Insurance number.
Your pitch should be:
- Personal: “Dear Music Person” isn’t going to cut it.
- Brief: Their eyes will glaze over faster than your dad’s during your band’s feedback-heavy experimental section.
- Relevant: Explain why your track fits their playlist without comparing yourself to The Beatles. Nobody’s The Beatles. Not even The Beatles want to be The Beatles anymore.
For example: “Hi Sarah, loved the new additions to your ‘Moody Monday’ playlist – especially that Wolf Alice track. Thought my new single ‘Existential Tea Break’ might sit nicely between that and the London Grammar track. Happy to send it over if you’re interested.”
See? No begging, no comparing yourself to musical legends, no promises of eternal servitude.
The Waiting Game
After sending your pitch, you now enter the special hell known as “waiting.” This is when you check your phone every 3.7 seconds and convince yourself they hate your music, your face, and probably your choice of breakfast cereal too.
If you don’t hear back, one follow-up is fine. Two makes you seem eager. Three makes you seem like you might show up at their house with your demo and a worryingly intense smile.
Nurturing Relationships
The goal here isn’t just one placement – building a relationship that might lead to many. So if you do get added:
- Thank them (without excessive emoji use)
- Share their playlist on your socials
- Engage with their other content
- Don’t immediately ask for another favor
The Bottom Line: Building relationships is free (except for the cost of your dignity and time), but it’s about as quick as that one mate who says they’re “just five minutes away” when they haven’t even left the house yet.
Option 2: Playlist Trade Swaps (The Barter Economy)
Remember when you were a kid and traded your cheese sandwich for a Penguin bar? This is basically that, but with slightly higher stakes and less chocolate.
Building Your Playlist Empire
Before you can trade, you need something worth trading. That means creating your own playlist that people actually want to be on. And no, “Songs I Wrote While Crying Into My Pot Noodle” probably won’t attract a massive following.
Pick a niche, curate quality tracks, and be consistent. Think of it like running a small indie label or venue – your taste is your currency.
The Hard Graft: Growing followers on your playlist is about as easy as growing a full beard when you’re 13. It takes time, looks patchy for ages, and everyone will ask why you’re bothering.
Share it everywhere, refresh it regularly, and consider what value it offers listeners. A good theme helps – “Songs to Listen to When Your Upstairs Neighbours Are Having Loud Arguments Again” is infinitely more interesting than “Good Music I Like.”
Finding Trading Partners
Once you’ve got a playlist with more followers than your immediate family, you can start looking for trading partners. Facebook groups, Discord servers, and Reddit communities are full of playlist curators looking to swap.
Warning: Many of these groups are more toxic than that festival portaloo on day three. Proceed with caution and don’t expect everyone to play fair.
When evaluating potential trades, look at:
- Follower counts (real ones, not bought ones)
- Engagement (are people actually saving tracks?)
- Genre match (your death metal track might not perform well on “Peaceful Piano”)
- Position offered (track #347 isn’t getting much action)
Making Trades Work
Be clear about what you’re offering and what you want in return. A good trade agreement includes:
- Duration of placement
- Position in playlist
- Any promotion of the playlist you’ll do
- What happens if streams are suspiciously low
The Real Talk: Playlist trading can feel a bit like being back at school, trading football stickers. Instead of ending up with a shiny David Beckham, you might end up with 7 streams and a new nemesis.
If you need help building a playlist and marketing it to grow, we can help. Just get in touch here.
Option 3: Paying the Pros (The “I’ve Got Better Things to Do” Approach)
If you’ve got more money than time (lucky you), there are plenty of professional promotion services happy to take it off your hands. Companies like Music Gateway have spent years building relationships with playlist curators so you don’t have to.
