Playlist placement can change an artist's career overnight. Here is exactly how Spotify's editorial pitching system works, what curators look for, and how to give your release the best possible chance.
For an independent artist, landing on a Spotify editorial playlist — New Music Friday, Afrobeats Hits, African Heat — can mean tens of thousands of new streams overnight. It is one of the most powerful discovery tools on the platform. But most artists have no idea how the pitching system actually works, and many waste their opportunity by pitching incorrectly.
This guide breaks down exactly how Spotify's playlist ecosystem is structured, how to submit a pitch properly, and what you can do to maximise your chances of getting added.
Before you pitch anything, you need to understand that not all Spotify playlists work the same way.
Editorial playlists are created and managed by Spotify's in-house curation team. These are the playlists that matter most for discovery — New Music Friday, Afrobeats Hits, African Heat, Radar Africa. Getting added to one of these can generate hundreds of thousands of streams. Editorial playlists are pitched through Spotify for Artists before your release date.
Algorithmic playlists are generated automatically by Spotify's recommendation engine based on listener behaviour. Discover Weekly, Release Radar, and Radio playlists fall into this category. You cannot pitch to algorithmic playlists — they respond to data. The more saves, repeat listens, and playlist adds your track gets from real listeners, the more the algorithm will push it.
Independent curator playlists are created by third-party users — bloggers, influencers, genre communities. These are not official Spotify playlists, and pitching to them is a separate process entirely. Some independent curators have massive followings; many charge for placements (which violates Spotify's terms of service — avoid pay-to-play schemes).
Spotify gives every artist with a verified Spotify for Artists account the ability to submit one unreleased song per release cycle for editorial consideration. Here is the process:
Step 1: Distribute your music with a future release date. You must submit your pitch before your song goes live. Spotify recommends pitching at least 7 days before release, but in practice, 3–4 weeks gives editors more time to consider your track. At OrinlabÍ Records, we recommend giving yourself a minimum of 4 weeks from submission to release date.
Step 2: Go to Spotify for Artists and find the pitch form. Once your release has been delivered to Spotify (but before it goes live), it will appear in the "Music" section of your Spotify for Artists dashboard. Click on the unreleased track and you will see a "Pitch to Editors" button.
Step 3: Fill out the pitch form completely. This is where most artists rush and lose their chance. The pitch form asks for:
Every field you leave blank is a missed opportunity. Spotify's editors use this information to decide which playlists — if any — your track fits.
Step 4: Submit and wait. Spotify's editors review thousands of pitches per week. Most artists hear nothing — a silence that does not mean rejection. Your track may still be added without any notification. Check your Spotify for Artists dashboard after your release date to see if any editorial playlists have picked it up.
Spotify has never published a definitive list of editorial criteria, but based on what curators have shared publicly and the patterns of which tracks get added, several factors consistently matter:
A complete and accurate artist profile. Before you pitch, make sure your Spotify for Artists profile has a bio, a profile photo, and that your social links are connected. A blank artist profile signals to curators that the artist is not actively managing their presence.
A clear genre and mood story. Editors curate playlists for specific moods and moments — workout music, late-night listening, African party anthems. The more specifically you can articulate what your song is and when people will listen to it, the easier it is for a curator to place it.
Existing momentum. If your previous releases have strong save rates and completion rates (listeners playing the song all the way through), Spotify's editors take notice. Algorithmic data informs editorial decisions. This is why building a genuine listener base before pitching matters.
Timely or culturally relevant context. If your release coincides with a cultural moment — a festival season, a film soundtrack, a public holiday — say so in your pitch. Editors actively look for music that fits what their listeners are experiencing.
Professional production quality. This one is non-negotiable. Editorial playlists represent Spotify's brand. A track with poor mastering or audio quality will not be considered regardless of how good the songwriting is.
If your track is selected for an editorial playlist, you will typically see it appear in your Spotify for Artists dashboard under "Playlists" shortly after or on your release date. You will not always receive a notification — many artists discover the placement by checking their stats.
If your track is not selected, do not be discouraged. Editorial placement is competitive, and the vast majority of tracks pitched — including those by major-label artists — are not added to editorial playlists. What matters is that you pitched correctly and gave yourself the chance.
Your track will still be considered by Spotify's algorithmic playlists based on listener behaviour. Focus on the release campaign: drive saves before release day, share pre-save links, and get your existing fans to stream and save on day one. Strong opening-week data is the signal that moves Spotify's algorithm.
Beyond Spotify's editorial system, there is a large ecosystem of independent playlist curators who accept pitches from artists. Platforms like SubmitHub, Groover, and Playlist Push connect artists with independent curators across genres.
A few important rules when approaching independent curators:
Never pay for guaranteed placement. Legitimate curators may charge a small submission fee to cover their time (SubmitHub operates this way), but any curator who guarantees placement in exchange for money is violating Spotify's terms of service. Spotify actively removes playlists that engage in pay-to-play schemes, and those streams will not count toward your chart or algorithmic data.
Target curators whose audience matches yours. A Nigerian Afrobeats artist pitching to a lo-fi study music playlist is wasting their time and the curator's. Research playlists carefully before submitting.
Personalise your pitch. Curators receive hundreds of pitches. A personal note that shows you have listened to their playlist and explains specifically why your track fits will always outperform a generic mass-submission.
When you release music through OrinlabÍ Records, our team submits a Spotify editorial pitch on your behalf as part of every release. We handle the pitch form, the genre and mood classification, and the contextual write-up — so you do not have to navigate Spotify for Artists on your own.
For artists on our distribution roster, we also maintain relationships with independent playlist curators across Afrobeats, Amapiano, Afropop, and African gospel genres, and we submit your release for consideration where it fits.
Playlist placement is never guaranteed — anyone who tells you otherwise is not being honest. But pitching correctly, on time, with the right context gives your release the best possible chance.