How to Become a Successful Artist on Spotify

Whether you have a band with multiple members or you are a solo artist, building your reputation on digital streaming services like Spotify has become crucial if you want to start a music career. For emerging artists, Spotify offers a wealth of opportunities for development and global exposure.

Many musicians want to learn how to become a successful artist on Spotify, get more fans and streams on Spotify. Success is a process that takes time, and it is vital to keep that in mind. It takes time, and much planning to get your music heard and successfully engage the target audience. Everyone initially feels overwhelmed, and emerging artists are unsure of how to get started or what to do first to have the biggest impact.

Many musicians struggle to figure out how to increase their streams on Spotify and develop a loyal fan base.

If you have similar questions in mind, you are in the right place because I am here to help you! First, you must learn more about creating a music marketing strategy, setting up your profile, and discovering how Spotify playlists can be your closest friends. Then, you must consistently promote your releases, produce quality content, and spread the word about your music. However, the most important thing is to know your artistic abilities and make excellent music worth someone’s time.

Here are some tips for unsigned artists on how to begin developing a successful career and quickly increase their Spotify plays and fan engagement.

3 FAQs for Spotify Newbies

There are three questions that nearly all young musicians have, at least according to my experience working with many of them. If you’re just getting started with music streaming services, I’m sure you want to know the following:

• How to upload your fantastic music to Spotify?
• What kind of music tend to do well on Spotify?
• How often should you release your music to stay relevant?

After answering these 3 valuable questions, I will give you 7 handy tips on how to make it big from the start, so keep reading!

Photo by Stephen Niemeier

1. How to Upload Music to Spotify?

How can I upload music to Spotify? If you are new to the amazing world of streaming platforms, I bet this is your first and most obvious question.

Spotify and other subscription-based services do not permit free track sharing, and you can’t submit the music by yourself. Distribution is usually taken care of if you have a record label. Independent and unsigned artists can use services from online music distributors to get their music on Spotify or other streaming services. You can upload your songs to various distributors on the market, including Distrokid, Tune Core, and CD Baby. This is because only these kinds of authorized distributors can control the submission process.

Afterward, the process is easy. You only need to upload high-quality audio files, your album art, and track information to publish your releases after you’ve done your research and chosen a third-party service. They do the rest of the work.

Pro tips:

• Always keep in mind that an MP3 won’t produce the sound quality you require for success.
• At least a 16-bit file format is required for the music.
• CD or single art needs to be a minimum of 1500×1500 pixel resolution. To ensure that your art is the proper size, use apps like Canva.

If you want to learn everything about how to upload music to Spotify, just follow the link.

2. What Kind of Music Does Well on Spotify?

The songs that do well on Spotify have some things in common. The majority of the songs included in Spotify playlists have a duration of no more than 4 minutes. Anything more than this will be excessive. Instead of releasing the entire track to the streaming venue, think about releasing shortened versions of longer, extended songs.

In general, vocal tracks perform better than instrumental tracks unless you’re trying to create music for sleep, meditation or similar purposes.

All of the successful songs on Spotify sound excellent, judging by the audio quality and mix/master. Make sure the music you’re producing sounds very good because if you release something that doesn’t have high-quality audio, you may look unprofessional. Consider asking some friends to listen to your music and give you their opinions before releasing it to the public.

The tracks should be as good as possible, so take your time with this. Eventually, think about hiring a pro to master them.

Also, don’t forget about the album cover art! You can see so many cool ones on Spotify. Cover art will be the visual identity of your music, so carefully choose what will be your representative.

3. How Often Should I Release New Music?

Make sure to schedule releases in advance. The majority of artists claim that they are more successful when they regularly release singles, such as a new track every week, as opposed to when they release larger projects less frequently and more irregularly.

Try to refrain from posting music every day, though. This might be too much for your audience. However, it might offer consistency and give fans something to look forward to and anticipate if a new song is released on the same day every month. They will feel more secure knowing you, as an artist, can be relied upon. Fans always want to know when new releases can be anticipated!

Photo by Pixabay

7 Essential Tips on How to Become a Successful Artist on Spotify

You should keep a few things in mind at every step of your musical journey. Please take the seven following tips exceptionally seriously.

