I would guess this is the most popular question I get. How do I get into Spotifys playlists? It seems so hard!

It’s really not that hard. On average 80% of my releases get placed the first week by Spotify staff. They are really supportive of new music. So if you present it in the right way and with something interesting facts you have a pretty good chance. No I won’t go into how that is done, and it doesn’t matter, not in the long run.

In reality Spotify is build to lit up when fans are passionate and listening to a song. Getting on their own human created playlists like new music friday is more to get the song tested and that can be dangerous. The people that are on these lists maybe is not the audience that would support this track. In reality these tests only will give you around 10 000 streams and you take quite a risk to get bad rating.

Yes to understand Spotify you have to get that they measure everything. They take notes how people are reacting and if it’s positive they present the song to more people. This however is done by algorithms so there is no one to call up and ask for the favour.

The best way is to get real people to listen to the song and like it and listen some more.

It’s actually the same with radio back in the days. Their problem was that they can’t measure the audience reaction. Yes of course if 100 people start to call the station asking for one song because it’s so good they would know. Radio is more built on what the person build the playlist thinks.

Also back in the days people asked to be on rotation on all radiostations at once. Then thy would have a massive hit. That is very rare. If not possible. The stations have different audience called formats. So if one station would play a song, that would indicate to another station not to play that song. A crossover hit on all stations is kind of utopian.

Same when you think of Spotify. Their lists are generated on the listeners choice of the moment. A listener would choose on list for the jogging and another for the romantic dinner. You song won’t fit on both. In Spotifys case it’s very fine line between the lists so the chances are slimmer to get on everyone.

Of course both radio and Spotify will test out things that has worked before. A new U2 song will be tested on more places since they have a large audience that likes them. So more fame will affect.

Still what they really seek is things that people like. If a radio station would get hundreds of people asking to hear one song, yes they will put it on. Same on Spotify if they see that people reacts good on a song they put it on lists.

What you have to do is getting people to like your song. Get them to put it in their own playlists and listen to it much and talk about it. The promotion should be aimed and done that way. No, its not easy, but clearly the best way.

Of course it would be wonderful if Spotify put your song into 100 playlists so people can hear it. The problem is that it would come in so much music that people would stop listening since the majority of the music wouldn’t attract them. Spotify is there for the audience in the first line.