Stephanie G. Mathis Every day, I get up and head to my computer to start the day. What do I do first? What do I do before I make my morning caffeine beverage? I listen to my favorite Spotify playlist.
What do I do if that one is over? Then I go to my second favorite. That’s all there is to it.
Only two of my playlists are guaranteed to be listened to daily (one I created myself, and it’s literally just three of my favorite bands). I don’t actively search for new music unless someone I trust or an algorithm that I cannot control has placed it in front of my face.
Why am I telling this to you?
If I can’t find your music, and there is no way to reach me, then I won’t hear it.
It is for this reason that releasing your music and hoping people will take care of the rest is not a good option. You know this; it’s the reason you’re here.
Here are some ways you can make your single heard.
Create your playlists.
It is the easiest way to get your music on a playlist. This is not to say that you can create a Spotify playlist. But if you are a relatively new artist and you haven’t had any luck with existing playlists, you might want to try this.
You can make yourself stand out in a number of ways.
You can start by collaborating with artists you know. You can begin well by putting on your playlist 20 artists that you are sure will share regularly and say some nice words about it. (Bonus points if the artist has a good follow.)g). Your audience will grow as more people share it.
The more artists you include in a playlist that already has an audience, the better its visibility will be. However, this can be a double-edged sword because artists with larger audiences are more likely to appear on multiple playlists, resulting in competition.
You can also increase your visibility by creating a theme. You can make a theme around a particular mood (party, study, workout), a specific instrument, or even songs about cities or movies.
You want to make it searchable. Do not use cutesy titles. If I want to hear music from Finland, I will type “indie Finnish music” and not anything too cute or SEO-friendly.
Then, create captivating cover art, just as you would with your music. Update your playlist with new music regularly (once a month is sufficient) and ask the artists to share more. It’s okay if you have to remind the artists. You need to get it out and get organic streams flowing in. The algorithm will take care of the rest.
You can show off your personality.
Enjoy yourself! Create a playlist of music that you would enjoy jamming to, and then make Reels or TikToks using your songs to promote your band’s image.
You can also think outside the box and create something unique to your brand and yourself. For example, you can premiere a track on your playlist to encourage fans to discover similar artists. You can also hide Easter eggs, such as b-sides and acoustics, that have never been shared or announced publicly.
A local coffee shop could create a playlist that will be played in their cafe. It’s important to make a statement and attract fans.
Grab the listener’s attention right away.
People love playlists. You have that to your advantage. Just show them what makes yours worth listening to, and they will probably give it a shot.
There are several ways to get their attention right away. Make your first song well-known and catchy. Make sure that the next five to ten songs are also recognizable and catchy.
The hook is the key to grabbing people’s attention and keeping them there. Later in the playlist, you can really show your colors.
You can share and sell your music using a customized Spotify Landing Page on your website. Try Bandzoogle today!
Playlists can be a portal for collaborations and partnership
We’ve talked about playlists and how they can help your music reach new listeners immediately, but what we’ve left out is something equally important: the long-term game. Playlists are a great way to establish relationships with other musicians, businesses, and industry professionals.
In the short term, yes, more streams are better, but consider the possibilities that the right partnerships can bring. Think about how a playlist will help you achieve your goals. You could, for example, offer to create a playlist with a company that features your music.
It’s also important to note the power of a well-performing playlist. Consider it. Your playlist will gain more visibility and opportunities as it gains popularity. You will be able to get bigger collaborations as well as more opportunities and introductions because you invested the time to grow this playlist.
Playlists can be a very powerful tool. You can use them to gain a few more fans or cultivate industry partners that will help your band grow. I can hardly wait to hear it!