Make an appealing Spotify artist profile and marketing plan. Build the buzz around your music release and know the importance of Spotify playlists. Learn this and much more in the following text.

1. Get Your Spotify for Artists Profile

You can claim your verified artist profile once you’ve uploaded music to Spotify. You can access music marketing tools, edit your profile, view audience statistics, manage playlists, and do much more with the Spotify for Artists feature.

You can communicate with fans directly when you verify your profile, and Spotify will grant you the opportunity to do so. You can post tour dates, biographies, photos, and merchandise on profiles in addition to showcasing your music.

Your followers will be notified each time you publish new content on Spotify. Visit Spotify and fill out the Spotify Verification Request Form to get a verified artist page.

2. Make a Good Marketing Plan

Thanks to social media platforms and streaming services, many artists have an opportunity to share their music worldwide. Thus, the music business is highly competitive, now more than ever. A good music marketing strategy can provide specific action steps to help you make the best choices regarding your music career. First, you need to make a detailed plan and define your target audience, and then you can start efficiently promoting your work.

To increase your exposure, share your music on social media, music blogs, email, and music-related websites. You should also pitch your upcoming, unreleased music to influencers like music bloggers and publicists. Invite your followers to the Spotify platform so they can hear your music.

Experienced artists know how important it is to establish a strong following on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. Engaging with fans, producing awesome content, and looking after listeners are essential steps. Social media platforms are just right for that. Be in touch with your followers by posting often! It’s vital to always be present and provide valuable and exciting content.

3. Create a Buzz for the Release Date

I know you’re very excited. I know you want your music to be heard right here and now! However, you need to play it smartly and make a lasting impression that will help you make the most out of your release.

It is not enough to just release your music without building the hype around your upcoming release. Remember, you need to intrigue and engage listeners who will eagerly wait for your music. This is very crucial for every music release in the future.

A few weeks before you finalize the mix, make a thorough plan. This is the perfect time to develop a strategy, produce content for social media, and gain traction. “Release and hope” is not an effective strategy. You need to know your audience well and understand what will make them move. Let them help you create the buzz.

A fresh example to help you understand how to efficiently build the right momentum for your release is the promotion of the upcoming Sam Smith and Kim Petras collaborative single, “Unholy.” Sam Smith is teasing fans with a short song snippet by posting TikTok videos (among other platforms). They are making a dance challenge, reacting to fans’ reaction videos, and much more.

Those videos are seen by millions, and fans can’t wait for the release day. This is an excellent example of engaging the audience from the get-go and demonstrating that you care about their opinion. By engaging this early, your followers are also helping you create the buzz you need.

4. Allow the Audience to Find You Easily

If you want to get more streams and make it simpler for the audience to find you, you can do the following:

• Put a link to your Spotify account in your Instagram bio.
• Promote it on Instagram stories and posts.
• Use TikTok to create engaging content around your music and put the link on your profile page.
• Send the Spotify link to your email contacts, put it on the Facebook banner or pin it as a comment on Youtube.
• Put a pre-save link on your website.

Once you’ve attracted attention to your content, point those eyes and ears in the right direction. You wouldn’t believe how many people are eager to hear your music, but you’re making them search for it. Therefore, by posting links to your music everywhere, you can make it simple for fans to find you and ensure they always know where to go if they want more of your music.

5. Learn the Importance of Spotify Playlists

Did you know that the majority of Spotify streams are generated by playlists? This is the quickest way to reach millions of potential fans. Getting a placement on a Spotify playlist is one of the most important things you can do to help your music grow faster. However, getting your music included in Spotify’s well-liked playlists is challenging.

The editorial staff of Spotify or major labels are in charge of the top playlists. Representatives of Spotify emphasize how “democratic” their curation process is. They claim that editorial instinct and information about how well songs connect with listeners drive the process. Labels and managers provide guidance to their curators, but Spotify is adamant that the integrity of the editorial staff will always come first.

Reaching out to Spotify playlists at a lower level is more straightforward. This refers to regular users who follow playlists regularly and companies who have created their own playlists. The chances of this strategy succeeding depend on the curators, so it isn’t successful every single time. You have no chance of being noticed if you do nothing, though. So, it’s better to try it, at least.

