In the ever-evolving world of music, playlist curators, often known as “playlisters,” play a pivotal role in shaping what we listen to. They are the unseen conductors of our musical journeys, often determining which tracks rise to popularity and which fade into obscurity. Whether you're just getting into the world of playlisting, or you've already gotten a sense of how it works, every independent artist should read through this list to understand how it all works and what they should do next.
What is a playlist curator?
A playlist curator is someone who creates and manages playlists on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube, often with the goal of sharing music they love with an audience. Curators decide which songs make it onto their playlists, which can range from niche mood or genre-specific lists to massive playlists with thousands of followers and major influence. For independent artists, getting placed on the right playlist can mean a huge boost in streams, visibility, and new listeners.
Playlist curators can be individuals (like influencers or music enthusiasts), brands, editorial teams (like Spotify’s official curators), or even algorithm-driven systems. Some run independent blogs, others manage playlists as part of a record label or marketing agency, and some operate on platforms (like our thousands of independent playlisters on PlaylisterClub!). Understanding who curates what, and how to connect with them, is a big part of building a smart playlist strategy as an independent artist.
How do independent artists connect with playlist curators?
For most independent artists, connecting with playlist curators is a manual, often time-consuming process. It usually starts with finding playlists that seem like a good fit, tracking down the curator’s contact info (if it’s even available), and sending out cold pitches, hoping someone opens the email and gives the song a listen. Some curators accept submissions through forms or platforms like SubmitHub or Groover, where artists can pay to have their music reviewed. Others are more active on Instagram or TikTok, requiring artists to build relationships through DMs or ongoing interaction.
Some artists work with freelance publicists or playlisting services, though those can be costly and often come with unclear expectations or inconsistent results. And even when you do reach the right person, there’s no guarantee they’ll like the track or add it to their playlist.
This is where PlaylisterClub comes in, not as a shortcut, but as a more structured and transparent way to introduce your music to curators who are actively looking for new tracks. Instead of spending hours hunting down contacts or sending cold emails, your song gets placed in front of real, independent playlist curators who can choose to engage with it based on their own taste. It's still a discovery process—but one designed to save artists time and streamline the experience without compromising authenticity.
The Songtools approach to playlist curation:
Our platform is built around real, organic curation, meaning playlist placements don’t happen instantly. Instead, curators discover your music through their personalized feeds, listen to it, and decide if it fits their playlists based on their own taste and preferences. This process takes time, which is why some songs may get picked up later in the promotion period rather than right away, but that’s the nature of true organic discovery where nothing is artificially pushed.
We want to be clear: PlaylisterClub does not control playlist content. We don’t have access to curator accounts, and we never ask them to add, remove, or keep specific tracks. Our role is to introduce your music to independent playlist curators and what happens next is entirely up to them.
What we can promise is that every interaction with your music is authentic. When your track gets added, it’s because the curator genuinely liked it.
It's also important to keep in mind that streams are never guaranteed. That’s because Spotify streams rely on real listener behavior, including whether someone listens for at least 30 seconds, skips, or returns to the track. Things like playlist activity, song placement, and time on the playlist all play a role in whether your song picks up traction.
In short: we simplify the path, but we don’t fake it. PlaylisterClub connects your music to real curators for real discovery, exactly how it should be.
What makes a playlist placement valuable?
Not all playlist placements are created equal. While it might be tempting to focus on follower counts or total streams, the real value of a playlist comes down to listener engagement. A smaller playlist with an active audience where listeners actually check out the music, save songs, and follow artists can often be more impactful than a massive playlist with passive or bot-like activity.
The placement of your track within the playlist also matters. Songs in the first few spots tend to get the most plays, while those at the bottom may get skipped or missed entirely. How long your song stays on the playlist, how active the curator is, and whether your track fits the overall vibe all influence how effective the placement will be.
At the end of the day, the most valuable placements are the ones that lead to real listeners discovering and connecting with your music, because that’s what builds long-term growth.
The 3 types of playlist curators to watch out for:
Now that we've gone over the basics for the independent artists who are just getting familiar with the world of playlisting and how playlist curators work, let's get into the three types to watch out for to help you promote your music more effectively.
1. The Record Label Playlister
For record labels, playlists are strategic tools for promoting their own artists. These curators are selective, prioritizing tracks from their label while being open to including external songs that align perfectly with their aesthetic or might interest them for future signings. Their primary goal is to grow the audience for their artists, often through mutually beneficial track exchanges with other labels in the same genre. For artists under these labels, getting featured on such playlists can be a significant career boost.
Some examples of “Record Label Playlisters” that partner with Playlister.Club include:
Soave Records: Their smooth and tender tunes have captured the ears of millions of fans, across their many channels like YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify and Deezer, making them the “home for chill house music.”
