As a pianist who has poured my heart and soul into crafting a handful of original compositions, I found myself at a crossroads familiar to many independent musicians. My songs were ready, but how could I share them with the world? That’s when I discovered the power of playlist curation.

After months of research and personal experience, I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best playlist curators that can help fellow independent artists like myself gain the exposure we deserve. These curators have proven track records of supporting emerging talent and connecting musicians with eager listeners.

Whether you’re a seasoned songwriter or just starting your musical journey, these playlist curators offer a valuable opportunity to expand your audience and get your music heard.

1. Rizing Playlists

Rizing Playlists is a Denmark-based Spotify playlist curator responsible for a diverse range of playlists covering contemporary music styles. With over 177,000 followers across 29 playlists, they curate genres including Pop, Indie, Rave, Rap, Classical, and more. Rizing Playlists is dedicated to discovering promising up-and-coming artists, making them an ideal curator for independent musicians looking to expand their listenership. Artists can submit their music for consideration via Rizing Playlists’ online submission form. The editorial team thoroughly reviews each submission, carefully listening to and evaluating tracks for potential playlist inclusion. While playlist placement is not guaranteed, Rizing Playlists encourages artists to familiarize themselves with their playlists to understand the type of music they seek before submitting.

2. Playlist Curator

Playlist Curator stands out as one of the most prominent online playlist curators, offering a diverse range of carefully crafted playlists across various themes and moods. This platform takes pride in its meticulous approach to playlist curation, ensuring that each collection provides a cohesive and engaging listening experience for its audience. With a team of experienced curators, Playlist Curator continuously explores new releases, emerging artists, and timeless classics across multiple genres to keep their offerings fresh and exciting.

The platform’s curation process is built on several key principles, including diverse music selection, thematic coherence, and rigorous quality control. Each track undergoes a thorough evaluation process, considering factors such as production quality, lyrical content, and overall artistic merit before being added to a playlist. Playlist Curator also values user feedback, regularly analyzing engagement data and incorporating listener preferences to refine their playlists.

One of the unique features of Playlist Curator is its openness to submissions from independent artists. Musicians can submit their tracks for consideration through a dedicated submission form on the website. The platform carefully reviews each submission, applying strict criteria to assess its suitability for inclusion in their popular playlists. This approach provides an excellent opportunity for emerging artists to gain exposure and reach a wider audience.

Playlist Curator distributes its curated playlists across major streaming platforms, including YouTube Music, Spotify, and SoundCloud, making it easy for listeners to access their content on their preferred platform. The website offers a wide array of themed playlists, ranging from “Songs About True Love” and “Songs About Soulmates” to more unique collections like “Songs About Bees”.

3. iMusician

iMusician is a comprehensive music distribution and promotion company that offers services beyond playlist curation. They provide music distribution to over 200 streaming platforms and digital stores, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. In addition to distribution, iMusician offers promotion services, including pitching tracks to editorial playlists on major streaming platforms. Their editorial playlist pitching feature is available to AMPLIFY+ and AMPLIFY Pro subscribers at no additional cost, while other plan members can purchase it on a per-release basis. iMusician also provides mastering services, an Artist Hub for marketing tools, and detailed analytics to help artists grow their fan base. With a multilingual support team and a commitment to artist development, iMusician aims to be a one-stop solution for independent musicians and labels.

4. Boost Collective

Boost Collective is a music distribution and promotion platform that has evolved from primarily focusing on Spotify playlist promotion to offering a comprehensive suite of services for independent artists. They provide unlimited free music distribution to over 150 stores and platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Boost Collective’s unique model allows artists to retain full copyrights to their songs while offering additional paid services such as Spotify promotion, music mastering, graphic design, and marketing courses. Their promotion strategy involves pitching tracks to playlists grown through advanced advertising campaigns on social media platforms, ensuring that the right listeners are connected to the right music in an organic way. Boost Collective emphasizes compliance with Spotify’s terms of service and works to provide safe, reliable promotion that won’t jeopardize an artist’s standing with streaming platforms or distributors.

