How Musicians Can Gain Traction on Spotify

For better or worse, Spotify has emerged as a vital platform for musicians looking to share their work and reach new audiences. With over 345 million active users, the potential to gain traction and cultivate a fanbase is immense.

However, standing out amongst the millions of musicians on Spotify can be daunting. Here, we’ll explore practical strategies, inspiring examples, and invaluable resources that you can leverage to increase your visibility and success on Spotify.

Understanding Spotify’s Algorithm
Before diving into strategies, it's crucial to understand that Spotify's algorithm favors engagement. The more plays, saves, and follows you get, the more likely Spotify is to include your tracks in personalized playlists like Discover Weekly or Release Radar, exposing your music to new ears.

Strategies for Success

1. Optimize Your Artist Profile
Make sure your Spotify artist profile is fully optimized. This means having a professional and engaging profile picture, a compelling bio, and ensuring all your music is properly uploaded and categorized. Use tools like Spotify for Artists to track analytics and understand your audience.

2. Release Music Consistently
Regularly releasing music can help keep your audience engaged and attract Spotify’s algorithm. Singer-songwriter John Mayer is an excellent example, releasing singles leading up to an album drop, which keeps fans listening and algorithms ticking.

3. Curate Playlists
Create and share playlists that include your music alongside tracks from more established artists in your genre. This can increase your visibility as fans of those artists might discover your music. Indie band Chvrches used playlist curation to excellent effect, showcasing their influences and their own songs, broadening their listener base.

4. Leverage Social Media and Marketing
Promote your Spotify tracks across your social media platforms. Use Instagram stories, Twitter updates, and Facebook posts to share your music and direct fans to Spotify. Paid social media ads can also target potential fans by interests and demographics.

5. Collaborate with Other Artists
Collaborate with artists who have a larger or different audience than yours. This will expose your music to a broader audience. Ed Sheeran’s collaborations, for instance, have helped him (and his collaborators) reach millions of listeners who might not have listened to his music otherwise.

6. Engage with Your Listeners
Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages. This helps to create a loyal fan base that is more likely to stream your music and attend your shows. Interaction can lead to higher engagement rates, which Spotify’s algorithm will notice.

7. Utilize Spotify Ad Studio
Spotify Ad Studio allows you to create and manage ads on Spotify, helping you reach potential fans in between their favorite songs. While there’s an investment involved, this can be a way to increase your music’s exposure.

8. Submit to Playlists
Submit your music to Spotify’s editorial team for playlist consideration and reach out to independent playlist curators as well. Use platforms like SubmitHub or Playlist Push to get your tracks in front of curators.

9. Play Live and Mention Spotify
During gigs, remind your audience that they can find you on Spotify. This call-to-action can convert a live audience into streaming listeners, combining traditional methods with digital growth.

Resources for Musicians

Spotify Playlist Curator Directory:  HTLYM Premium’s Spotify Playlist Curator Directory is a comprehensive, up-to-date compendium of over 5,000 playlists and the minds behind them. This directory is the key to unlock doors that lead to millions of potential streams. Save 50% between now and November 5.

Spotify for Artists: Use this dashboard to manage your profile, access analytics, and submit to editorial playlists.

SubmitHub: A platform for submitting music to bloggers, influencers, and playlist curators.

Playlist Push: This service allows you to submit your music to playlist curators in your genre.

Chartmetric: Provides analytics and market intelligence that can help you understand your listeners and benchmark your performance against other artists.

Show.co: Offers marketing tools that can help you promote your music and grow your Spotify following.

Real-World Success Examples
Billie Eilish started gaining traction when her song “Ocean Eyes” was added to high-profile Spotify playlists, highlighting the power of playlist inclusion.

Lil Nas X exploded onto the scene with “Old Town Road” partially due to his strategic use of Spotify and viral marketing on social media platforms.
Gaining traction on Spotify is a combination of understanding the platform’s intricacies, consistent and high-quality music releases, strategic marketing, and genuine engagement with your audience. By leveraging these strategies and resources, and drawing inspiration from successful examples, musicians can carve out their own space in the Spotify universe and beyond.