How to Get a Song on Spotify A Practical Guide

Antix Primary
Aug 15
14 min read

So, you’ve poured your heart and soul into a track, and it’s finally ready. Now what? Getting it onto Spotify isn't as simple as uploading an MP3 file directly. You absolutely must go through a digital music distributor.

Think of services like DistroKid or TuneCore as the essential bridge connecting your finished song to Spotify’s massive global platform. They handle all the technical heavy lifting and royalty collection, making sure your music gets where it needs to go and you get paid for your streams.

Your Roadmap to a Spotify Release

Getting your music in front of millions of listeners is more than just a technical step—it’s a strategic process. A successful release is a well-planned campaign designed to give your song the best possible chance to find its audience and make an impact.

And making an impact is tough. In 2024, Spotify hit a staggering 626 million unique users, with 246 million of them being paying subscribers. That’s a massive potential audience, but also a ridiculously crowded marketplace. To avoid getting lost in the noise, every single step you take matters. You can see the latest numbers on Spotify's user growth on Business of Apps.

To help you navigate this, here's a quick overview of the key phases you'll go through.

Key Stages of a Spotify Release

Stage	Key Action	Primary Goal
Preparation	Finalize your master track and create high-res cover art.	Ensure your assets meet professional and platform-specific quality standards.
Distribution	Choose a distributor and upload your music and metadata.	Get your song delivered to Spotify and other streaming services correctly.
Pre-Release	Claim your artist profile and pitch to Spotify's editorial playlists.	Build initial momentum and secure valuable playlist consideration before launch day.
Post-Release	Actively promote your song to drive saves, shares, and streams.	Signal to the Spotify algorithm that your track is resonating with listeners.

Each of these stages builds on the last, creating a launchpad for your music.

Breaking Down the Launch Phases

Let's look a little closer at what goes into a professional rollout.

Music and Artwork Prep: This is your foundation. Your track needs to be professionally mixed and mastered so it sounds incredible on everything from laptop speakers to high-end headphones. Your cover art is just as important—it needs to meet Spotify's specs, which means a high-quality, 3000x3000 pixel image. First impressions count.
Choosing Your Distributor: This is arguably the most critical partnership you'll make as an independent artist. You’ll need to weigh their fee structures, royalty splits, and extra features. Are you releasing a single or a full album? How often will you be putting out music? Your answers will help you pick the distributor that fits your career goals.
Profile Optimization and Pitching: As soon as your distributor sends your track to Spotify, you need to claim your Spotify for Artists profile. This is your command center. You’ll write your bio, upload new photos, and—most importantly—pitch your unreleased song directly to Spotify's editorial team for playlist consideration. This is a non-negotiable step.
Post-Release Promotion: The real work begins on release day. Your job is to drive as much initial engagement as possible. Pushing for saves, shares, and adds to user-generated playlists sends powerful signals to Spotify's algorithm, telling it that your song is connecting with people and is worth showing to a wider audience.

Takeaway: A Spotify release isn’t a one-and-done event; it's a full-blown campaign. From the quality of your audio master to the way you promote it after it drops, every piece of the puzzle plays a vital role in helping your music find the listeners it deserves.

Getting Your Music Ready for a Professional Release

Before you even start thinking about distribution, let's talk about the essentials: your audio and visual assets. Getting these right is non-negotiable. With over 100,000 new tracks hitting Spotify every single day, this is your pre-flight checklist. Skipping these steps is a surefire way to get lost in the noise.

Your song needs to sound incredible everywhere, whether it's through cheap earbuds or a high-end car stereo. That's where professional mixing and mastering come in. Mixing is all about balancing the individual instruments and vocals, while mastering is the final coat of paint that ensures loudness, clarity, and consistency across every playback system.

A professional master doesn't just make your song louder; it makes it competitive. It ensures your track can stand side-by-side with major label releases in a playlist without sounding weak or amateurish.

Technical File Specs

Spotify and other streaming platforms are very particular about the audio files they'll accept. Don't even think about sending a low-quality MP3—it just won't cut it. To make sure your music sounds exactly how you intended, you need to export the final, mastered track in a high-resolution, lossless format.

Your distributor will almost always ask for one of these:

WAV File: This is the industry standard. Make sure it's at a 16-bit or 24-bit depth.
Sample Rate: A sample rate of 44.1 kHz is the standard for CD-quality audio, and it's what Spotify uses.
Stereo Format: Your file must be a stereo WAV, not mono.

Following these specifications is the bare minimum. It’s a fundamental part of how to get a song on Spotify the right way. For artists just starting out, getting a handle on these technical details is a critical step in the journey.