5. SpinGrey

SpinGrey is a music promotion and playlist curation service that focuses on helping independent artists gain exposure through Spotify playlists. They offer a range of playlists across various genres, including pop, indie, electronic, and hip-hop. SpinGrey’s team of curators carefully selects tracks that align with each playlist’s theme and mood, ensuring a cohesive listening experience for their followers. Artists can submit their music through SpinGrey’s website, where they are encouraged to provide detailed information about their track and target audience. The service prides itself on its transparent process and commitment to supporting emerging talent. While playlist inclusion is not guaranteed, SpinGrey provides feedback to artists, helping them understand what curators look for in submissions.

6. Soundplate

Soundplate is a multifaceted music platform that combines playlist curation, music distribution, and artist promotion services. Their playlist network spans across various genres and moods, catering to a diverse audience of music lovers. Soundplate’s curation team is known for their keen ear in identifying promising tracks from both established and up-and-coming artists. In addition to playlist curation, Soundplate offers a user-friendly music distribution service that allows artists to release their music on major streaming platforms. They also provide promotional tools and resources to help artists maximize their reach. Soundplate’s integrated approach makes it an attractive option for independent artists looking for a comprehensive solution to their music promotion needs.

7. Submit Hub

Submit Hub is a widely recognized platform that connects artists with music industry professionals, including playlist curators, bloggers, record labels, and radio stations. Founded in 2015, Submit Hub has become a go-to resource for independent artists seeking exposure and feedback. The platform operates on a credit system, where artists can purchase credits to submit their music to curators of their choice. Submit Hub’s extensive network includes a diverse range of curators across various genres and niches, allowing artists to target their submissions effectively. While success rates can vary, many artists have found value in Submit Hub’s transparent process and the opportunity to receive direct feedback from industry professionals. The platform also offers a “Hot or Not” feature, where users can rate tracks and potentially earn free credits. Submit Hub’s user-friendly interface and detailed curator profiles make it easier for artists to research and select the most suitable outlets for their music, increasing their chances of successful placements.

8. Playlist Push

Playlist Push is a well-established music promotion platform that connects independent artists with Spotify playlist curators. Founded in 2017, the service has helped over 25,000 artists reach more than a billion listeners through over 70,000 successful campaigns. Playlist Push offers a network of over 4,000 playlists across various genres, giving artists the opportunity to expand their reach and grow their fanbase. The platform uses an AI-powered algorithm to match songs with appropriate playlists and curators, increasing the chances of successful placements. 

Campaigns typically run for two weeks, during which curators review submitted tracks and may add them to their playlists if they fit well. While Playlist Push is generally more expensive than some alternatives, with campaign costs ranging from $285 to $1,000+, it offers detailed analytics and reporting to help artists track their progress.

9. Daily Playlists

Daily Playlists is a music promotion service that focuses on connecting artists with Spotify playlist curators. The platform aims to help independent musicians increase their visibility and grow their streaming numbers through organic playlist placements. Daily Playlists offers a user-friendly submission process where artists can target specific genres and moods that best fit their music. The service prides itself on working with a diverse network of playlist curators, ranging from niche genre-specific playlists to broader, more popular ones. Daily Playlists emphasizes transparency in its operations, providing artists with detailed feedback and analytics on their submissions. While not as large as some other promotion services, Daily Playlists has built a reputation for personalized attention and a commitment to supporting emerging artists in their quest for greater exposure on Spotify.

10. MySphera

MySphera is a comprehensive music promotion and distribution platform that offers playlist curation services as part of its broader suite of tools for independent artists. The company focuses on helping musicians grow their fanbase through various digital marketing strategies, including playlist promotion. MySphera’s approach to playlist curation involves not only submitting tracks to existing playlists but also encouraging artists to create and promote their own playlists. This strategy allows musicians to showcase their music alongside other artists in their genre, potentially attracting new listeners who resonate with their sound. MySphera emphasizes the importance of interactive engagement with fans, suggesting that artists use features like Spotify Clips to connect with their audience and promote their music in innovative ways. By combining playlist curation with other promotional tools and strategies, MySphera aims to provide a holistic approach to music marketing for independent artists.