Cloudkid: A loyal face to up-and-coming artists, CloudKid serves as a “creative outlet created to support thriving undiscovered talent.” Now a record label, they keep their +5M listeners dreaming in the clouds.
2. The Professional Playlister
Some curators start as casual playlist creators, but their exceptional taste in music and curatorial skills lead to a massive following, turning them into professional playlisters. They invest significant time and resources in promoting their playlists and meticulously selecting tracks that resonate with their audience. These curators are more open to exploring new music, making them a vital target for artists looking to gain exposure.
An example of a “Professional Playlister” that partners with Playlister.Club is:
Robaer. He’s assembled most of his following through his masterful taste in EDM & House music. He highlights the best of each genre, focusing around new releases.
3. The Artist Playlister
Arguably the most logical type of playlister: artists themselves! This is a huge pro-tip for all artists out there invest time and energy into creating playlists. There are two main types of playlists you can create as an artist. 1) A “this is” or discography playlist, where you include your entire discography for fans to dive into. 2) A “vibe” or “inspiration” playlist, that you can share songs that inspired a recent release, or that influence your creation process as an artist. Having a playlist in your promo toolkit as an artist can be an invaluable way to trade with other playlisters, and create exposure for your releases, all on your own.
Some examples of “Artist Playlisters” that partner with Playlister.Club include:
R3HAB: World-renowned DJ and producer, R3HAB, saw a rise to fame in the early days of electronic music for his undeniable talent. Now also a curator, he’s placed over 3k songs in Playlister Club. His playlists give listeners a sense of connection to his live sets.
The FifthGuys: Self-described as “two Italians cooking beats better than pizza,” The FifthGuys are not joking - they’ve accumulated +0.7M followers across all their Spotify playlists. Their mood-based playlists boost motivation that keep listeners going.
How can you tell if a playlist curator is legitimate?
With playlist promotion becoming more popular, so have scams and fake curators. It’s important for artists to vet who they’re working with because placements on botted or inauthentic playlists can hurt your reputation or even result in takedowns from streaming platforms.
A legitimate playlist curator will usually have consistent follower growth, active engagement (like saves, shares, and listener retention), and a clear brand or online presence. Be wary of curators who promise guaranteed streams or placements for a flat fee, especially if they can’t tell you anything about their audience or how they choose songs. A real curator values their playlist and takes time to select music that fits, not just anything from anyone willing to pay.
At Songtools, we take playlist vetting extremely seriously, with a quality control team that personally audits all new curators in our community and ensures that their playlists are active. While we actively monitor the playlists in our system to make sure they stay aligned with our standards, artists also have the ability to flag specific playlists within their dashboard to signal the quality control team to take immediate action.
Songtools: Bridging the Gap Between Artists and Playlisters
Getting your music in front of the right playlist curators can be one of the most powerful tools for growing your audience, but it’s also one of the hardest to do effectively and consistently. Through PlaylisterClub, we’ve reimagined the playlist promotion process to benefit both artists and curators in a more meaningful way.
Instead of blindly pitching to overwhelmed curators, artists using Songtools are ensured that their tracks are introduced to playlist curators who are actively looking for new music. Our system features a Discover Page for curators to scroll through and listen to each track that is being promoted by the artist. Within this Discover Page, we also have "Rooms," which are curated spaces that allow playlisters to explore handpicked tracks in specific genres. Every day, Rooms open with fresh selections of music tailored to the playlister's favorite genres. Overall, this creates a smoother experience for both sides: curators aren’t bombarded with random submissions, and artists have a more focused, fair, and organic way to be discovered.
With over one million playlist placements and counting, Songtools has helped thousands of independent artists break through the noise. Part of our mission has always been to support real, sustainable growth, not quick hacks or empty numbers. We believe in championing great music and connecting it with the curators who truly want to hear it.
Interested in learning more about the playlisters on our platform? We just launched a Playlister of the Month initiative! Check out our May Playlister of the Month and our June Playlister of the Month.
Key Takeaways & Highlights
- Playlist curators play a major role in music discovery and not all curators are the same.
- There are three core types of curators every independent artist should know: Record Label Playlisters, Professional Playlisters, and Artist Playlisters.
- Connecting with curators manually can be time-consuming, costly, and inconsistent for independent artists.
- PlaylisterClub, offers a structured and transparent playlist promotion system that supports real discovery without artificial pushes.
- Our features like the Discover Page and Rooms help curators engage deeply with songs, while giving artists a fair, genre-targeted way to get their music heard.
- All placements are organic, and streams rely on real listener behavior, nothing is guaranteed or manufactured.
Playlist promotion is no longer just about chasing numbers—it’s about finding the right listeners, through the right curators, in the right spaces. Whether you're pitching your first single or expanding your reach with your tenth release, understanding how playlist curators work and how to connect with them is essential. At Songtools, our mission is to make that process smarter, fairer, and more impactful, putting your music in the hands of curators who actually want to hear it.
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