With competition for playlist placement at an all-time high, every action counts when it comes to engaging curators and tastemakers.
A 2018 report detailing consumer trends in the music business found that more people than ever are turning to the internet for music discovery. While a strong percentage of consumers still find new music through radio, there are more artists being found through streaming services such as Spotify and YouTube than any station could ever hope to showcase.
To be blunt: If you want to succeed in the music business today you absolutely need to have a presence on influential playlists.
The problem is, that if you know you need playlists, then everyone else knows that to be true as well. There are far more artists hoping to be discovered than influential playlist curators capable of showcasing their music. The competition is fierce, which means you only have a few moments to grab someone’s attention and make them take an interest in your music.
In this episode of Music Biz 101, host James Shotwell reveals the most common mistake musicians make when pitching playlist curators. Check it out:
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One of the most sought-after rock playlist curators on Spotify reveals the error many musicians make when pitching them music.
We’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: Playlists are the new mixtapes. Playlists are also the new radio. More people are discovering and developing a deep appreciation for emerging talent through playlists than any other music platform, and that trend shows no signs of stopping or slowing anytime soon. If you want to make it, you need playlists.
Recently, we shared a list of must-have contacts for rock playlist and pop playlist curators. The response has been great, but we’ve been hearing from playlist makers that not all pitches are the same. Several artists have been shut out of playlist opportunities altogether because they make a single mistake, and when the competition is fierce, that mistake can make all the difference.
Jesea Lee, playlist curator and High Road Publicity team member, has been inundated with requests for placement on his many playlists in recent weeks. The one thing that turns him away from an artist’s music above all else is specificity.
“If you’re sending your music to a playlist curator, always send a link to the song you’re pushing, NOT a link to the entire album or Spotify profile. If you do send a link to the entire album, make sure to mention which track is the priority.”
Curators like Jesea receive hundreds of submissions a week (some get that in a day), and you cannot expect them to listen to an entire album to find a track they like enough to add to their playlist. If you want them to give your music a chance, make it as easy as possible for them. If they do like the track, then they can easily find the rest of your music from that first song link.
To be clear, simplicity and focus should be the goal of every pitch. Know what you’re promoting and why it would be a good fit for the playlist you’re pitching. Give the person you’re pitching everything they need to understand why your song is deserving of placement. That won’t guarantee inclusion, but it will make success more likely.
It’s that time of year when everyone starts discussing the best releases of the year. 2016, not unlike the last two to three years before it, has been packed with fantastic releases too numerous to count. To think anyone could possibly have heard everything worthwhile release this year – or any year – is insane. There is simply too much content and nowhere near enough time to hear and experience everything in a meaningful way. We wish we had a solution, but we do not. We do, however, have the next best thing.
Allow us to introduce The Playlist Club. This site is our attempt at further engaging our audience through the timeless tradition of sharing music and the stories that give them meaning in our lives. Each week The Playlist Club will post playlists and stories from readers just like you. It’s like walking a mile in someone else’s shoes, only now you have a soundtrack to round out the experience.
This club is open to everyone. Please invite your friends.
You should know now that we rely on Spotify to collect and share these playlists. Nothing against people who use Apple Music, Tidal, or Amazon, but with more than 40 million users Spotify is by and large the biggest music streaming service on the planet. You can try it for free if you have yet to do so (and no — they did no pay me to say that.)
Music is a crazy thing. Like photographs, songs and albums often serve as time machines that allow us to return to places, ages, and experiences that have long since past. My hope is that this community will make it possible for people to get a glimpse of the world as heard and experienced by others living lives completely different than their own.
Music connects us all, yet so much of why we love it based on connections wholly unique to our individual experiences. By sharing playlists and the ideas or memories attached through them we are able to create a modern twist on the idea of walking a mile in someone else’s shoes, and maybe — just maybe—it will have a positive impact on those who participate.
Here’s what we’re going to do:
This site will serve as a hub for all stories and playlists. New additions and any updates related to the community will be shared through this platform, as well as through the site’s official Twitter account.
The goal right now is to share 1–2 playlists a week, along with an essay from the person who created it explaining the motivation behind their curation. If there is a demand for more I am open to posting more. These entries can be as long or as brief as the curator desires, but creativity is encouraged. If you want to make a list of songs that got you through college and some insight into those experiences — cool. If you want to share a collection of songs you connect with a specific person, place, or time — cool as well. If you want to curate a list of songs you believe the Conehead family would listen to if they were to land on Earth in 2016 — Please for the love of all that is holy make that happen.
Create a playlist based on an idea, memory, place, person, etc. using Spotify.
Write a description/essay for your playlist and submit it — along with a link to your Spotify playlist — to this publication. If you need a guide for using Medium — Click here. If you have problems with your submission or need further assistance you can tweet us directly and we will make sure your submission is seen.
All submissions will be reviewed and scheduled for release in a timely manner. Curators will be notified whether or not their submission has been accepted within 72 hours of submission.
