How to Pitch Spotify Editorial Playlists (Step by Step)
How to Pitch Spotify Editorial Playlists
To pitch Spotify's editorial playlists, deliver an unreleased song through your distributor, then open Spotify for Artists → Music → Upcoming. Pick one song and fill in every field of the pitch form (genre, mood, culture, and a written description) at least 7 days before release. It's free, open to every artist, and goes to Spotify's whole global editorial team.
Our general playlisting guide covers editorial, algorithmic, and independent playlists at a high level. This post zooms in on one thing: filling out the pitch form well, using what Spotify and its editors have said in their own words.
Key Takeaways
- Only unreleased songs can be pitched. Once a song is live, it's no longer eligible.
- One song at a time. You can pitch the next one once your pitched song goes live.
- 7 days minimum. That's also the cutoff for guaranteed delivery to your followers' Release Radar.
- Followers and monthly listeners "don't factor into" editors' decisions, according to Spotify's editors.
- Every pitch goes to the global editorial team. Specific location and cultural details help local editors find you.
- Never leave the description blank. Editors ask for the who, what, why, when, where, and how.
Who can pitch to Spotify editorial playlists?
Anyone with Admin or Editor access to the artist's Spotify for Artists profile, for songs where the artist is a main artist. From Spotify's pitching rules:
- You can't pitch compilations or songs where you're only a featured artist
- Anyone with Admin or Editor access can view and edit the pitch
- Labels can make a pitch "label-only." Artists then see the pitch exists but can't edit or view details like genre, mood, and culture tags
Distributor doesn't matter. Spotify's editors have said: "We don't look at distribution information when listening to new pitches."
When should I pitch my song to Spotify?
As early as you can, and never later than 7 days before release. Spotify says to "deliver your music at least 7 days before release so our editors have time to listen."
There's a practical wrinkle: your release only appears in Upcoming after your distributor delivers it, and Spotify says that can take around 48 hours. Build in a buffer:
| Days before release | What to do |
|---|---|
| 28+ | Upload to your distributor with a future release date |
| ~21-25 | Confirm the release shows in Spotify for Artists → Music → Upcoming |
| 14-21 | Draft and submit your pitch (you can still edit later) |
| 7 | Hard deadline for pitch + Release Radar delivery |
| Release day | Last chance to edit; Spotify says edits may not be seen |
If your release isn't in Upcoming, check with your distributor that it was delivered to the right artist profile. Our profile issues guide covers mismatches.
How do I fill out the Spotify pitch form, step by step?
Go field by field and be accurate rather than aspirational. Spotify's editors say "the questions you answer about your track's mood and genre are incredibly helpful in surfacing your music to editors." Here's how to approach each part.
Step 1: Choose the right song
You get one pitch per release cycle, so pick the track you'd want editors to hear first. Editors may still choose a different song from the release. Spotify notes that "our editors might pick a different song than the one you pitched."
Step 2: Song info (recording type, language, etc.)
Spotify's editors confirm there's "an option to specify what type of recording your release is" (studio or live). Live recordings can be pitched. Answer the factual questions exactly. They route the song to the right teams.
Step 3: Genre and subgenre
Pick the genre a listener would actually file it under, not the one with the biggest playlists. If you tag a dark trap song as "pop" to reach bigger playlists, it lands in front of an editor who won't program it. If your music is genuinely genre-fluid, Spotify's editors name genre-spanning playlists such as POLLEN and Lorem. Say it's genre-fluid in your description too.
Step 4: Mood, style, and instrumentation
Mood tags match songs to mood and activity playlists (focus, workout, late night). Choose the moods that describe the song's feel, not its lyrics alone. Editors say they consider musical characteristics "from bpm and tempo to song structure and key signature."
Step 5: Culture and location
Spotify's editors say pitches go to the whole global team, and "if you get specific about your location and cultural sound in your pitches it'll help the right local team discover your music." Only tag cultures that genuinely apply. Do mention your city and scene in the description.
Step 6: The description
This is the only part where your words reach an editor. Fill it in. Spotify's editors put it plainly: "we encourage you to NOT leave the note blank." They ask for:
- Who made it with you (producer, co-writers, features)
- What it's about
- Why you made it
- When and where it was made
- How: anything interesting about the process
They also say it's "especially helpful" to include press, music video plans, release schedules, and promotions, plus your linked social accounts.
Description template
[One line on the sound: genre, tempo, the hook]. Written by [names] in [city] after [specific story]. Produced by [name] using [notable detail]. Release plan: [video date], [short-form campaign], [shows], [press]. Fans of [2-3 comparable artists].
Keep it concrete. "A 92-BPM dark trap song built on a detuned church-organ sample, written in Detroit the week after our studio flooded" tells an editor far more than "an emotional banger you'll love."
Step 7: Submit, then optionally pin to This Is
If you're eligible for a This Is playlist, you can pin the pitched song. Spotify says pinning takes about 3 days once the song is live, and the song stays pinned for up to 28 days.
What do Spotify editors say doesn't matter?
Follower counts, relationships, and blog or radio coverage aren't required. From the same editor Q&A:
| Myth | What editors said |
|---|---|
| You need lots of followers or monthly listeners | "Followers and monthly listeners don't factor into our decisions." |
| You need press or radio first | "Blog write ups and radio play are not at all essential." |
| You need a relationship with an editor | "Having a relationship with anyone at Spotify is never a leg up for playlisting." |
| You need a certain song length | "Songs can be added to playlists regardless of their length." |
| You can pay for an official playlist | "You cannot pay to get on an official Spotify playlist." |
That Q&A dates from 2020. It also said that, as of February 2020, about 20% of pitched songs were placed on at least one playlist. Spotify hasn't published an updated rate, so treat that as a historical figure.
What happens after I pitch?
Nothing visible until release day. Spotify doesn't send acceptance or rejection notices, and editors told artists they can't give individual feedback because of volume. Check Music → Playlists for your song once it's live.
If you didn't get picked:
- You still got Release Radar (if you pitched 7+ days out). Push followers to it.
- You can't pitch the song again after release. Editors say they do watch data "for songs that are resonating," so build momentum and engagement.
- Pitch the next single. Each release is a fresh chance.
Spotify pitch checklist
- Release delivered 3-4 weeks early and visible in Upcoming
- Main-artist song (not compilation, not feature-only)
- Focus track chosen
- Recording type and language correct
- Honest genre + subgenre
- Moods match the sound
- Culture tags only where they genuinely apply
- Description covers who/what/why/when/where/how
- Promo plan included (video, socials, shows, press)
- Submitted 7+ days before release
- Release-day check of Playlists tab
Add it to your workflow with the free release checklist.
FAQ
Can I pitch more than one song from an EP?
Not at the same time. You can pitch one song; after it goes live, you can pitch another unreleased song.
Can I edit my pitch after submitting?
Yes, up to release day, but Spotify says there's no guarantee editors will see the changes.
Do I need a specific distributor to pitch?
No. Spotify's editors say they don't look at distribution information when listening to pitches.
Can I pitch music videos?
Yes, where available. Spotify is gradually rolling out video pitching. Song and video pitches are separate, and eligible videos can be pitched up to 7 days after release.
Should I pay someone to pitch Spotify editors for me?
No. Spotify says anyone offering placement on a playlist for money is running a manipulation service. See which pitching services to avoid.