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Audience Plan

20 Oct 2026

Spotify Playlist Pitching: How to Pitch Your Song to Editorial Playlists

AudiencePlan

Landing a song on a Spotify editorial playlist is one of the best things that can happen to an independent release. The good news: every artist can pitch, and it costs nothing. The less good news: thousands of songs are pitched every week, so a rushed pitch is easy to overlook. This guide walks through Spotify playlist pitching step by step, so your next release gets a fair shot.

What Spotify playlist pitching actually is

Spotify for Artists lets you submit one unreleased song from each upcoming release to Spotify's editorial team. Editors listen to pitches when building playlists for genres, moods and moments. Pitching doesn't guarantee a placement, but it is the only official way to put your music directly in front of the people who curate Spotify's own playlists.

There's a second benefit many artists miss: if you pitch early enough, the song is also added to the Release Radar of your followers on release day. That alone makes pitching worth doing for every release.

Before you pitch: get the timing right

Editors need time to listen, so the biggest mistake is leaving it too late.

  1. Deliver your release to your distributor early. Aim for three to four weeks before release day. Your song needs to appear in Spotify for Artists as "upcoming" before you can pitch it.
  2. Pitch at least seven days before release. This is Spotify's minimum for editorial consideration and for Release Radar. Earlier is better.
  3. Claim your Spotify for Artists profile. If you haven't already, claim it and make sure your photo, bio and links are up to date. Editors and new listeners will both look at it.

How to pitch your song, step by step

  1. Open Spotify for Artists on desktop or mobile and go to your upcoming releases.
  2. Choose the release and select Pitch a song. Pick the track you think has the widest appeal.
  3. Fill in the details: genre, sub-genres, moods, styles, instruments, language and where the song comes from culturally. Be accurate rather than ticking every box.
  4. Write your description (more on this below).
  5. Submit. You can only pitch one song per release, so choose carefully.

What to write in your pitch

Editors read a lot of pitches. Make yours quick to understand and specific to this song.

  • Describe the sound. Tempo, mood and two or three artists it sits next to. "Late-night R&B with 90s drum programming, for fans of SZA and Brent Faiyaz" is more useful than "a unique vibe".
  • Tell the story. One or two lines on what the song is about or how it was made.
  • Share your plans. Mention your marketing: a music video, live dates, press, a paid campaign. Editors like to know a song will be supported after release.
  • Add proof of momentum. Recent growth, a sync placement or a strong past release all help. Keep it honest.

Avoid pay-for-placement playlists

Outside Spotify's own editorial team, you'll find services promising "guaranteed" playlist placements for a fee. Be careful. Some of these playlists are filled with bot traffic, which can lead to streams being removed or your releases being flagged. We explain the risks in more detail in how to promote your music on Spotify without bots.

What if you don't get picked?

Most pitches don't land on editorial playlists, and that's normal. Spotify's algorithmic playlists, like Discover Weekly, Radio and Release Radar, are driven by how real listeners react to your music. Saves, repeat listens, playlist adds and follows all send positive signals.

That's where promotion helps. Getting your song in front of the right listeners in the first weeks after release creates the engagement that algorithmic playlists respond to, and it makes your next pitch stronger too.

Spotify playlist pitching checklist

  • Release delivered to your distributor three to four weeks early
  • Spotify for Artists profile claimed and updated
  • One strong song chosen for the pitch
  • Accurate genre, mood and style tags
  • A short, specific description with your marketing plans
  • Pitch submitted at least seven days before release
  • A promotion plan ready for release week

Give your release a push

AudiencePlan runs Spotify music promotion through official ad platforms, targeted by country and genre, so the listeners you reach are real people. See every option on our pricing page, or get in touch if you'd like help planning your release.