How to Find and Pitch Spotify Playlist Curators (2026)

Open any mid-sized playlist in your genre and read the line under the title. Often there is an email address, a form link or an Instagram handle sitting right there. That line leads to one person who picks every song on the list. Spotify's editors pick a small share of new releases, and the algorithm waits for listening data before it pushes a track. Independent curators sit in between. They read pitches, they answer email, and many add songs from artists nobody has heard of yet.

This guide covers where curator contacts live, how to check that a curator is real, and what to send. It ends with two templates you can copy and a short FAQ.

Three kinds of Spotify playlists

Spotify playlists fall into three groups, and each one has a different way in. Editorial playlists belong to Spotify's own team. Algorithmic playlists, like Discover Weekly and Release Radar, are built for each listener by software. Independent playlists are run by people: bloggers, labels, DJs, fans and small media brands.

You reach editors only through Spotify for Artists. You can pitch one unreleased song at a time. Spotify also gives a clear reason to pitch at least a week early.

"If you pitch an unreleased song at least 7 days before release, we'll add it to your followers' Release Radar playlists."

– Spotify for Artists, Pitching music to playlist editors

Algorithmic playlists react to how people listen, so you cannot pitch them at all. Independent curators are the only group you can contact directly, and they are the subject of this guide.

Where curator contacts actually live

Most curators leave a way to reach them, but it is rarely in one place. Start on the playlist page in Spotify. The description often holds an email address, a submission link or an Instagram handle.

If the description is empty, open the curator's Spotify profile and look for a linked name. Search that name on Instagram, then check the bio and its link page. Many curators also run a small website or a submission form. A few accept music only through paid platforms, and that choice is theirs to make.

The table below shows where to look, in the order that usually works fastest.

Start at the top and move down only when a step comes up empty.

Write down what you find in a simple sheet. You need four columns to start: playlist name, curator name, contact route and genre. Our free playlist curator finder helps with the first pass if you want to search by genre.

Check the curator is real before you pitch

Some playlists look large but are filled with bot streams. A placement on one of them can do more harm than good. Spotify can remove streams it sees as artificial, and a distributor can take the track down. Ten minutes of checks per playlist will save you from most of this.

Look at these signs on each playlist before you add it to your list:

• The follower count grows in a steady line, with no sudden jumps of thousands in a day.
• The songs fit one genre or mood instead of a random mix.
• The playlist was updated in the last few weeks.
• The curator has a public profile somewhere outside Spotify, with real posts and comments.
• The curator does not promise a set number of streams in return for money.

If a playlist fails two or more of these checks, leave it off your list. A shorter list of real curators gets better results than a long list with fake ones.

Build a shortlist that fits your genre

Curators ignore pitches that do not fit their playlist. A melodic techno track sent to a lo-fi study playlist will not get a reply, however good it is. Before you write a single email, listen to the last ten songs each curator added.

Aim for 20 to 40 playlists per release that sit close to your sound. Group them by size: a few large ones, more mid-sized ones, and a long tail of small ones. Small playlists often answer faster and add more often. Their listeners also tend to save songs, and saves help the algorithm notice your track.

If you do not have time to build the list by hand, our playlist curator contacts are sorted by genre and checked before each update. You can get a free sample to see the format first.

The pitch email

Curators read pitches on their phones, often in batches. Keep yours short enough to read without scrolling. Use the curator's name and the playlist's name, and say in one line why your track fits.

Here is a template you can adapt:

Subject: [Song title] for [Playlist name]

Hi [Curator name],

I'm [artist name], a [genre] artist from [city]. I've been listening to [Playlist name], and [one specific song they added] is close to the sound of my new single.

"[Song title]" comes out on [date]. Spotify link: [link]

If it fits the playlist, I'd be glad to see it there. Either way, thanks for listening.

[Name]
[Instagram or website]

Send a private link or the Spotify link, never an MP3 attachment. Do not paste the full press release. If you want variations for different curators, the pitch email generator writes a first draft from your track details.

How to follow up

Most curators get more pitches than they can answer. One polite follow-up is normal and often works. Send it seven to ten days after the first email, in the same thread.

Hi [Curator name], just checking you had a chance to hear "[Song title]". It's out now: [link]. No pressure if it's not a fit. Thanks again.

After one follow-up, stop. If the curator adds the song, send a short thank-you and share the playlist on your own channels. Curators remember artists who send listeners their way.

When to pitch

Timing matters more than most artists expect. Curators plan updates ahead, and many refresh their playlists once a week. Start your outreach two to four weeks before release day.

A simple timeline looks like this:

• Four weeks before: finish the master, artwork and private link. Build your curator sheet.
• Three weeks before: pitch Spotify editors through Spotify for Artists.
• Two to three weeks before: send pitches to independent curators.
• Release week: send follow-ups with the live link.
• Two weeks after: thank curators who added the song and note who replied.

The release plan tool builds this timeline from your release date, so you get dates instead of a generic checklist.

Submission platforms or direct email

Submission platforms charge a fee per pitch and guarantee that a curator will listen. They save time, and some curators only accept music that way. The downside is cost per release and less room to build a relationship.

Direct email costs nothing per pitch, and a curator who likes your track can reply to you personally. It takes more time to find contacts and check them. Many artists use both: platforms for curators who require them, and email for everyone else.

Whichever route you use, avoid any service that promises a fixed number of streams. Spotify puts it in one line.

"Paid 3rd-party services that guarantee streams aren't legitimate."

– Spotify for Artists, Third-party services that guarantee streams

Pay for access to a curator's attention, never for a result.

Track replies and adds

Keep your curator sheet after each release. Add columns for date sent, reply, added or not, and date added. After two or three releases, you will see which curators answer and which never do.

This record also helps with the next release. You can write to curators who added you before and skip those who never replied. Over time, the list gets shorter and the reply rate goes up.

Tools that help

Three free DemoPool tools cover the slow parts of this process. The playlist curator finder searches by genre, and the pitch email generator writes a first draft. The release plan tool turns your release date into a dated plan. Edit what they give you so it sounds like you.

Sources and further reading

These pages back up the rules quoted in this guide. Spotify updates them from time to time, so check them before each release.

• Spotify for Artists: Pitching music to playlist editors
• Spotify for Artists: Third-party services that guarantee streams
• Spotify for Artists: Artificial streaming
• Spotify for Artists: Source of streams

Keep these links next to your curator sheet.