To submit to Spotify playlists, you use Spotify for Artists to pitch one unreleased track to Spotify’s editorial team, and you reach out separately to independent curators for their user playlists. The editorial pitch is free, built into your dashboard, and has a firm deadline — submit your unreleased song at least seven days before it goes live. Here’s the exact process.
Before you can submit: claim your profile
You need access to Spotify for Artists. Claim your artist profile (free) — your distributor can help if you’re not verified yet. If your music isn’t on the platform at all, start with getting your music on Spotify. You can only pitch through this dashboard, so this step is non-negotiable.
Submit your unreleased track to editorial
- Schedule your release early. Deliver to your distributor well ahead of time so the track appears as upcoming in your dashboard.
- Open the pitch tool and select the unreleased song. You can pitch one track per release.
- Submit 7+ days before release — earlier is safer. Miss the window and you can’t pitch that track editorially.
- Fill in every field: genres, mood, instruments, whether it’s a cover, the story and context behind the song.
- Add the song description. Tell curators what makes it special and where it fits.
Even if you’re not selected, pitching makes you eligible for algorithmic playlists like Release Radar, so always do it. Build the lead time into your release plan and tick it off your release checklist.
Write metadata that helps you get placed
Curators rely on your tags to slot you into the right list. Be precise: pick the genre that truly matches, not the most popular one. Describe the energy, tempo feel, and instruments honestly. Misleading metadata gets you placed wrong (or skipped), and accuracy is what gets a busy curator to take you seriously.
Submit to independent curators
Editorial is one slice of the pie. Independent and user-run playlists are far more numerous and often accept direct submissions. Two routes:
- Direct outreach — find curators in your exact genre and send a short, personal note with one link and why the song fits their playlist.
- Submission platforms — legitimate services that connect artists with curators, such as SubmitHub, Groover, and Playlist Push.
For the broader strategy across all three playlist types, see how to get on Spotify playlists. The same personalised approach works when you submit your music to blogs, so it’s worth building both into your promotion routine.
How to choose which track to pitch
You only get one editorial pitch per release, so the choice matters. If you’re putting out a single, the decision is made for you. But for an EP or album, think carefully about which song to put forward, because the rest of the release won’t be eligible for the same editorial consideration.
- Pick the most playlist-ready song, not necessarily your personal favourite. The track that fits cleanly into an existing mood or genre playlist has a better chance than an ambitious, hard-to-categorise one.
- Favour a strong, early hook. Curators audition huge volumes of submissions and often decide within the first 20 to 30 seconds, so a song that grabs attention quickly stands out.
- Match it to where your audience already listens. If your existing followers skew toward a particular genre, a track in that lane gives Spotify clearer signals to work with for Release Radar and Discover Weekly.
- Lead with your best-produced track. The song has to hold its own next to professionally finished releases, so pitch the one that sounds the most competitive.
A realistic timeline
Most missed placements come down to leaving the pitch too late, so work backwards from your release date. Roughly four weeks out, finalise your master and confirm your artwork and metadata. Two to three weeks out, deliver to your distributor so the track shows up as upcoming in Spotify for Artists. As soon as it appears, submit your editorial pitch — aim for two weeks ahead rather than scraping in at the seven-day minimum, since extra lead time only helps. In that same window, begin reaching out to independent curators, and consider setting up a Spotify pre-save so early demand is locked in before release day, because curators’ lists fill up and many like to schedule additions around or shortly after release day.
What not to do
- Don’t buy “guaranteed” placements or streams. Fake plays can get your track flagged or pulled.
- Don’t mass-blast identical pitches. Curators ignore copy-paste spam.
- Don’t pitch after release for editorial — the window is pre-release only.
Personalise every curator pitch
Independent curators get flooded with lazy submissions, so a little effort stands out. Listen to the playlist first and reference it specifically — say why your song fits the vibe and sits well next to the other tracks. Keep the message short: a line about who you are, one sentence on why it belongs there, and a single link. Don’t attach files, don’t write paragraphs, and don’t follow up aggressively. A curator who places you once will often do so again, so treat each submission as the start of a relationship rather than a one-time ask. Quality and relevance beat volume every time — the same mindset that underpins how you promote your music everywhere else.
Make the submission easy to say yes to
A complete profile, good artwork, and a ready EPK make curators trust you. Just as important, the track has to hold up beside professional releases, so finish it properly — a clean, competitive master goes a long way. After release, focus on the signals that grow you further in getting more streams on Spotify.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I actually submit my song to Spotify?
Inside Spotify for Artists. You claim your profile, select an unreleased track, and pitch it to the editorial team at least seven days before release. There’s no separate website for editorial submissions.
Can I submit a song that’s already released?
Not for editorial pitching — that window is pre-release only. For already-live tracks you can still pitch independent curators directly or through submission platforms.
How many tracks can I submit per release?
One. You pitch a single track per release through Spotify for Artists, so choose the song with the best shot at the playlists you’re targeting.
Does pitching guarantee I’ll be added to a playlist?
No. Editorial placement is competitive and most pitches aren’t selected, but pitching still matters because it makes your track eligible for algorithmic lists like Release Radar and signals your release details to Spotify. Treat editorial as a bonus and build your plan around independent curators, your own audience, and a strong release rather than relying on a single placement.
How long does it take to hear back?
You usually won’t get an explicit yes or no for editorial. If you’re placed, you’ll see it on or shortly after release day in your Spotify for Artists stats, where the playlist source is listed. Independent curators vary — some reply within days, others not at all — which is why steady, personalised outreach to several curators works better than waiting on any one of them.
