What kinds of playlists Spotify has
Getting on a playlist is the main source of new listeners on Spotify, but playlists differ, and the path into each is its own. There are three types: editorial (built by Spotify's in-house curators), algorithmic (assembled by the system personally for each listener — Discover Weekly, Release Radar, Radio) and user/independent ones (run by bloggers, communities and regular listeners). The strategy differs for each.
How to get on editorial playlists
This is the most coveted but also the most competitive type. The only official way is pitching through Spotify for Artists:
- Prepare the release at least 7 days before the drop (better 3–4 weeks).
- In Spotify for Artists select the unreleased track and tap "Pitch a Song".
- Fill in the form: genre, mood, instruments, the story of the track.
- Submit the pitch — the curator team will see it.
Even if you don't make an editorial playlist, the pitch itself helps: Spotify understands your track better and places it more accurately in algorithmic selections.
How algorithmic playlists work
Discover Weekly, Release Radar and Radio are built automatically based on listener behavior. To get there a track needs strong signals in the first days: full listens, adds to personal playlists and libraries, repeat plays. The algorithm notices a track people don't skip and starts pushing it to a similar audience. That's exactly why the first days after release are critical.
Independent playlists and curators
Besides Spotify, thousands of playlists are run by independent curators. Find selections in your genre, contact their owners and offer your track. Important: beware of those who guarantee placement for money and promise "thousands of streams" — these are often bot playlists that Spotify punishes, up to removing the track. Work only with real themed selections.
What boosts the chances of placement
Curators and algorithms look at a track's momentum. The more actively it's listened to and saved in the first days, the higher the chance selections pick it up. Ramping up the starting signals is helped by Spotify promotion: the first streams and listeners tell the algorithm the track is interesting and raise the chance of landing in Discover Weekly and Release Radar. After that the selections work on their own. More on promotion in our article on uploading a track to Spotify.