Creating Compelling Album Artwork

Your cover art is the very first thing a potential new fan will see. It’s your digital billboard, and it has to be good enough to stop someone mid-scroll. Think about it: a blurry or unprofessional image immediately signals an unprofessional track.

Spotify has some strict technical rules for artwork, and if you don't meet them, your distributor will simply reject your release.

Resolution: The image has to be a perfect square, at least 3000 x 3000 pixels.
File Format: Stick to either JPEG or PNG.
Quality: It must be high-resolution—no pixelation or blurriness allowed.
Content: Keep it clean. Don't put social media handles, email addresses, or website URLs on the artwork itself.

Your artwork is part of the song's story. For example, if you're dropping an ambient electronic track, a moody, abstract visual will connect with listeners before they even hit play. On the other hand, a bright, energetic pop song might call for bold colors and a striking portrait. The art sets the tone and builds anticipation, making it one of the most powerful tools in your entire release strategy.

Choosing the Right Music Distributor for You

Picking a music distributor is easily one of the most critical decisions you'll make as an artist. This isn't just about getting your files from your hard drive to Spotify; this is your business partner. They're the ones who handle your royalties and get your music onto every major global platform.

It's easy to get bogged down in the options. You've got heavy hitters like DistroKid, TuneCore, and CD Baby, and each one has a different way of doing things. The trick is to look past the flashy homepage and really think about what you need. An artist dropping a new single every month has completely different needs than a band that puts out an album every few years.

Comparing the Core Models

The first major fork in the road is usually the payment model. It typically boils down to paying per release or paying a yearly fee.

Annual Subscription (e.g., DistroKid): You pay one flat fee per year and can upload as much music as you want. This is a no-brainer for prolific artists. The catch? If you stop paying that annual fee, your music might get pulled down unless you pay for an add-on to keep it live forever.
Pay-Per-Release (e.g., CD Baby): You pay a one-time fee for every single or album. It might seem pricier upfront, but your music stays up for good, no strings attached. This is often the better route for artists with a smaller catalog or a more relaxed release schedule.

This chart gives you a quick visual breakdown of how some of the big names stack up on the important stuff—fees, how fast they work, and what cut they take (if any).

As you can see, what’s "best" is all about your personal game plan.

To make this even clearer, let's put the three most popular distributors side-by-side.

Distributor Comparison: DistroKid vs. TuneCore vs. CD Baby

Choosing a distributor often comes down to these three. Each has its own philosophy on how to best serve independent artists, which is reflected in their pricing and features.

Feature	DistroKid	TuneCore	CD Baby
Pricing Model	Annual subscription for unlimited uploads ($22.99/year for one artist)	Annual subscription per release ($19.99/year per single, $34.99/year per album)	One-time fee per release ($9.99 per single, $29 per album)
Royalty Split	100% to artist	100% to artist	Artist gets 91%, CD Baby takes a 9% commission
Best For	Prolific artists releasing music frequently	Artists who want detailed sales analytics and publishing administration	Artists who want their music up forever with a single payment
Key Perk	Speed and simplicity; often the fastest to get music into stores	Comprehensive add-on services like publishing and social media tools	Physical distribution (CDs/vinyl) and sync licensing opportunities
Potential Downside	Can get expensive with add-ons; music can be removed if subscription lapses	Annual fees can add up if you have a large catalog	The 9% commission on royalties can be significant for high-earning artists

Ultimately, there's no single "winner." DistroKid is amazing for its speed and unlimited model, TuneCore offers robust professional services, and CD Baby provides a simple, set-it-and-forget-it option. Your release frequency and long-term goals should be the deciding factor.

Beyond the Price Tag

Don't just stop at the fees. You need to dig into the details that will actually affect your day-to-day life as an artist. How fast can they get your music live on Spotify? A quick turnaround is everything when you’re trying to sync a release with a PR push or a tour announcement.

And what about the money? Most of the big distributors now let you keep 100% of your royalties, which is fantastic. But always read the fine print. Some might charge extra for things like YouTube Content ID or take a small cut from specific revenue streams.

Your distributor is your financial pipeline. Pay close attention to their payout methods, minimum withdrawal thresholds, and how quickly they process payments. Waiting months to access your earnings can be a serious roadblock for an independent artist.

Finally, think about what happens when things go wrong. Because at some point, they will. A release gets stuck, a store reports the wrong data, you name it. You need a support team that's responsive and actually helpful. Go read reviews from other artists. Sometimes paying a little more is worth it for the peace of mind that comes with knowing someone has your back, ensuring your journey to get a song on Spotify is as smooth as possible.

