10 Playlist Curators Who Can Help Your Music Shine

As a new songwriter, I’ve quickly learned that getting your music heard in today’s digital landscape can feel like shouting into a void. Trust me, I’ve been there – spending countless hours perfecting my tracks, only to watch them disappear into the vast ocean of online content. But here’s the game-changer I’ve discovered: playlist curators. These unsung heroes of the music world have the power to catapult your songs from obscurity to thousands of eager listeners.

After months of research, trial and error, and yes, a fair share of rejections, I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best playlist curators that every aspiring artist should know about. Whether you’re a bedroom producer like me or an established indie artist looking to expand your reach, these platforms offer a golden opportunity to get your sound in front of the right audience. 

So, grab your headphones, polish up that latest track, and let’s dive into the world of playlist submissions – your next big break might be just a curator away!

1. Soundplate

Soundplate is a versatile platform that connects artists with playlist curators across various genres. It offers a user-friendly interface where musicians can search for playlists by genre, mood, or keywords to find curators that align with their style. The submission process is straightforward and free, requiring artists to simply click the “Submit Music” button on a playlist page and enter their track details. To maintain fairness and engagement, Soundplate requires artists to follow the curator’s playlist on Spotify before submitting. This approach ensures that artists are genuinely interested in the playlists they’re submitting to, creating a more meaningful connection between artists and curators.

2. Playlist Curator

Playlist Curator is a prominent online platform dedicated to curating and distributing high-quality music playlists across various streaming services, including Spotify, YouTube Music, and SoundCloud. The platform prides itself on its meticulous approach to playlist creation, focusing on diverse themes and topics to suit a wide range of moods and occasions. Their team of experienced curators continuously explores new releases, emerging artists, and timeless classics across multiple genres to ensure a fresh and engaging listening experience for their audience.

One of the key strengths of Playlist Curator is its commitment to thematic coherence and quality control. Each playlist undergoes a rigorous evaluation process, considering factors such as production quality, lyrical content, and overall artistic merit. This attention to detail ensures that every track contributes to the overall atmosphere and narrative of the playlist, creating a cohesive and enjoyable listening experience for users. The platform also values user feedback, regularly analyzing engagement data and incorporating listener preferences to refine their offerings.

Playlist Curator offers a unique opportunity for artists to submit their music for consideration in their popular playlists. The submission process is straightforward, with artists filling out a form to have their tracks evaluated. The platform maintains strict criteria for song selection, ensuring that only high-quality tracks that align with the playlist themes are included. This approach not only maintains the integrity of their playlists but also provides a valuable platform for emerging artists to gain exposure.

The platform boasts an impressive array of themed playlists, catering to various emotions, situations, and musical preferences. Some of their most popular collections include “Songs About the Sun and Sunshine,” “Songs About Hope,” and even more niche themes like “Songs About Bees”. This diverse range of playlists ensures that listeners can always find something that resonates with their current mood or interests. Additionally, Playlist Curator regularly updates their collections, keeping the content fresh and exciting for their audience.

3. MySphera

MySphera is an innovative platform that empowers independent playlist curators to showcase their playlists to a wide audience while also connecting them with artists seeking exposure. The platform serves as a bridge between curators and musicians, facilitating music discovery and promotion. MySphera’s system likely employs an algorithm or matching mechanism to connect artists with relevant curators based on factors such as genre, style, or other musical attributes. This streamlined approach enhances the submission process, increasing the likelihood of artists finding suitable playlists for their music. By fostering a diverse ecosystem of playlists catering to various genres and niches, MySphera creates opportunities for both emerging and established artists to reach new listeners.

4. For the Love of Bands

For the Love of Bands is an indie music blog and Spotify curator based in the Netherlands, launched in 2016. The platform primarily focuses on independent music but also covers a wide range of indie, upcoming, and emerging bands and artists. With a strong presence on various social media platforms, For the Love of Bands has amassed a significant following, including over 49,000 followers on Spotify. The curator accepts submissions across multiple genres, including alternative rock, indie rock, pop punk, and singer-songwriter styles. They offer various services to artists, such as playlist additions, interviews, and detailed feedback. For the Love of Bands has a particular interest in music with authentic, catchy, and creative qualities, and they look for artists who share similarities with established acts like Foo Fighters, Ben Howard, and The Lumineers.

