How do I get placements on Spotify’s algorithmic and editorial playlists (Release Radar, Discover Weekly, New Music Friday)?
TL;DR — Nail the story + metadata, pitch 7-28 days ahead, and drive a 10 %+ save-rate in the first 48 h
Submit a compelling Spotify for Artists pitch at least a week before release, 2) spark pre-saves and early follows so Release Radar fires, 3) stack saves, adds, and low skips in week 1 to unlock Discover Weekly, and 4) keep momentum with fresh content and re-pitches to land on New Music Friday or other human-editorial lists.
Case Study — “Nightscape”
T–28 d: uploaded mastered track with full metadata; opened pre-save.
T–14 d: editorial pitch emphasised story and audience data (32 k IG fans, 18 % save-rate on last single).
T–1 d: 1 900 pre-saves; 7 fan playlists primed.
Launch day: 12 h livestream countdown; fans asked to save & share.
48 h: 11 % save-rate, skip-rate 21 %. Triggered Release Radar (day 1) and Discover Weekly (day 10).
Day 14: featured on “Fresh Finds Pop” after social proof surge.
→ Month-one: 145 k algorithmic streams, 4 100 new followers, no paid ads.
Why This Question Matters
Editorial playlists deliver instant credibility and tens of thousands of streams, while algorithmic lists compound organically for months. Knowing exactly how Spotify weighs data (saves, skips, engagement velocity) lets you engineer momentum instead of hoping for luck.
1 ▸ Understand the Two Engines
Playlist Type Who Controls It Key Triggers Typical Timing
Release Radar Algorithm + follower graph Pre-saves, profile follows, past engagement Day 0–1
Discover Weekly Collaborative filtering High save-rate, low skip-rate, playlist adds Day 7–21
Editorial (e.g., New Music Friday) Human editors + data assist Strong pitch, market fit, early buzz Day 0 or Day 7
2 ▸ Prepare the Track
Mastering & Loudness – aim for –14 LUFS; avoid clipping.
Metadata – correct ISRC, genre tags, moods, key, BPM; add composers/lyrics.
Canvas & Motion Art – upload a 6–8 s vertical loop; keeps listeners in-app.
Pre-save Campaign – goal: ≥ 500 pre-saves (shows demand before launch).
Fan Playlist Seeding – slot new track at position 2 in your own “Artist Radio” playlist.
3 ▸ Nail the Editorial Pitch (Spotify for Artists)
Element Tips (≤ 500 characters)
Headline 1-line hook (“Desert-step single blends oud with 808s”)
Story & Context Why now? tie-in to tour, collab, or cultural moment
Audience Evidence Recent save-rate, viral TikTok clip, mailing-list size
Marketing Plan Pre-save numbers, ad budget, PR features
Genre / Mood Fields Pick the closest matches—editors filter by these
Submit pitch 7–28 days before release; earlier = more editorial review time.
4 ▸ Drive Early Engagement (Days 0–2)
Direct fans to Spotify URI, not generic link-tree.
IG/TikTok Reel with on-screen text: “Save to unlock acoustic version.”
Discord or email “Save Squad” channel; reward top savers.
Own playlist refresh: update cover art + move new track to slot 1.
Aim: Save-to-stream ≥ 10 % and skip-rate ≤ 25 %.
5 ▸ Sustain Momentum (Days 3–14)
Day Action Why
3 Collab Reel / Duet with feature artist New follower graph
5 Behind-the-song YouTube Short Watch-time → algorithm signal
7 Submit to indie curators (Groover, etc.) Adds boost Discover Weekly
10 Livestream Q&A, pin track link Social proof
14 Re-pitch editors if metrics strong Chance for mid-cycle adds
6 ▸ Key Metrics & Targets
Metric Good Benchmark
Save-to-stream (first 48 h) ≥ 10 %
Skip-rate (first 30 s) ≤ 25 %
Playlist adds / listener ≥ 3 %
Algorithmic share (week 3) ≥ 25 % streams
Follower growth / month +5 % minimum
7 ▸ Common Mistakes
Pitching less than 7 days before release (editors never see it).
Choosing wrong genre/mood tags—track routed to irrelevant editor.
Long intro; hook starts after 40 s → high skips.
Ignoring pre-saves: low follower engagement = no Release Radar.
One-and-done mindset; algorithmic waves need continual social proof.
Key Takeaways
Pitch early with a clear story and data.
Stack pre-saves and early saves to trigger Release Radar.
Keep skip-rate low with a front-loaded hook and solid mix.
Echo social proof (Reels, Shorts, user playlists) to fuel Discover Weekly.
Re-engage editors mid-cycle if metrics beat benchmarks—algorithms and humans both love momentum.