Mastering Your Spotify for Artists Profile

Once your distributor gets your music into Spotify’s system, your song is officially live. But the real work is just getting started. Your very next move, and arguably the most important one, is to claim your Spotify for Artists profile. This is how you get that little blue checkmark and, more importantly, unlock a whole suite of tools to manage your presence on the platform.

Think of your profile as your storefront in the world's biggest music market. It’s the first impression you make on new listeners, playlist curators, and even industry folks. An empty profile screams that you’re not taking this seriously. A polished, professional one, on the other hand, invites them to stick around and see what you're all about.

Crafting Your Artist Identity

Your artist profile is a canvas. It’s where you tell your story and build your brand, so every single element needs to feel intentional and in line with your music. Nail the basics, but do it with your own unique flair.

Your Artist Bio: This is not a resume. You have 1,500 characters to tell a story that pulls people in. Where are you from? What makes you tick as a musician? Go ahead and mention your influences, but the real goal is to highlight what makes you different.
Header and Avatar Images: Your photos need to be sharp and high-resolution. They also need to be visually consistent with your brand. Your header image is a billboard; your avatar is your calling card. Make them count.
Artist Pick: This is a killer feature. It lets you pin a song, album, or playlist right to the top of your profile. Use it to push your new single, an upcoming tour playlist, or a collab you're featured on. You can even add a quick note to give fans some context, like, "My new track is finally here! So proud of this one."

This is your mission control for managing your identity on Spotify.

The Spotify for Artists dashboard is where you get direct control over your profile, music, and analytics. It’s an absolutely essential tool if you're serious about growing your audience.

Adding Visuals with Canvas and Clips

Let’s be real—Spotify is a visual platform now. To really cut through the noise, you need to add some motion to your music. That’s where Canvas and Clips come in.

A Canvas is a short, 3-8 second looping video that replaces your static album art on the "Now Playing" screen. Spotify’s own data shows that tracks with a Canvas see a huge lift in saves and shares. It’s a simple, powerful way to make your music more memorable.

Takeaway: A fully decked-out Spotify for Artists profile does more than just look good. It sends a clear signal to fans, curators, and the algorithm that you're an active artist worth paying attention to.

On top of that, Clips are vertical, under-30-second videos that let you share the story behind your music. Use them to build hype before a release drops or give fans a behind-the-scenes look afterward. Artists using Clips have seen, on average, double the pre-saves. It’s a game-changer for building engagement and keeping the momentum going.

Pitching Your Music to Spotify Editors

Getting your track on an official Spotify playlist can be a game-changer, and it all boils down to one thing: a killer pitch. This isn't about luck; it's your direct line to the people who build these playlists, and it's your best shot at getting on their radar. The whole thing happens right inside your Spotify for Artists dashboard, but you have to get the timing right.

You simply can't pitch a song that's already out. It has to be done while your track is still unreleased, which gives the editorial team a window to listen and consider where it might fit. This is your one and only chance per release to grab their attention, so make it count.

The Critical Timing of Your Pitch

The biggest mistake I see artists make? Pitching way too late. Spotify themselves recommend submitting your pitch at least 7 days before your release date. This is the minimum to even be considered for playlists like Release Radar, which is automatically sent out to all your followers.

Usually, you'll get an email from your distributor around four weeks before your track is set to go live, letting you know it's been delivered to Spotify. That's your cue. That's when your pitching window opens. For a great breakdown of this, check out this video on the submission timeline on YouTube.

But just submitting on time is no guarantee. The curators are swimming in new music every single day. They're looking for high-quality tracks that nail a specific vibe and will connect with their listeners. Your pitch has to sell them on that vision.

Crafting a Pitch That Gets Noticed

When you fire up the pitching tool, you'll be asked to provide some specific details about your song. This is where you need to be precise and thoughtful—don't just rush through it. This metadata is what helps the editors filter and categorize your music.

You'll need to tag a few things:

Genre: Be specific here. Instead of just "Rock," think more granularly, like "Indie Rock" or "Alternative Rock."
Moods: You get to pick up to two. Choose what best captures the track's feeling, whether it's "Chill," "Energetic," or "Melancholy."
Instrumentation: What's in the mix? Tagging things like "Acoustic Guitar" or "Synth" gives them a clearer sonic picture.

After you handle the tags, you get a text box for the pitch itself. Be concise, but be compelling. Don't waste your limited characters on something generic like "I hope you like my new song." Instead, tell them the story. Maybe it was inspired by a specific event, or you tried out a new production technique. What makes this track special?