5. Daily Playlists

Daily Playlists is a popular platform that connects artists with playlist curators across various genres. It offers both free and premium submission options, making it accessible to artists at all levels. The platform allows musicians to submit their tracks to over 3,200 active curators managing more than 18,000 playlists. One of Daily Playlists’ standout features is its “Artist Pro” plan, which includes benefits such as pre-save tools, smart submission algorithms, and additional submission credits. The platform also offers a unique contest tool that helps artists engage with their fanbase and build excitement around new releases. Daily Playlists has helped over 260,000 artists submit their music, resulting in more than 2,900,000 successful track placements since its launch in 2018.

6. Boost Collective

Boost Collective is a platform focused on helping artists increase their exposure on Spotify through playlist placements. The service operates on a simple principle: artists submit their songs, and Boost Collective’s team of curators works to match them with appropriate playlists. One of the key advantages of Boost Collective is its quick turnaround time, aiming to add submitted tracks to playlists within 24 hours. The platform emphasizes the importance of frequent playlist updates, recommending that curators add new songs every 1-3 days or at least weekly. This approach helps keep playlists fresh and engaging for listeners. Boost Collective also offers a free-forever distribution platform, allowing artists to submit their music to curated playlists at no cost.

7. iMusician

iMusician is a music distribution and rights management service that also offers playlist submission opportunities. For playlist submissions, iMusician provides a straightforward process where artists can create a campaign for their track, set a budget, and specify the genre. The platform likely works with a network of playlist curators to help artists get their music featured on relevant playlists. While specific details about iMusician’s playlist curation service are limited in the provided search results, it’s clear that the platform aims to support independent artists in their efforts to reach a wider audience through playlist placements. iMusician’s broader services in music distribution and rights management may provide additional value to artists looking for a comprehensive solution for their music career.

8. Rizing Playlists

Rizing Playlists is a dynamic platform that curates music playlists across multiple streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and YouTube Music. Their mission is to create a welcoming space for creators and music enthusiasts alike, focusing on showcasing the best independent rising artists. Rizing Playlists aims to be a discovery hub where listeners can unearth unique musical gems across various genres. The platform likely employs a careful curation process to ensure that the featured artists align with their vision of promoting high-quality, independent music. By maintaining a presence on multiple streaming platforms, Rizing Playlists offers artists the opportunity to reach a diverse and expansive audience, potentially boosting their visibility and fanbase.

9. SongRocket

SongRocket positions itself as a competitive alternative to other music promotion platforms, offering a range of features designed to help independent artists promote their music effectively. The platform boasts industry connections with music professionals such as radio station DJs and playlist curators, ensuring that submitted music reaches the right ears. SongRocket provides a personalized service, with CEO Luk offering individual support and guidance to artists throughout the promotion process. The platform’s pricing structure is artist-friendly, starting at just $3 for a one-time submission. One of SongRocket’s standout features is its extended pitching window, giving curators up to 7 days to review submissions, compared to the 48-hour window offered by some competitors. This extended timeframe increases the chances of artist submissions being heard and considered. Additionally, SongRocket provides comprehensive reporting within 7-10 days after the promotion period, offering valuable insights into curator engagement with submitted tracks.

10. Tunemunk

Tunemunk is a free platform that connects independent artists with playlist curators, aiming to simplify the music submission process. The platform introduced an innovative “follow to submit” functionality, allowing playlist curators to connect with music producers once the producer has followed their playlist. This approach ensures engagement from both parties and helps curators grow their follower base. Tunemunk’s system is designed to be user-friendly, allowing curators to create submission gates by simply inputting their Spotify link, URI, and playlist information. The platform maintains a fair playing field by ordering playlists based on the number of views each submission gate receives in the past 30 days, encouraging curators to actively promote their gates. Importantly, Tunemunk strictly prohibits payola, ensuring that playlist placements are based on merit rather than financial incentives. This commitment to fairness, combined with its free-to-use model, makes Tunemunk an attractive option for independent artists looking to gain exposure through playlist placements.