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Spotify for Artists: 7 Essential Tools

Want to grow your music career on Spotify? Here are 7 key tools that help you track performance and connect with fans.

Tool

What It Does

Why It Matters

Main Dashboard

Shows real-time stats

Track streams, saves, and listeners

Listener Data

Breaks down audience info

Know who's playing your music

Track Performance

Displays song metrics

See which tracks work best

Editorial Submission

Pitch to Spotify editors

Get on official playlists

Find playlist curators

Avoid fake promotion

Profile Editor

Control your page

Keep info fresh

Canvas

Add moving artwork

Boost shares by 145%

Quick Stats That Matter:

  • 433+ million total Spotify users

  • 188+ million paid subscribers

  • $7 billion paid to artists in 2021

  • 1000+ artists earning $1M+ yearly


Here's the truth: These tools work together to help you understand your audience and grow your streams. In this guide, I'll show you exactly how to use each one.

Want proof? Look at REI AMI - she used playlist pitching to hit 50,000+ streams. Or check out Natasha Noorani, who used audience data to target her marketing better.


Let's dig into how you can use these tools to build your Spotify presence and find more fans.


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1. Main Dashboard Features

The Spotify for Artists dashboard packs your music's performance data into four main sections:

Section

What You'll Find

Home

• Live listener count (updates every 2 seconds) • Stream data from last 7 days • Your 3 best-performing songs • Top 3 playlists with your music

Music

• Track-by-track stream numbers • How many people save your songs • Which playlists add your music • Where streams come from

Audience

• Total listener stats • How your follower count grows • Who listens (age and gender) • Where listeners are located

Profile

• Control your artist page • Update your bio and photos • Add tour dates • Link your merch

The Engagement tab shows your last 28 days of:

  • How many times each person streams

  • Total song saves

  • New playlist additions

  • Which countries engage most


"The most important thing in Spotify for Artists is access to data that helps you gain an understanding of who and where your audience is and what songs are connecting with listeners the most." - Emily White, Spotify for Artists Product Manager

Here's a smart move: Look at your "Source of Streams" chart. It shows exactly how people find your music, so you'll know where to focus your promotion.


Want to find artists like you? Check "Listeners Also Like" - it's perfect for spotting potential collaborators or planning joint promotions.

Metric

Why You Should Care

Save Rate

Shows if people want to keep your music

Playlist Adds

Tells you which playlists drive your streams

Geographic Data

Points to where you should tour and advertise

Real-time Stats

Lets you watch how new releases perform instantly


2. Listener Data

Here's how Spotify for Artists splits your audience into three main groups:

Audience Segment

Description

Impact

Active Audience

People who played your music in last 28 days

Drive 60% of streams, 80% of merch sales

Previously Active

Past listeners who haven't played in 28+ days

Can be brought back

Programmed

Found through playlists/radio in last 2 years

New discovery listeners

Your active listeners fall into these categories:

Listener Type

What They Do

Super Listeners

Play your music A LOT

Moderate Listeners

Play regularly

Light Listeners

Play sometimes

Here's what matters:

Your total audience includes everyone who's played your music in the last 2 years. Active listeners make up 33% of this group. And when people actively stream your music, they'll play it 4x more over the next 6 months.


"The most important thing in Spotify for Artists is access to data that helps you gain an understanding of who and where your audience is and what songs are connecting with listeners the most." - Emily White, Spotify for Artists Product Manager

What you can track each month:

  • How listeners move between groups

  • Where your plays come from

  • Who's listening (age, gender)

  • Top locations


What to do with this info:

  • Build up your super listeners - they're your biggest supporters

  • Find which songs turn new listeners into regular fans

  • Watch how people move between listener groups

  • Use location data for tour planning


The Segments page shows if your fan-building efforts work. Keep an eye on how people go from first-time listeners to dedicated fans.