A great pitch tells a story that makes an editor want to press play. Something like: "This track was written on a vintage piano after a cross-country road trip. We blended classic 70s folk melodies with modern lo-fi drum machines to capture a feeling of nostalgic-but-restless energy."

That little bit of detail provides context that they can't get from just listening. It helps them imagine where your song could live inside the massive world of Spotify playlists.

For more on this, we've put together a deep dive on the top strategies for landing Spotify editorial playlists. Making your pitch personal and professional is a crucial step when you're figuring out how to get a song on Spotify and really make an impact.

Promoting Your Song and Engaging the Algorithm

Hitting 'publish' isn't the finish line—it's the starting gun. Once your song is live, your job pivots to promotion, which is really just a conversation with the Spotify algorithm. This isn't about trying to game the system; it's about showing it that real people are genuinely connecting with your music.

The algorithm couldn't care less about raw stream counts alone. It's all about listener engagement metrics. It's looking for key signals like how many people save your track to their library, add it to their own playlists, and—crucially—listen all the way through without skipping. This changes everything about how you should think about getting your music noticed.

Driving Meaningful Engagement from Day One

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to generate a burst of these positive signals the second your track goes live. This initial momentum is what tells Spotify your track has legs and is worth showing to a wider audience through features like Discover Weekly and Radio.

A simple but killer strategy is a "pre-save" or "day one save" campaign. Get on your social media, hit up your email list, and give your followers a crystal-clear call to action: save the song the moment it drops. That single action is one of the most powerful indicators of listener interest you can get.

Your core fanbase is your launch team. Mobilize them with a clear, direct request on release day. A simple "Go save my new song now!" can generate the early engagement spike needed to catch the algorithm's attention.

Strategies to Boost Algorithmic Signals

That initial push is great, but sustained promotion is what builds a career. You need a multi-pronged attack to keep those positive signals flowing. For a much deeper dive, check out our guide on the best ways to promote your music in 2025.

In the meantime, here are a few actionable ideas to get the ball rolling:

Create Your Own Playlists: This is a no-brainer. Build playlists that feature your new song alongside tracks from artists you sound like or songs that fit a specific vibe. This not only gives your track a home but also helps Spotify understand its sonic context—who to show it to next.
Collaborate with Other Artists: Team up with other musicians in your scene for some cross-promotion. A feature on their artist playlist or a simple shout-out on their socials can expose your music to a whole new, highly relevant audience.
Utilize Spotify's Tools: Don't sleep on features like Canvas and Clips. These make your track more visually interesting and sticky. Spotify's own data shows that tracks with a Canvas see way higher save and share rates, which feeds the algorithm exactly what it wants to see.

The goal isn't just a one-time spike in streams. It's about building a loyal audience that actually cares and engages with your music, setting you up for real, long-term growth.

Alright, let's tackle some of the burning questions artists always have when they're trying to get a new song out on Spotify. Getting your first release live can feel like navigating a minefield of weird technical rules and looming deadlines, but it's not as scary as it looks.

How Long Until My Song Is Actually on Spotify?

This is a big one. The timeline can change depending on your distributor, but a good rule of thumb is to give yourself at least one to two weeks of buffer time.

Some distributors like DistroKid are known for being pretty quick, sometimes getting it done in a few days. But you never want to cut it that close. If you're planning on pitching your track to Spotify's editorial playlists (which you absolutely should be), you need that extra time. Plan ahead, and you'll save yourself a massive headache.

Can I Just Upload My Music for Free?

In a word, no. You can't just upload a track to Spotify directly like you would on SoundCloud. You have to go through a digital music distributor.

Most distributors charge a fee, either as a flat annual subscription or a one-time cost for each single or album you release. While there are a handful of "free" options out there, be careful. They usually make their money by taking a much larger cut of your royalties on the back end.

Okay, My Song Is Live. Now What?

Don't pop the champagne just yet—your job isn't over. In fact, the real work starts the moment your song hits the platform. Those first few weeks are absolutely critical for getting traction.

Your main goal should be to send as many positive signals to the Spotify algorithm as you can. This means pushing for saves, shares, and adds to personal playlists. It tells Spotify that people are actively engaging with your music.

And don't get discouraged if it doesn't blow up on day one. Spotify's own data shows that a whopping 75% of a song's streams in its first year happen after the initial release month. The key is to build and maintain momentum over the long haul.

Ready to stop guessing and start growing? artist.tools is built to give you the data and insights you need to find the right playlists, track your performance, and connect with a bigger audience. Start making smarter, data-driven decisions at artist.tools.