In the ever-evolving music industry, playlist curators have emerged as influential gatekeepers, shaping the way listeners discover new artists and tracks. With the rise of streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, playlists have become a powerful tool for independent artists to gain exposure and reach new audiences.
However, navigating the vast landscape of playlist curators can be a daunting task, especially for emerging talents.
This article aims to shed light on the top 11 playlist curators that independent artists should consider submitting their music to. From platforms dedicated to rising artists to established music blogs and premium services, these curators offer diverse opportunities for musicians to showcase their talents and connect with listeners worldwide.
1. Playlist Curator
Playlist Curator is a prominent online platform dedicated to curating and distributing music playlists across major streaming services like Spotify, YouTube Music, and SoundCloud. With a diverse range of curated playlists spanning various themes and genres, Playlist Curator aims to provide listeners with a comprehensive music discovery experience tailored to their moods and preferences.
Playlist Curator maintains a meticulous curation process to ensure the quality and relevance of their playlists. Artists can submit their music to Playlist Curator through a dedicated submission form on the platform’s website. The team at Playlist Curator carefully listens to each submission and evaluates it against strict criteria, assessing its suitability for inclusion in their popular playlists.
Once a submission is accepted, the artist’s track is added to the relevant playlists, which are available on Playlist Curator’s website and major streaming platforms.
To enhance the user experience, Playlist Curator allows listeners to create accounts and bookmark their favorite playlists, enabling them to access their curated music selections conveniently whenever they desire. This feature fosters a personalized listening experience and encourages audience engagement with the platform’s offerings.
2. SoundCampaign
SoundCampaign is a music promotion platform that connects artists with curators who can add their music to playlists on streaming services like Spotify.
SoundCampaign allows artists to run paid “campaigns” to submit their music to curators. Artists create a campaign, select genres/moods, and set a budget. SoundCampaign then matches the submission to relevant curators.
Curators review the submissions and provide feedback. If they like the song, they can add it to one of their playlists. Artists only pay if their music gets added to a playlist.
SoundCampaign curators have playlists with real, engaged followers on Spotify and other platforms. The platform claims to weed out playlists with fake/bot followers.
3. SubmitHub
SubmitHub is one of the largest and most popular platforms for artists to submit their music to bloggers, playlisters, influencers and more.
Artists upload their music and browse through available blogs, playlists, and influencers on SubmitHub. They can submit their music to relevant curators along with a pitch.
SubmitHub operates on a credit-based system. Artists can use free credits (limited) or purchase “premium” credits to have their submission prioritized.
Curators review submissions and can approve or reject them. If approved, the curator will blog about, playlist or promote the artist’s music based on what they curate.
SubmitHub provides data on curators’ follower counts and recent approvals to help artists decide who to submit to.
4. iMusician
iMusician is a digital music distribution service that also offers playlist promotion through curator connections.
After distributing music through iMusician, artists can opt to run a “SoundCampaign” to pitch their release to iMusician’s network of playlist curators.
The curators review submissions that match the genres/moods of their playlists. If they want to add a song, the artist is charged a fee.
iMusician vets the curators to ensure they have legitimate playlists with real followers on Spotify and other platforms.
In addition to playlisting, iMusician provides other promotional services like YouTube monetization and an artist hub for optimizing releases.
5. Daily Playlists
Daily Playlists is a platform that allows artists to easily submit their music to curators for playlist consideration.
Artists can submit songs for free directly to curators on Daily Playlists. The platform has over 3,000 curators with 18,000+ playlists spanning 90+ genres.
Curators browse submissions matching their playlist’s genre/mood and can approve songs they want to add to their playlists.
Daily Playlists has a free tier that allows unlimited submissions, as well as paid tiers with additional promotion features.
The platform vets curators to ensure they have legitimate, engaged playlists before allowing them to receive submissions.
6. SongRocket
SongRocket is a playlist pitching service that connects artists with playlist curators across streaming platforms.
After signing up, artists can submit their songs directly to SongRocket’s network of over 170 curators with a combined 11 million listeners.