What You’re Actually Paying For
When you hire a promotion service, you’re essentially paying for:
- Their existing relationships with curators
- The time they spend pitching your music
- Their expertise in knowing which playlists suit your sound
- The privilege of not having to write awkward emails yourself
Choosing Services That Aren’t Completely Dodgy
The music promotion world is unfortunately full of more chancers than a Premier League penalty box. Look for companies that:
- Have verifiable case studies
- Don’t guarantee specific numbers (massive red flag)
- Have been around longer than your last relationship
- Can explain exactly what they’ll do with your money
Ask pointed questions like:
- “Which specific playlists do you have relationships with?”
- “What happens if we get no placements?”
- “Can I speak to previous clients?”
If they start sweating more than a guitarist on their eighth encore, run away.
What It’ll Cost Ya
Proper playlist promotion isn’t cheap. Expect to pay anywhere from £300 to several thousand pounds, depending on the campaign scope. Is it worth it? Well, that’s like asking if that vintage guitar pedal was worth it. If it gets the job done and you can afford it, probably yes.
The Honest Truth: Paying for promotion feels a bit like hiring someone to make friends for you. It works, but it’s not quite the same as doing it yourself, is it?
The Spotify Ad Studio Route (The Official Channel)
If you fancy going straight to the source, Spotify’s Ad Studio lets you create audio ads that will play between songs for free users. It’s like buying billboard space, except the billboard occasionally shouts at people while they’re trying to enjoy themselves.
How It Works
You create a short audio ad (usually 30 seconds), set targeting parameters (age, location, music taste, etc.), and set a budget. Your ad then interrupts people’s shower singing sessions, hopefully compelling them to check out your music instead of angrily tapping “Skip.”
Minimum budgets start around £250, and you’ll pay per “impression” (each time someone hears your ad). The Spotify Ad Studio blog has all the nitty-gritty details, but essentially, you’re paying to annoy people into listening to you. Very punk rock when you think about it.
The Catch: People generally hate ads with the burning passion of a thousand suns, so your creative needs to be genuinely engaging. “Yo, check out my SoundCloud” isn’t going to cut it.
Creating Your Own Spotify Promotion Cocktail
The savviest artists use a mix of all these approaches, like a bartender combining spirits to make something that’ll get you just the right level of tipsy.
If You’re Skint But Have Time
Focus on building relationships and creating your own playlists. Yes, it’s a slog, but so is carrying your own amp up three flights of stairs to a gig that pays in “exposure.”
- Start with 10-15 personalised curator pitches per release
- Create and grow a themed playlist
- Join trading groups once you have some currency
If You’ve Got Some Cash But Not Bags of It
- Pay for a modest campaign with a reputable promoter
- Supplement with your own outreach to smaller curators
- Use a small Spotify Ad Studio campaign targeting very specific listeners
If You’ve Somehow Got Label Money
It must be nice! Splash out on:
- A comprehensive promotion campaign with a top-tier company
- A robust Spotify Ad Studio campaign
- Hire someone to build and manage your own playlists
Measuring Success (Without Driving Yourself Mad)
Success on Spotify isn’t just about stream counts (though they are nice). Look for:
- Save rates: People who liked your music enough to save it
- Playlist adds: Other curators picking up your track
- Spotify algorithm love: Appearing in Discover Weekly and Radio
- Follower growth: People who want to hear more from you
Don’t expect overnight success. Even the “viral sensations” you hear about usually had years of graft before their “sudden” breakthrough.
The Last Chorus
Getting your music noticed on Spotify is a bit like trying to get served at a packed bar on a Friday night. You can either patiently wait your turn (building relationships), find a mate who works there (playlist trading), or splash out on bottle service (paying professionals).
There’s no “right” way – just the way that suits your budget, timeline, and how much awkward emailing you can stomach.
Whatever you do, remember that promotion is just one piece of the puzzle. At the end of the day, no amount of playlist placement can save a track that sounds like it was recorded inside a tin can with instruments made of elastic bands. Probably.
Now go forth and get those streams. Your mum’s 47 Spotify accounts can finally have a rest.
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