Fellow creators, one of the best feelings is opening your email and seeing that Spotify has added your new release to one of their massive editorial playlists.
I had this honor recently with my band TEOA when our song “Wait No More” was added to the Fresh Folk playlist. But this land wasn’t just luck. We knew what Spotify was looking for. I wanted to share what I’ve learned with you.
How do DIY artists land big Spotify playlists?
By analyzing your project’s metrics, Spotify may award you preferential treatment by adding your song to algorithmic or editorial playlists. One of those metrics is Pre-Saves. The more you have, the more you’ve proven to Spotify that you’re willing to drive people to their platform.
In addition to your social media buzz, how often you release music (more is better), and how many monthly listeners you have, your Pre-Save stats can slingshot your unreleased track to the top of pile when Spotify is considering which new releases to place on a playlist.
For those of you who don’t know what Pre-Saving is, here’s the deal:
Pre-Saving a song on Spotify is the modern day equivalent of pre-ordering a record. Before your song hits the market, people are able to click a link to Pre-Save your upcoming release to be saved to their Spotify library as soon as the track/album drops.
How do you create a Pre-Save link?
If you use DistroKid to distribute your music, you’re in luck. They offer a free Pre-Save link generator. Here’s an article about how to take advantage of this cool feature.
If you don’t use DistroKid or an aggregator that offers complimentary Pre-Save link generation, you can use a platform like feature.fm. They offer both free and paid versions, so there’s no excuse not to get in on the action.
I’ve created this tutorial on how to create a Pre-Save link for free on feature.fm. Check out the video below.
You’ve created a Pre-Save link, now what?
Once you’ve created your link, share that baby everywhere: mailing list, socials, carrier pigeons. You might want to run a merch giveaway contest or some other raffle-type give away to reward people for following through.
To be sure, Spotify is looking at the whole picture when it comes to choosing their next playlist add. Even though Pre-Saves are just one part of the equation, it’s something you can control. Make the decision to get tons of Pre-Saves so Spotify can’t ignore you!
Happy creating. Leave a comment below with any thoughts or questions.
// James
If you'd like to work with me directly so we can grow your project with the focus, productivity, and exact action steps, schedule a free 15 minute consultation so we can see if it’s a good fit.
