Find and Contact Playlist Curators: Playlist Search Engines

As a musician, it's tough to get noticed in today's crowded music landscape. If you're here, it's likely you already have an idea of what playlists can do for you and the associated walls and speedbumps.

You've probably come across your share of issues like:

- Botted playlists

- Not being able to find enough playlists

- "I'll add your song to my playlist for $50 here's the PayPal!" replies.

It's enough to make you doubt the entire concept.

... but despite the shady ecosystem, I truly believe playlist marketing can be profoundly powerful if you have the right tools.

This is where I get into what Playlist Search Engines are.

What is a Playlist Search Engine?

A playlist search engine is a nifty tool that dramatically cuts down the time it takes to find and contact playlist curators. They typically allow you to search for playlists based on genres, keywords, and similar artists, then provide you with the contact information for those playlists.

How to use a Playlist Search Engine

Using a Spotify Playlist Search Engine should be straightforward and user-friendly.

To start, simply type a keyword in the search bar, and the site will return a list of playlists and their contact information. To find the right playlists for your music, it's important to consider different keywords, variations, genres, similar artists, moods, etc. Experimenting with different search terms will help you get the most out of the platform. Get creative with it!

Once you've found a playlist that you're interested, simply click on it to access its contact information. From there, you can create your pitch and send it directly to the playlist curator. The site may also provide other valuable data, such as the artists and genres featured in the playlist, listener data, historical data, to help you make informed decisions about your music promotion.

The drawbacks of Playlist Search Engines

Using a Playlist Search Engine to contact playlist curators can sometimes be a double-edged sword. While it provides a quick and easy way to reach out to multiple curators all at once, it's not guaranteed that you will receive a response from any of them. In fact, a lot of curators might will likely not reply, which can be frustrating and time-consuming.

As I mentioned at the top, you may run into unscrupulous individuals who will ask for money in exchange for promoting their music. You should obviously avoid these individuals at all costs. Payment for placement is generally only practiced amongst curators who have nothing to lose. It's also very likely their playlists are botted (which can get your artist profile removed from Spotify).

Despite these drawbacks, I still believe the playlist marketing space is required for music marketing in 2023, and Playlist Search Engines work to make that process a lot easier.

The best Playlist Search Engine

artist.tools | Free & Paid

This site is specifically designed to assist artists, labels, and music industry professionals in finding and contacting playlist curators. With its advanced analytics, there are a lot of valuable insights into listener activity and historical playlist growth, helping you make confident decisions about what playlists you're submitting to.

artist.tools is the only service that provides listener data (yes, seriously). The up-to-date playlist data and contact information go without saying. The advanced filtering options also allow you to hyper-refine your search for playlists based on keywords, genres, similar artists, "exact" keywords, "exclude" keywords, listener ranges, follower ranges, active playlists, bot-free playlists (the list goes on and on - it's pretty extensive). artist.tools is the best option because they have a free plan, provide valuable listener data and insights, historical data, and you can search by artist names.

Alternative options

While artist.tools is a great choice, it's always good to keep in mind that there are other options available that might be a better fit for you. Every artist is unique and has different needs, so it's important to take a look at all the options and choose the one that you feel is right for you. Just remember, this article is on artist.tools' own website, so it's always a good idea to do your own research and see what other options are out there!

PlaylistSupply | Paid

PlaylistSupply offers a comprehensive database of playlists and their contact information, making it easier for users to promote their music. One of the key benefits of PlaylistSupply is the ability to export the list of contacts in a CSV format, allowing users to have all the information they need in a convenient and organized manner. Additionally, its user-friendly interface and advanced filtering options make it easier to search for playlists based on specific criteria, such as genre, mood, location, and more. With these features, PlaylistSupply is a powerful tool for music promotion and can be a better choice compared to other playlist search engine websites.

With that said, PlaylistSupply also has several drawbacks compared to other playlist search engines, including the absence of listener data and the lack of a free plan. Additionally, their database is "static," meaning that contact information may not be up-to-date, which can be a disadvantage for artists looking to connect with playlist curators. Furthermore, PlaylistSupply does not provide a way to directly contact playlists through the site, which can be a hindrance for users looking for a streamlined process to reach out to playlists.

Due to the CSV export feature, this is the best option if you already have a workflow for contacting Spotify playlists or use an email service like MailChimp or SendInBlue.

EDIT: artist.tools now offers CSV exports!

PlaylistMap | Paid

PlaylistMap is a popular Spotify Playlist Search Engine that provides a unique approach to finding and contacting playlist curators. Unlike artist.tools, with PlaylistMap you pay per contact, with 3 free contacts per month. This pay-per-contact approach may be appealing for artists who only want to reach out to a select few playlists, as it allows for a more cost-effective method of promotion. Additionally, PlaylistMap's popularity among industry professionals highlights its effectiveness and reliability as a tool for music promotion.

One major drawback is that it operates on a pay-per-contact system, where users only get 3 free contacts per month and must pay for additional contacts. This could become expensive for users who are seeking to contact many playlists. Additionally, the fact that it operates on a pay-per-contact system may also result in less up-to-date and reliable contact information compared to other playlist search engines that offer more comprehensive access to their database.

In my opinion, it is unlikely PlaylistMap is your best option, but for the sake of its popularity and trust in the music industry, I feel it is only right to include them as an alternative option.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you'll find that playlist curators are a crucial aspect of music marketing in today's streaming landscape. A playlist search engine can make this process dramatically easier, providing valuable insights and opportunities for artists and record labels otherwise hidden from the human eye.

In my opinion, playlist marketing should not be limited to the release of a new song, but rather integrated into a weekly marketing plan. By doing so, you are consistently developing relationships with the playlist curators that make a difference. After all, it's a numbers game. The more playlist curators you're connected with, the easier your marketing push will be.

Thanks for reading! :)