SongRocket’s curators have playlists on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and other services. They browse submissions matching their playlist’s genre.
If a curator wants to add a song to their playlist, the artist is charged a fee starting at $5 per playlist.
SongRocket focuses on vetting high-quality curators with legitimate playlists and engaged followers to maximize the impact for artists.
The platform provides transparency into curators’ playlist details to help artists decide who to submit to.
7. Rizing Playlists
Rizing Playlists is a platform that curates music playlists on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and YouTube Music. It aims to provide a home for independent rising artists, offering a space where listeners can discover unique and emerging musical talents.
Artists can submit their music to Rizing Playlists through a submission form available on their website. The submission process is straightforward and adheres strictly to the terms and conditions of Spotify and other digital streaming platforms, ensuring no payola or direct paid placements are involved.
Once a track is submitted, it undergoes a thorough review by the editorial team, who evaluate its suitability for inclusion in their playlists. If a track is accepted, the artist is notified via email. Rizing Playlists encourages artists to familiarize themselves with the type of music featured on their playlists before submitting to increase their chances of being selected.
8. Playlist Push
Playlist Push is a premium service that connects independent artists with Spotify playlist curators. It boasts a network of over 4,000 playlists and is designed to help artists gain exposure by getting their music added to relevant playlists.
Artists start by creating a campaign on the Playlist Push platform, where they provide details about their music and target audience. The platform uses an AI-powered algorithm to match the artist’s song with the most suitable playlists based on genre and other criteria. Curators who meet Playlist Push’s strict vetting standards review the submitted tracks and decide whether to add them to their playlists.
Curators are compensated for each review, with payments ranging from $1.25 to $15 per song, depending on their Reputation Score, which is influenced by the number of followers and active listeners on their playlists. This system ensures that only high-quality playlists are part of the network, providing valuable exposure for the artists.
9. Tunemunk
Tunemunk is a free platform designed to connect playlist curators with artists. It allows artists to submit their music to various playlists, helping them gain followers and increase their exposure.
To use Tunemunk, playlist curators first submit their playlists to the platform. Artists can then follow these playlists and submit their tracks for consideration. The submission process requires artists to follow both the curator’s playlist and a default Tunemunk playlist. This ensures that the curators receive genuine engagement from the artists.
Tunemunk does not permit any form of payola, and curators are not allowed to charge artists for playlist placements. The platform is supported by minimal advertising, making it a cost-effective option for both curators and artists.
The playlists are featured on the site based on the number of views their submission gates receive, promoting the most popular and active playlists.
10. For the Love of Bands
For the Love of Bands is an online magazine and indie music blog that focuses on discovering and promoting independent music. It covers a wide range of genres, including Indie, Rock, Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Punk, Reggae, Acoustic, Alternative, Americana, Garage, Shoegaze/Dream Pop, and Ska.
For the Love of Bands operates as both a music blog and a playlist curator. Artists can submit their music for review and potential inclusion in the blog’s playlists. The team, consisting of writers from various countries, listens to the submissions and selects tracks that fit their editorial criteria.
The blog also offers music industry tips, interviews, and monthly indie music contests, providing multiple avenues for artists to gain exposure. The focus is on showcasing the best new indie music, and the team is dedicated to supporting emerging artists by featuring their music in playlists and articles.
11. Indiemono
Indiemono is a platform that offers free music submission services for independent artists. It curates a wide range of Spotify playlists, providing a valuable opportunity for artists to get their music heard by a larger audience.
Artists can submit their music to Indiemono through a simple online form. The platform categorizes submissions into different genres or “boxes,” allowing curators to listen to tracks that fit a specific vibe.
Once a song is submitted, it is reviewed by the Indiemono team, who decide whether to add it to one of their playlists. The platform does not charge for submissions, making it accessible to all artists. Indiemono also offers additional services, such as digital distribution and label collaborations, to help artists further their careers. The focus is on providing a free and efficient way for independent artists to gain exposure and build their audience.