Making your own playlist on Spotify is another simple way to get your song added to a playlist. This may aid in growing the Spotify audience. If the playlist is well-made and searchable, it offers a direct route from the search field to the artist’s profile.

Your Spotify audience will be more interested in you if you are more active in curating and promoting your playlists. The more involved you are, the more likely other playlists will notice your music. You can sow a musical seed into the system by including your own music in a mix you create!

And in case you didn’t know, the easiest and most successful way to achieve your playlist goals is by starting the playlist submission process with services such as SoundCampaign. The platform will send your song to their expert playlist curators, who will listen to it, give you an honest review that will help you improve your music, and finally give you the option of adding your song to their carefully curated playlists. Check it out, and you will see how amazing it is to have experts on your side!

Send Music to Playlist Curators

Spotify has millions of playlists created by algorithms, the editorial team at Spotify, independent curators, and Spotify users. Follow the links if you want to learn more about how to get on a Spotify playlist, and contact Spotify playlist curators.

In short, this is what you should keep in mind if you want to place your music on a Spotify playlist:

• Verify your artist profile after creating a Spotify for Artists account.
• Send unreleased music to the independent Spotify playlist curators or the Spotify editorial team for consideration in playlists.
• Ask playlist creators to include your music by sending them an email or message.

Experiment with Your Own Spotify Playlists

You can start by creating a playlist of songs by the musicians who have influenced you the most. These are the musicians that other listeners are likely to know about and look up, which will lead them to your profile. Include one or two of your songs in a playlist of well-known artists’ songs with a sound that is similar to theirs.

The following advice will help you get the most out of your customized playlists:

• Make playlists that mix your music with that of other artists. The likelihood of receiving a favor in return will rise if you regularly share your playlists and show support for other artists.
• Make frequent updates to your playlists. Every other week, try to add or delete tracks. Additionally, every time you modify your playlist, your followers are notified. This strategy will assist in attracting listeners to your profile, resulting in an increase in followers and streams.
• Making use of the Artist Pick feature on Spotify, pin playlists to your artist profile. Don’t forget to post your playlists on social media. Display your taste in music, list some albums you like, or draw attention to a playlist that includes your song.
• Add a playlist name and an image to make your playlists stand out from the crowd. Consider music for various occasions and moods.

I can teach you much more about these kinds of playlists, so follow the link to learn how to create your own playlist on Spotify!

Photo by Pixabay

6. Networking is the Key to Success

Even the most well-known artists had to constantly network and market themselves in order to get where they are today. It’s critical to attend events, network with new people, and build connections with other creatives, producers, and business leaders.

Who knows? You might establish a worthwhile connection that will enable you to advance your musical career. You can connect with future collaborators, and you will help each other achieve the unimaginable. Share playlists by artists you enjoy and follow them. You might get support from these musicians in return. Maybe you can simply find a new community of people with whom you can discuss and share the knowledge that will be crucial in the future. Whatever it is, never underestimate the connection you make with other artists and people in the music business.

7. Bonus Tip: Use Spotify Canvas Feature

Spotify values users who take advantage of every feature available to them! Why not utilize Spotify Canvas, then? This new feature that Spotify has added allows artists to express their visual creativity. You can include a brief looping video called “Canvas” in your Spotify playlists. Instead of displaying an image when a user plays your track, the looping video will appear on their screen.

Creativity is the key point in making Canvas videos. Your fans and streams will probably increase if you can tell the whole story of your song in a 3–8 second Canvas clip.

Since I use Spotify, I should be honest and say that tracks with the Canvas feature intrigue me and encourage me to listen to the song. This feature can surely aid artists in gaining more Spotify listeners and streams. I suggest reading our post about the Spotify Canvas if you’re interested in learning more about this incredible feature.

Conclusion

Congratulations! Now you know the basics of becoming a successful artist by placing your music on Spotify. Remember everything you learned and bravely step into the beautiful music world. Now is the best time to take those first steps that tend to be the most difficult for an artist on Spotify! Good luck, and know that SoundCampaign and I are always here to help you!