The Independent Musician's Guide to Playlist Pitching

Kristian Gorenc Z

Jul 4, 2023

Introduction

So you've recorded your latest track and it's ready to be shared with the world. As an independent musician, gaining exposure and building your audience is key. One of the best ways to do that today is through streaming playlists. Whether it's an official Spotify playlist or one curated by an independent tastemaker, getting your song added can lead to thousands of new streams and fans. The hard part is catching the attention of the curators and convincing them your track deserves a spot on their list. Don't worry, we've got you covered. In this guide, we'll walk you through using Viberate's smart Spotify promotion service - Playlist pitching tool - to target the perfect playlists for your music and craft a pitch that will make you impossible to ignore. Get ready to take your music to more ears than ever before. The future of your fanbase starts now.

📌 Viberate for Artists: Unite every tool an independent artist needs to maximize their career in one hub – including a free website, music distribution, advancing, playlist & festival pitching, and analytics.

Why Playlist Pitching Matters

As an independent artist, getting your music in front of new listeners is key. One of the most effective ways to do that today is through playlist pitching - submitting your songs for consideration to curated Spotify playlists. Why is this important?

For starters, playlists are how most Spotify users discover new music. If selected for a popular playlist, your track could gain tens or even hundreds of thousands of streams. This boosts your visibility, helps you connect with new fans, and provides an opportunity to turn casual listeners into dedicated followers.

Viberate makes the pitching process easy. Our tool allows you to explore over 12 million Spotify playlists and filter by genre, popularity, and more to create a shortlist of potential targets. Check out playlists that feature artists similar to you to identify opportunities. Then, pitch your songs through Viberate, providing a compelling reason why your track would be a great fit.

When pitching, focus on your genre, style, and the track’s mood or theme. Mention any playlist placements you’ve scored in the past. But don’t just pitch new releases - also consider promoting older songs from your catalog. The key is conveying why that particular track would resonate with the playlist’s followers.

Keep your pitch concise but enthusiastic. Explain what’s special about the song and your sound. If selected, be sure to thank the curator and promote the playlist on your social media. Placement in one popular playlist can lead to further opportunities, so make the most of it!

With the right strategy and persistence, playlist pitching through tools like Viberate can help get your music in front of new fans and accelerate your growth as an independent artist. Why not give it a shot? You have nothing to lose, and a whole new audience to gain.

Finding Relevant Playlists for Your Music

Finding the right playlists to pitch your music to can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Thankfully, there are tools like Viberate that make the process much more targeted and efficient.

Viberate provides data on over 12 million Spotify playlists, ranking them by popularity based on followers and follower growth. You can filter playlists by genre, subgenre, type (editorial, user-generated), popularity, and release date of tracks to build a tailored shortlist of potential playlists for your music.

Check out the analytics of artists similar to you to see which playlists feature their songs. These playlists may be open to your music as well.

Don’t limit yourself to pitching just new releases. Playlists often refresh tracks, so pitch your best songs regardless of release date.

Once you have a solid list of relevant playlists, it’s time to pitch. Viberate allows you to directly contact playlist editors to pitch your music.

With some time invested in research and thoughtful pitching, you can land placements on popular Spotify playlists and expand your audience. The key is targeting the right playlists, making personal connections, and giving curators all the info they need to say yes to your music. Keep at it, learn from any rejections, and don’t get discouraged. With Viberate’s tools and your determination, you’ll be pitching like a pro in no time.

Pitching With Viberate's Playlist Pitching Tool

Viberate’s Playlist Pitching tool allows you to discover new playlists and pitch your music directly to their curators.

Create an account and claim your artist profile

The first step is to create an account on Viberate and claim your artist profile. This allows you to have control over your profile looks to others and gives you access to pitch your music among other stuff.

Find potential playlists

Browse Viberate’s catalog of over 12 million playlists and filter by genre, popularity, release date and more to create a shortlist of playlists suited for your music. Look for playlists where artists similar in style and career stage to you have been featured. These playlists will likely be most receptive to your pitch.

Pitch away!

Clicking on "Contact" for your desired playlist pitch will open a form where you can provide the necessary information about your release, including the release date. Craft a personalized pitch for each playlist, highlighting why your song is an ideal fit. Make sure to mention the playlist by name and commend the curator's selections. Clearly explain how your track aligns with the playlist's overall vibe and theme. Additionally, showcase your recent achievements and streaming numbers to showcase your rising popularity. Our comprehensive Spotify promotion service aims to maximize exposure on curated Spotify playlists.

The curator will then receive a nicely formatted email containing all of the track data automatically provided by Viberate, along with other information, pitch text, and the contact details you will provide. This will enable the curator to make an informed decision.

Follow up

Don’t pester curators, but do follow up a few days after pitching to ask if they had a chance to listen and reiterate your interest. If they pass, thank them for their consideration. If featured, be sure to share the news with your fans and followers on social media! Getting added to one playlist often leads to more playlisting opportunities.

Viberate’s Playlist Pitching tool provides independent musicians an easy way to get their music in front of playlist curators. With a tailored approach, you'll increase your chances of scoring that coveted playlist feature. Keep pitching and don’t get discouraged - as your streaming numbers and popularity rise, more and more curators will take notice!

In Conclusion

As an independent musician, pitching your songs to curators of popular playlists is one of the best ways to gain new listeners and grow your fanbase. By following the steps outlined above—researching playlists, crafting a compelling pitch, and submitting through the right channels—you put yourself in the best position for playlist success.

Another effective way to pitch your songs for playlist consideration is by utilizing the Viberate Playlist pitching tool. Here’s how it works:

• Access a comprehensive chart of over 12 million Spotify playlists on Viberate.
• Viberate ranks each Spotify playlist based on popularity, taking into account the number of followers or 1-month follower growth.
• Create a shortlist of potential playlists by applying filters based on your genre, subgenre(s), playlist type (editorial, user-generated, etc.), popularity, release date of featured tracks, and more.
• Explore the playlist analytics of artists in your genre and career stage to identify popular playlists that feature their songs.
• Pitch your songs to playlist editors through Viberate, reaching out with your compelling pitch. Remember, playlist pitching is not limited to new releases alone!

With tools like Viberate making the process more streamlined, there’s no reason not to start pitching your music to curators today. The key is persistence and patience. Don’t get discouraged if you face rejections at first. Learn from the experience, improve your pitch, and try again. The more you do it, the more you’ll get better at it.

When a curator does pick up your song, celebrate! Getting placed on a popular playlist can lead to a huge boost in streams and exposure. Then start the process over again, pitching to new playlists to keep building your audience and turning casual listeners into dedicated fans. The key is to never stop pitching and promoting your music. With hard work and the right strategy, you'll be well on your way to developing a sustainable career as an independent artist.