Publicists
Playlist pitching for publicists
Playlist pitching has become a core service for music publicists. Clients expect you to secure placements alongside press coverage. Having a system to pitch curators, track their engagement, and report results puts you ahead of publicists still doing this by hand through personal email.
Building a curator network alongside your press contacts
Your press contact list is valuable, but it's only half the picture. Independent playlist curators are a separate audience with different expectations and different workflows. They don't want press releases. They want to hear the music quickly and decide whether it fits their playlist. Build a dedicated curator segment in Promoly. Tag curators by platform (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music), genre, and playlist size. Keep this list separate from your press contacts so you can tailor your messaging. A pitch to a curator should be shorter and more direct than a press pitch. "Here's a track that fits [playlist name]. Listen below." is often all you need.
Pitching at scale without losing the personal touch
The temptation with curator outreach is to blast the same email to 500 people. That approach has terrible conversion rates. Curators can spot a mass email instantly. Instead, segment your sends. Group curators by genre and playlist type. Tailor the intro text for each segment. A curator running a "chill Sunday morning" playlist gets a different message than one running a "peak-time club bangers" list, even if the same track could work on both. Promoly makes this manageable. Set up multiple campaigns for the same release, each targeting a different curator segment with slightly different copy. It takes more time upfront but converts significantly better.
Proving playlist results to clients
Clients want to see where their music ended up. Track every playlist placement in a spreadsheet alongside your Promoly campaign data. For each placement, note the playlist name, platform, follower count, and date added. When you report back to your client, combine this with your Promoly stats: "We pitched 80 curators. 45 opened, 30 played the track, and we secured 8 playlist additions across playlists with a combined 25,000 followers." That's a concrete, measurable result that justifies your fee. Compare this to "we pitched some playlists and got a few placements," which tells the client nothing.
Playlist Pitching checklist for publicists
Build a curator contact list
Research playlists in your client's genre. Find curator emails from playlist descriptions and social profiles.
Tag curators by genre and playlist size
Segment so you can send targeted pitches, not mass blasts.
Create genre-specific campaign copy
Write different intro text for each curator segment.
Include the track and a smartlink
Let curators stream via Promoly and link to the track on their preferred platform.
Send three to four weeks before release
Give curators time to listen and schedule additions.
Monitor engagement
Check who played the track. Follow up with curators who listened but didn't respond.
Track placements
Note every playlist addition with playlist name, platform, and follower count.
Report results to clients
Combine Promoly stats with placement data for a complete picture.
Update curator tags after every campaign
Note who added, who declined, and who didn't respond.
Quick tips
Separate playlist pitching from press outreach
Run them as different campaigns with different messaging, even for the same release. Curators and journalists have different needs.
Follow up only with curators who listened
Promoly tells you who played the track. A follow-up to someone who listened is relevant. A follow-up to someone who didn't open is spam.
Build long-term curator relationships
Thank curators who add your clients' music. Share their playlists. When you have the right track for their list, they'll remember you.
Frequently asked questions
Should I charge clients separately for playlist pitching?
That's your call. Some publicists include it in their PR retainer. Others offer it as an add-on service. Either way, tracking results through Promoly makes it easy to justify the cost.
How many curators should I pitch per release?
Thirty to fifty well-targeted curators per release is a good range. Focus on playlists where the track genuinely fits.
Do I pitch Spotify editorial playlists too?
Spotify editorial submissions should go through Spotify for Artists. Your Promoly pitches target independent and third-party curators who accept email submissions.
What if a curator asks for money?
Paid placements violate most platform terms of service. Decline and focus on curators who add music based on quality.
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