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Find the right playlists,

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We track data on 700,000+ playlists, 30,000+ artists, and 100+ scam networks.

1M+

Playlists Checked For Bots

65K+

Artists Monitored for Bots/Fraud

7K+

Botted Playlists On File

10K+

Happy Musicians

We're big believers that playlists are a huge driver of success for artists in today's age.

Unfortunately, a growing number of artists are being misled or conned into thinking they've secured a spot on an authentic playlist, only to discover it's riddled with bots. Our data shows up to 64% of small artists looking for playlist placements have been placed in botted playlists. Crazy, right?

While the allure of instant visibility might be tempting, the repercussions of being associated with such deceptive practices aren't worth the risk. Let's explore the risks.

Reduced Algorithm & Editorial Support — Spotify's recommendation algorithms, such as Discover Weekly and Release Radar, rely on genuine user engagement to suggest tracks. Botted streams, lacking real engagement, hinder Spotify's ability to determine who to show your music to. Low engagement relative to high stream numbers can also be a red flag, causing the algorithm to sideline your music. From our experience, artists plagued with botted playlist placements/streams also get excluded from Editorial consideration.

Getting Banned on Spotify — One of the most severe repercussions of using botted playlists is facing Spotify's penalties. The platform employs sophisticated algorithms to detect bot activities. If found guilty, artists or playlist curators can face temporary suspensions or even permanent bans, effectively ending their Spotify journey... and from our experience, appeal emails often go unreviewed.

Royalties Getting Withheld — While botted streams might seem like a way to boost earnings, the reality is starkly different. Spotify's payout system is designed to reward genuine streams. If the platform detects bot activities, any potential earnings from these fake streams can be withheld. In some cases, Spotify might even reclaim previously paid royalties up to 3 months prior, leading to financial losses for the artist.

Skewed Analytics — Relying on botted playlists can distort an artist's understanding of their audience. With inflated numbers, genuine metrics like audience demographics, engagement rates, and song preferences become clouded. This skewed perspective will surely lead to misguided marketing decisions, hindering genuine growth opportunities.
We collect a lot of data to make our assessments and often human-review sketchy playlists that appear on our radar.

If our Spotify Bot Checker doesn't have enough data on a playlist, or you want to learn how to discern between an authentic and botted playlist yourself, here's how:

Unusual Growth Patterns — A sudden and massive surge or dip in followers or streams over a short period can be a red flag. Authentic playlists grow steadily, with occasional spikes due to popular tracks or mentions. However, if the growth seems too rapid to be organic, it might be worth running through artist.tools Spotify Bot Checker.

Low Engagement Rates — Bots can play songs, but they're rarely sophisticated enough to engage. If a track on a playlist has a high number of streams but minimal saves, shares, or follows, it's a potential indicator of bot activity. Another major red flag is if a playlist has a low number of listeners and a high number of streams.

Mismatched Demographics — If the majority of listeners come from regions unrelated to the artist's primary audience or if there's an unusual distribution of age or gender, be cautious. Bots often originate from specific locations, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, as this is where the world's major data centers are located.

Generic User Profiles — Bots often operate under generic or blank profiles, with randomly generated names like "7w24423kjhsdfkjh34kh". If a curator's profile has a bunch of these followers, that can be a sign of bot-driven activity. Authentic listeners typically have more personalized profiles, complete with playlists and favorite tracks.

Too Good To Be True — If a playlist curator promises guaranteed stream numbers or accepts any artist willing to pay, it's essential to tread carefully. Authentic playlist curators focus on the quality and fit of the music rather than making lofty promises.

Spotify Bot Checker

Paste your Spotify Artist URL for a bot analysis

Is Artister.io Legit?

No, Artister is not legit. Artister.io promises to get your music heard by adding it to playlists supposedly played in cafes, restaurants, and lounges. They claim a unique and legal method, but does it hold up? Here's a look at some red flags that raise concerns:

Buying Plays, Not Fans: Unlike genuine playlist promotion where curators discover your music, Artister.io seems to offer a system where plays are purchased. This directly contradicts Spotify's terms of service, potentially leading to your music being pulled altogether.

"Incentivized" Listening: Artister.io claims they don't use bots, but their FAQ raises eyebrows. While they say they avoid "artificial streams," they describe listeners who get "in-system points" for listening through their apps, redeemable for gift cards. Sounds an awful lot like an incentive program, not genuine music discovery. Quote from Artister.io FAQ: "We are not using any Bots or Click Farms to generate artificial streams on Spotify..." (but then they go on to explain a system that incentivizes listening...)

Songs Removed From Spotify: Some users report songs being added to Artister.io playlists without permission, and then removed from Spotify entirely. This suggests the playlists might be flagged for suspicious activity, impacting your music negatively.

Negative Reviews and Low Ratings: Reviews on platforms like Trustpilot raise doubts. While Artister.io might have positive testimonials, independent review sites often show a different picture.

How do I get out?

If you have engaged with Artister and are now facing issues or suspect fraudulent activity, here's what you can do:

Report to Spotify: If you notice suspicious activity or have been added to dubious playlists, report the issue to Spotify. They have mechanisms in place to investigate and take necessary action against fraudulent playlist promotion services.
Respectfully Contact Them: Attempt to contact them via their website and request they remove your music. Keep it light and respectful. Do not accuse them of botting.

Other artists' experiences with Artister should serve as a reminder to exercise caution when engaging with playlist promotion services, and to always read reviews online before engaging in playlist promotion. We recommend running any and all playlists you plan to do promotion with through our Bot Checker.

Is Artister Legit?

No, Artister is not legit.

We've received dozens of artist reports from this curator, and our bot detection algorithm frequently flags their playlists.

This company targets artists by including them in their playlists without any prior contact, to get the artists' attention and contact them for more promotion opportunities.

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No, Artister is not legit. See our review on Artister.io and why we believe they're fraudsters.

A data platform providing comprehensive bot detection, playlist analysis, and curator contact info for artists to build safe and successful careers on Spotify.

Built by Aaron Whittington (also SubmitLink & Priceable).

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