10 Playlist Curators You Should Submit Your Music To
As an independent musician, I know firsthand the struggle of getting your music heard in today’s oversaturated digital landscape. Like many of you, I’ve spent countless hours perfecting my tracks, only to face the daunting challenge of promotion. The thought of shelling out hard-earned cash for ads that might not even reach the right audience can be disheartening. That’s why I’ve turned to playlist curators as a cost-effective alternative to boost my music’s visibility.
Playlist curators have become the unsung heroes of music discovery, acting as gatekeepers to some of the most influential playlists on streaming platforms. Getting your track on the right playlist can be a game-changer, potentially exposing your music to thousands of new listeners without breaking the bank. In my journey to find the best ways to promote my music, I’ve discovered several playlist curators that offer fantastic opportunities for independent artists like us.
In this article, I’ll share my top 10 picks for the best playlist curators to submit your music to. These platforms have proven track records of supporting emerging artists and have helped many musicians, including myself, gain traction in the competitive music industry.
1. Tunemunk
Tunemunk is a free platform that connects independent artists with playlist curators across various genres. Artists can submit their tracks to multiple playlists simultaneously through Tunemunk’s streamlined submission process. The platform features a diverse range of curators, allowing musicians to target playlists that best fit their style and audience. Tunemunk’s user-friendly interface makes it easy for artists to manage their submissions and track their progress. By leveraging Tunemunk’s network of curators, independent musicians can increase their chances of playlist placement and gain valuable exposure to new listeners.
2. Playlist Curator
Playlist Curator stands out as one of the most prominent online playlist curators, offering a diverse range of carefully crafted playlists across various themes and moods. This platform takes pride in its meticulous approach to playlist curation, combining musical expertise with technological insights to create engaging and high-quality listening experiences. Their team of experienced curators continuously explores new releases, emerging artists, and timeless classics across multiple genres, ensuring that each playlist maintains thematic coherence while introducing listeners to fresh, exciting content.
One of Playlist Curator’s key features is its openness to submissions from artists. The platform welcomes musicians to submit their tracks for consideration, providing an opportunity for emerging talent to gain exposure. However, the submission process is rigorous, with each track undergoing careful evaluation based on strict criteria to maintain the high standards expected by their listeners. This approach ensures that only the most suitable and high-quality tracks make it onto their popular playlists.
Playlist Curator offers its curated collections on major streaming platforms, including YouTube Music, Spotify, and SoundCloud, making it easily accessible to a wide audience. The platform boasts an impressive array of themed playlists, ranging from “Songs About the Sun and Sunshine” to more niche topics like “Songs About Codependency” and “Songs About Bees”. This variety caters to different moods, occasions, and musical preferences, ensuring that there’s something for everyone in their extensive library.
3. SongRocket
SongRocket offers a unique approach to playlist pitching, focusing on simplicity and efficiency for artists. Founded by a music industry veteran, SongRocket aims to streamline the often complex process of submitting music to playlist curators. With a budget-friendly starting point of just $6 USD, artists can initiate a pitch campaign in minutes by uploading their track information and selecting from an extensive list of musical genres. SongRocket boasts a network of over 170 curators with a combined following of more than 11 million listeners, providing artists with significant potential for exposure. The platform’s artist-centric approach and carefully vetted curator network make it an attractive option for musicians looking to expand their reach on Spotify.
4. SpinGrey
SpinGrey is an independent playlist curator that focuses on promoting emerging artists and helping them gain exposure. The platform operates through a Patreon-based system, allowing 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. SpinGrey maintains a collection of curated playlists on Spotify, covering various genres and moods.
Additionally, SpinGrey leverages social media platforms like Instagram to share updates about their playlists and new releases, creating an additional channel for artist promotion. By submitting to SpinGrey, artists can tap into a dedicated community of music enthusiasts and potentially reach a wider audience.
5. MySphera
MySphera is a platform that connects independent artists with playlist curators, facilitating music discovery and promotion. The service allows independent playlist curators to showcase their playlists, while artists can submit their music for consideration. MySphera’s system likely uses an algorithm to match artists with relevant curators based on genre, style, and other factors. This approach streamlines the submission process and increases the chances of artists finding suitable playlists for their music. By creating a diverse ecosystem of playlists catering to various genres and niches, MySphera offers opportunities for both emerging and established artists to gain exposure.
6. iMusician
iMusician is primarily a digital music distribution service that also offers playlist pitching capabilities. Artists who distribute their music through iMusician gain access to their playlist submission tool, allowing them to browse curated playlists across genres and submit tracks directly to playlist owners. While submissions are free, artists must have their music distributed through iMusician to use this feature. Playlist owners review submissions and add tracks they find suitable. Although iMusician doesn’t guarantee placements, it provides a direct connection to curators, increasing the chances of getting featured. Additionally, iMusician offers a range of other services, including mastering, promotion, and monetization tools, making it a comprehensive platform for independent musicians and labels.
7. Rizing Playlists
Rizing Playlists is a well-regarded independent playlist curator that accepts music submissions across multiple streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and YouTube Music. The platform focuses on promoting independent and emerging artists, offering them opportunities to gain exposure through carefully curated playlists. Rizing Playlists covers a wide range of genres, including Pop, R&B, Rock, and Hip-Hop, catering to diverse musical tastes. Artists can submit their tracks directly through the Rizing Playlists website, making the submission process straightforward and accessible. By featuring emerging talent in their playlists, Rizing Playlists not only helps artists increase their visibility but also provides listeners with a platform to discover exciting new music. For independent artists looking to grow their fanbase and increase their streaming numbers, Rizing Playlists offers a valuable opportunity to reach a wider audience.
8. Indiemono
Indiemono is a popular playlist curator known for its focus on independent and emerging artists across various genres. Founded in 2015, Indiemono has grown to become one of the most influential independent playlist networks on Spotify. The platform curates multiple playlists, each with a specific genre or mood, allowing artists to find the perfect fit for their music. Indiemono’s submission process is straightforward, typically requiring artists to submit their tracks through a designated form or email. With a combined following of over 500,000 listeners across their playlists, Indiemono offers significant exposure potential for independent musicians. The curator’s commitment to discovering and promoting fresh talent has made it a go-to platform for artists looking to expand their reach on Spotify.
9. Submit Hub
SubmitHub is a comprehensive platform that connects artists with playlist curators, music bloggers, record labels, and radio stations. Founded in 2015 by Jason Grishkoff, SubmitHub has become one of the most widely used services for music submissions. The platform offers both free and premium options for artists. With the premium option, artists can submit their tracks to a vast network of curators and industry professionals, receiving guaranteed feedback within 48 hours. SubmitHub’s transparent system allows artists to see detailed statistics about each curator, including their acceptance rates and average response times. This data-driven approach helps artists make informed decisions about where to submit their music. With over 1,000 active curators and industry professionals on the platform, SubmitHub provides artists with numerous opportunities for playlist placement and industry exposure.
10. Daily Playlists
Daily Playlists is a unique platform that combines playlist curation with a community-driven approach. The service allows both artists and music fans to submit tracks to various genre-specific playlists. What sets Daily Playlists apart is its voting system, where community members can listen to and vote on submitted tracks. Songs that receive enough votes are then added to the corresponding playlist. This democratic process ensures that the most popular tracks among listeners make it onto the playlists. Daily Playlists covers a wide range of genres, from indie rock to electronic dance music, providing opportunities for artists across different styles. The platform’s community-driven model not only helps artists gain exposure but also engages music fans in the curation process, creating a dynamic and interactive environment for music discovery.