On Spotify there are three types of playlists, and each works in a completely different way. Confusing them leads to wrong strategies and unrealistic expectations. Here is a clear guide to the differences and what you can concretely do about each.
The Three Types of Playlists on Spotify
1 - Editorial Playlists (curated by Spotify)
These are playlists created and managed by internal Spotify editorial teams, with names like New Music Friday, Hot Hits, Lo-Fi Beats, Rap Caviar, and so on.
- Selected manually by music editors
- Often tied to specific genres, moods, or listening moments
- They have millions of followers
- Being included can change careers — but it's extremely rare when starting from zero
How to get in: through the pitch on Spotify for Artists, completed at least 7 business days before the release date. Spotify doesn't guarantee anything, but without a pitch you have no chance of being considered.
2 - Algorithmic Playlists (generated by Spotify)
These are playlists automatically generated by Spotify's algorithm for each individual user. They don't exist as "public" playlists in the traditional sense: they are personalized for millions of users simultaneously.
Examples:
- Discover Weekly (Mondays, 30 tracks per user)
- Release Radar (Fridays, new music from your favorite artists)
- Daily Mixes (updated daily)
- Radio and Autoplay
How to get in: not with a pitch, but with behavioral signals from listeners:
- complete streams
- saves
- additions to personal playlists
- repeat plays
- following the artist
The algorithm brings your music to new users when existing users react positively.
3 - User-Curated Playlists (created by users and third parties)
These are playlists created by regular users, blogs, brands, and independent curators. They can have anywhere from 100 to hundreds of thousands of followers.
How to get in: by contacting the curator directly (Spotify removed the direct "submit" function for these), or through third-party curator networks and services.
Warning: there are many services that promise playlist placement for a fee. Some are legitimate (real curators with real followers), others are scams (fake playlists with bot followers). The latter does real damage.
Comparison Table
| Type | Who decides | How to get in | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editorial | Spotify team | Pitch via Spotify for Artists | Enormous (if you get in) |
| Algorithmic | Algorithm | Behavioral signals from users | High and scalable |
| User-curated | Users/curators | Direct contact or manual pitch | Variable |
The Strategy That Works
The three types feed each other:
- Submit a pitch for editorials (it costs nothing, but requires advance planning)
- Promote the release to your fans and on social platforms → listens and saves fuel the algorithm
- Contact curators of playlists with audiences that match your genre → more listens → more signals to the algorithm
- The algorithm then expands your reach organically
The critical point: algorithmic playlists are the most powerful long-term multiplier, because they scale automatically. But they start from the signals you need to generate yourself through real promotion.
Common Mistakes
"I just need to pitch and wait": the pitch is a tool for editorials, not a guarantee. Without parallel promotion, even an editorial placement may not convert into algorithmic growth.
"User-curated playlists are the shortcut": they can help generate initial listens, but only if they are playlists with real followers who match your genre. Streams from fake followers are detected by Spotify.
"I'm not pitching because I probably won't be considered": pitching costs zero time and zero loss. Not doing it is throwing away the only chance of getting into editorial playlists.
How to Pitch on Spotify for Artists
- Upload your release at least 10–14 days in advance of the release date
- Go to Spotify for Artists → "Music" section
- Find the release in "upcoming" status and click "Pitch a song"
- Fill in all fields: genre, mood, brief description, instruments, language, etc.
- Submit the pitch
In LightSound, the pitch is automatically generated with AI as soon as the release is uploaded, and it's editable before submission.