As a guitarist who’s just poured my heart and soul into creating new music, I know firsthand how daunting it can be to get your tracks out there. You’ve spent countless hours perfecting your riffs, fine-tuning your lyrics, and polishing your production, but now comes the real challenge: getting people to actually listen to your music. That’s where playlist curators come in, and let me tell you, they can be absolute game-changers for independent artists like us.
I’ve been on this journey for a while now, and I’ve learned that getting your music on the right playlists can make all the difference. It’s not just about boosting your streaming numbers (though that’s definitely a nice perk); it’s about connecting with listeners who genuinely appreciate your sound. But with so many curators out there, it can be overwhelming to know where to start.
That’s why I’ve put together this list of the 10 best playlist curators to submit your music to. These platforms have proven track records of supporting independent artists and helping them reach new audiences. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, these curators offer opportunities to get your music in front of the right ears.
1. Playlist Push
Playlist Push is a leading platform that connects independent artists with playlist curators across various streaming platforms. This service offers a unique approach to music promotion by allowing artists to submit their tracks directly to a network of curators who manage playlists with substantial followings. Playlist Push carefully vets its curators to ensure quality and authenticity, providing artists with a higher chance of getting their music featured on relevant playlists. The platform also offers detailed analytics and feedback from curators, helping artists understand how their music is being received and where they can improve.
2. Playlist Curator
Playlist Curator stands out as a prominent and professional playlist curation service, offering a diverse range of carefully crafted playlists across major streaming platforms like Spotify, YouTube Music, and SoundCloud. Founded by Serena Whitfield, a musician with a distinguished background in music from the University of Oxford, the platform prides itself on its meticulous approach to playlist creation.
At the heart of Playlist Curator’s mission is a commitment to human-driven curation. Unlike many services that rely on algorithms, their team, including professional guitarist Jasper Clarke, personally listens to and evaluates thousands of songs before selecting the best ones for their playlists. This hands-on approach ensures that each playlist maintains a high standard of quality and thematic coherence, catering to various moods, occasions, and musical preferences.
The platform boasts an impressive reach, with over 100,000 followers across more than 500 actively curated playlists. Playlist Curator offers a wide array of themed collections, from uplifting “Songs About the Sun and Sunshine” to introspective “Songs About Codependency,” ensuring there’s something for every listener. They regularly update their playlists with fresh tracks, maintaining the core essence of each collection while introducing listeners to new and exciting music.
For artists looking to submit their music, Playlist Curator provides a straightforward submission process. They carefully consider each submission, applying strict criteria to ensure that selected tracks align with the playlist themes and meet their high-quality standards. While they receive hundreds of submissions monthly, their commitment to personal evaluation means that each track gets a fair chance at inclusion.
3. Indiemono
Indiemono stands out as a valuable resource for independent artists looking to boost their streaming figures legitimately. This platform offers a free submission tool that allows indie musicians to get their music in front of playlist curators who are actively seeking new talent. Indiemono’s focus on indie music makes it an ideal choice for emerging artists in alternative, rock, and experimental genres. The platform’s user-friendly interface and straightforward submission process make it accessible to artists at any stage of their career, from newcomers to established indie acts looking to expand their reach.
4. SoundCampaign
SoundCampaign is an innovative music promotion platform that bridges the gap between artists and playlist curators worldwide. This service allows artists to submit their music to a diverse network of curators across different genres, increasing their chances of playlist placement. SoundCampaign’s unique feature is its reward system for curators, which incentivizes them to explore and add new music to their playlists. The platform also provides artists with valuable feedback and analytics, helping them track the performance of their campaigns and refine their promotion strategies. With its user-friendly interface and comprehensive approach to music promotion, SoundCampaign has become a go-to resource for artists looking to expand their audience and increase their Spotify streams.
5. Soundplate
Soundplate is a music promotion platform that offers a unique approach to connecting artists with playlist curators. This free service allows independent musicians to submit their tracks directly to a diverse network of Spotify playlist curators. Soundplate’s user-friendly interface makes it easy for artists to discover playlists by genre and submit their music for consideration. One of the platform’s standout features is its commitment to supporting independent curators, helping them grow their followings and increase their influence in the music industry. By requiring artists to follow curators’ playlists and profiles before submitting, Soundplate creates a mutually beneficial ecosystem that supports both emerging artists and independent tastemakers.
6. Submit Hub
SubmitHub has established itself as a leading platform for music submissions since its founding in 2015. The service connects artists with a wide range of curators, including playlist owners, bloggers, and record labels. SubmitHub operates on a credit system, offering both free standard credits and paid premium credits. Premium submissions guarantee a response within 48 hours and have a higher approval rate of 18% compared to 5% for standard submissions. The platform’s transparency is noteworthy, providing artists with detailed statistics on curator preferences and feedback. SubmitHub also offers additional features like the “Hot or Not” section, where artists can rate each other’s music and earn free premium credits, and a landing page builder called “SubmitHub Links”.
7. Daily Playlists
Daily Playlists is a music promotion and marketing platform designed to simplify the submission process for independent artists. The platform offers both free and paid tiers, with the Artist Pro tier providing access to an automated submission system and other exclusive features. Daily Playlists stands out for its user-friendly approach, allowing artists to easily submit their tracks to multiple playlists with just a few clicks. The platform refreshes free Standard Submissions weekly, giving artists regular opportunities to reach new curators. Additionally, Daily Playlists offers a unique feature called Track Explorer, which allows community members to provide feedback on submitted songs, potentially leading to more exposure and real streams. With its focus on independent artists and curators, Daily Playlists aims to create a supportive environment for music discovery and promotion.
8. 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 and emerging artists. This platform serves as a valuable resource for both musicians and music enthusiasts alike, offering music reviews, curated Spotify playlists, and helpful music promotion tips. The blog’s team consists of writers from various countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, providing a diverse perspective on the indie music scene. For the Love of Bands primarily concentrates on genres such as Indie, Rock, Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Punk, Reggae, Acoustic, Alternative, Americana, Garage, Shoegaze/Dream Pop, Ska, and Surf.
9. Rizing Playlists
Rizing Playlists is a Denmark-based Spotify playlist curator that has gained significant traction in the music industry. With over 177,000 followers across 29 playlists, Rizing Playlists covers a wide range of contemporary music styles, including Pop, Indie, Rave, Rap, and Classical. The curator is particularly dedicated to uncovering promising up-and-coming artists, making it an ideal platform for independent musicians looking to expand their listenership. Artists interested in being considered for one of Rizing Playlists’ frequently-updated playlists can submit their music through an online submission form. Rizing Playlists also maintains an active presence on various social media platforms, with a substantial following on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
10. SpinGrey
SpinGrey is a playlist curation service that offers artists the opportunity to submit their music for consideration on their curated Spotify playlists. What sets SpinGrey apart is its Patreon-based system, which allows artists to submit their music with priority to SpinGrey’s playlists and social channels. This approach provides a more direct line of communication between artists and curators, potentially increasing the chances of playlist inclusion. SpinGrey maintains a collection of curated playlists on Spotify, covering various genres and moods, giving artists the opportunity to find playlists that best fit their musical style. Additionally, SpinGrey leverages Instagram to share updates about their playlists and new releases, creating an additional channel for artist promotion and engagement with their audience.