Pitching for playlist placements is an integral part of digital music promotion and an artist’s release plan. Playlisting teams weigh both on-platform and off-platform activity when selecting tracks for playlists each week. As thousands of new releases are submitted for playlist spots weekly, it’s important to ensure each release submitted for playlist consideration demonstrates consistent marketing drivers to increase its chance of landing on a playlist.
Below are key things to know about submitting your releases for playlist consideration:
Note: Playlist submission is a separate process from product submission. You will need to upload your product via the AWAL Uploader for release distribution and complete the following processes separately for playlist consideration.
Campaign Overview Form
At AWAL we have a dedicated in-house team that work really hard to secure playlisting spots for AWAL members through our close relationships with the digital music services. Our team focuses on playlisting support around new releases. If you’d like to submit an upcoming release for playlist placement consideration through AWAL, you’ll need to complete our Campaign Overview Form. If you don’t already have access to the form, please get in touch with us through the Contact Us page on your Portal.
See Campaign Overview Form: Best Practices for more details on successfully submitting your release and campaign information to AWAL.
For more information about what we look for when reviewing Campaign Overview Forms, please find examples of strong market drivers here.
Important: AWAL members must complete the Campaign Overview form in its entirety at least six weeks in advance of the release date scheduled on your product.
Spotify’s Playlist Submission Tool
You can also submit your release for playlist consideration at Spotify directly through Spotify’s Playlist Submission Tool. All that’s required to submit through the Tool is the successful delivery of your release to Spotify as well as access to Spotify for Artists.
For more information and tips on submitting your release through Spotify’s Playlist Submission Tool, please visit our Best Practices Guide.
Independent Pitching
Beyond seeking playlisting support from AWAL, the most successful of AWAL artists combine this service with their own marketing and promotional efforts. Artists, managers, and labels can push for additional playlist spots by reaching out to the digital music services and independent playlisters separately. Independent playlisters can be supportive for artists and an important promotional tool for a track especially as you’re working to grow your marketing drivers.
It may be worth working with a publicist or PR agency to assist you with independently pitching your releases.
Get more playlisting tips in this AWAL Blog post: 6 Playlisting Tips to Land on Playlists & Retain Placement