10 Tips For Picking the Right Song to Pitch to Spotify’s Playlists (and Everyone Else’s)

Picking the right song to pitch to Spotify curators or playlist editors isn’t a science—but it sure isn’t a guessing game either. One song can change everything. And if you’re going to shoot your shot, make sure you’re not firing blanks. Here are 10 tips that just might make the difference between a playlist add and a polite pass.

1. Lead With Your Strongest Hook
The first 15 seconds of your song should stop someone mid-scroll, mid-thought, mid-latte. Curators hear hundreds of tracks a week—your song doesn’t just have to be good. It has to be unforgettable immediately.

2. Choose the Song Your Fans Already Love
Check your stats. What’s getting streamed, saved, shared, and shouted out in your comments? The people have spoken—and often, their favourite track is your best bet for playlists too.

3. Match the Mood, Not Just the Genre
Playlists aren’t sorted by record store sections. They’re sorted by vibes—chill morning, late-night drive, gym grind, breakup recovery. Pick the track that feels like it belongs in that emotional moment.

4. Quality Over Recency
New doesn’t always mean better. If your last single is two months old but gaining traction, pitch that one. Spotify cares about engagement, not timestamps.

5. Make Sure It Sounds Finished
This isn’t the time for a rough mix. Even if your songwriting is stellar, a half-baked production will lose curators fast. Master it, mix it, polish it—then pitch it.

6. Pick the One With a Story
Every great song pitch comes with a reason. What inspired it? Was it written after a loss, a tour, a late-night phone call? Curators love a song that comes with a moment worth talking about.

7. Don’t Pitch a Niche Just to Be Different
If a song is amazing but totally left-field from your usual sound, save it for later. Playlist editors want to know who you are, not what random directions you can go in.

8. Look at What’s Already Landing on Playlists
Do some playlist stalking. What songs that sound like yours are getting added? If your song fits the tone, energy, and style, you’re not copying—you’re aligning.

9. Think About Longevity
Pick a song you’ll be proud to talk about in interviews, perform live, and have attached to your name. Playlists create discovery, but they also create first impressions.

10. Be Ready to Follow Up
Pitch the song you can support. If it lands, will you push it? Promote it? Tour it? A playlist placement is a door opening—but you’ve got to walk through it, not wait for someone to carry you in.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about getting on a playlist. It’s about making someone’s playlist. That’s the moment you move from background noise to favourite song. And that’s what it’s all about.