3. Track Performance Stats

Spotify for Artists shows you exactly how your music performs. Here's what the Music section tells you:

Metric

What It Shows

Update Frequency

Live Listeners

Current plays happening now

Every 2 seconds

Total Streams

Plays lasting 30+ seconds

Daily

Save Rate

% of listeners saving your track

Daily

Source of Streams

Where your plays come from

Daily

Want to know WHERE people find your music? Here's the breakdown:

Source

Description

Artist Profile

Plays directly from your page

User Playlists

Listeners' personal playlists

Editorial Playlists

Official Spotify playlists

Algorithmic Playlists

Spotify's auto-generated lists

New releases get extra attention:

  • Real-time updates every 2 seconds for 7 days

  • Exact stream numbers

  • Side-by-side comparison with your previous releases


"These stats help you make smarter choices about marketing, collaborations, and where to focus your promotion efforts." - Emily White, Spotify for Artists Product Manager

The Performance Over Time tab shows you:

  • Stream comparisons across platforms

  • Listening pattern changes

  • Weekly growth numbers


About Save Rates:

  • Example: 30% save rate = 300 saves per 1,000 plays

  • Better save rates = better playlist chances

  • Track which songs get saved most


Your Home screen displays current stats next to last week's numbers. Use these insights to spot your best-performing songs and tweak your promotion strategy based on what works.


4. Submit Music to Editorial Playlists

Here's how to pitch your tracks to Spotify's editorial playlists through Spotify for Artists:

Step

Action

Details

1. Timing

Submit 7+ days before release

Editors need review time

2. Track Status

Must be unreleased

No published songs allowed

3. Quantity

One track at a time

Pick your best song

4. Access

Use desktop computer

Login to Spotify for Artists

When you pitch, you'll need to fill out these details:

Field

What to Include

Genre

Main + secondary styles

Mood

Pick up to 2 moods

Instruments

Main instruments used

Culture

Up to 3 music cultures

Description

Your song's story

Here's what helps your chances:

  • Submit a clean version (opens up more playlist options)

  • Tell them your marketing plans

  • Connect your social accounts

  • Clean up your artist profile


Spotify has 3 main playlist types:

Type

What It Is

How to Get In

Editorial

Spotify staff picks

Use the pitch tool

Algorithmic

Auto-created (like Release Radar)

Get better stats

User-Created

Made by listeners

Connect with creators

"Pitching doesn't mean you'll get placed, but it's your best shot at making it happen." - Aaron Whittington, artist.tools founder

Want proof it works? Look at Canyon City (Paul Johnson). His song "Firework" made it onto a Spotify playlist, and now he makes $200,000 per year.


Keep an eye on your Spotify for Artists dashboard after you submit. While you won't get direct feedback, your stats will tell the story.


5. Using artist.tools


artist.tools is a platform that connects you with playlist curators and helps you spot fake playlists. Here's what it does:

Feature

What It Does

How to Use It

Bot Checker

Flags fake playlists

Run a check before pitching

Playlist Search

Shows relevant playlists

Filter by genre/mood

Curator Info

Lists contact info

Message verified curators

Track Analysis

Displays playlist stats

Check your numbers

The main tools you'll use:

Tool Name

Purpose

Key Metric

Playlist Analyzer

Tests if playlists are legit

Monthly listeners

Artist Analyzer

Shows growth data

Follower numbers

Curator Analyzer

Checks curator background

Success rate

"We built artist.tools because musicians were spending too much time on fake playlists. We wanted to help them find REAL curators who'd actually share their music." - Aaron Whittington, artist.tools founder

The free version includes:

  • 5 playlist checks each day

  • Basic playlist details

  • Some curator info


To get results:

  • Look at playlist numbers first

  • Pick curators who match your style

  • Double-check curator emails

  • Keep tabs on where you submit


Think of artist.tools as a partner to Spotify for Artists. Use both to get your music on playlists:

Playlist Type

Where to Submit

Editorial

Spotify for Artists

Independent

Algorithmic

Auto-generated (no pitch needed)

6. Edit Your Profile

Here's how to update your Spotify artist profile to connect with fans:

Profile Element

How to Edit

Character Limit

Artist Bio

Profile > About > Pencil icon

1,500 characters

Profile Picture

Profile > Images

High-res only

Social Links

Profile > Social

Up to 3 links

Header Image

Profile > Images

Banner format

Your bio needs three key parts:

Section

What to Include

Example Content

Origin

Your story

Starting point, music style

Present

What's happening now

New songs, shows

Future

What's next

Coming releases, tours

Want to add links? It's simple:

  • Drop in Spotify URLs

  • Tag artists with @

  • Connect to your albums and playlists

Do's

Don'ts

Update often

Keep old info

Use short paragraphs

Write long blocks

Share real facts

Use empty buzz words

Check monthly

Post once and forget

Since 2017, you can update your profile anytime - no need to wait for 250 followers. You're free to:

  • Switch up your bio

  • Change your pictures

  • Add social links

  • Fix old details


"Your profile is your first handshake with new listeners. Keep your bio short and sweet - a few strong paragraphs beat a wall of text." - Spotify for Artists Documentation

Spotify's basic rules:

  • No stealing content

  • No hate speech

  • No bullying

  • No harassment


Check your profile each month. Add updates about:

  • New tracks

  • Concert dates

  • Media mentions

  • Music changes


Think of your profile as an ongoing chat with fans - keep it fresh and real.


7. Add Moving Artwork

Spotify Canvas turns your tracks into mini visual experiences. Here's what makes a good Canvas:

Canvas Requirements

Specifications

Length

3-8 seconds

Format

MP4 or JPEG

Ratio

9:16 (vertical)

Min Height

720 pixels

Max Height

1080 pixels

The data speaks for itself - Canvas boosts engagement:

Performance Metric

Impact

Track shares

+145%

Playlist adds

+20%

Artist page visits

+9%

Continued streaming

+5%

Library saves

+1.4%

Adding Canvas is simple:

  1. Open Spotify for Artists

  2. Click Music tab

  3. Pick your track

  4. Hit "Add Canvas"

  5. Drop in your video


What works (and what doesn't):

Do This

Not This

Create smooth loops

Add promo links

Stick to your brand colors

Use flashy effects

Show a clear story

Put random text

Switch it up often

Add talking clips

Keep it clean

Make quick cuts

Here's how top artists use Canvas:

Artist

Strategy

Outcome

Billie Eilish

Fan art animations

More fan activity

The 1975

Daily nature clips

Better stream count

Dua Lipa

Hidden surprises

More fan action

Biffy Clyro

Album-matched designs

Strong brand look

"Canvas opens up new ways to tell stories and build your world. It's your chance to give mobile listeners something extra." - Spotify for Artists

Tools to create your Canvas:

Tool Level

Options

Pro

Mobile

Web-based

Direct Upload

DistroKid Canvas makers

Conclusion

Here's how Spotify for Artists helps musicians grow:

Tool

Impact

Key Benefits

Main Dashboard

Daily stats at a glance

See streams, listeners, follows

Listener Data

Know your fans

Book shows where fans live

Track Performance

See what works

Find your top songs

Playlist Submission

Get more exposure

Land on Spotify playlists

Find legit playlists

Skip fake promotion

Profile Editor

Control your image

Update your presence

Canvas

Get more shares

+145% sharing boost

The platform's reach speaks for itself:

Platform Stats

Numbers

Market Share

36% of streaming market

Total Users

433+ million

Paid Users

188+ million

Artist Payouts (2021)

$7 billion

$1M+ Earning Artists

1000+

Here's what artists say:

"Spotify for Artists' marketing and promo tools help you cut through the noise and get noticed." - Amy Cimpaye

Check out these success stories:

Artist

What They Did

What Happened

REI AMI

Submitted to playlists

Got 50,000+ streams

Natasha Noorani

Used audience data

Better marketing spend

Ingrid Michaelson

Got sync deals

Hit 2.5M monthly listeners

Quick tips for success:

Do

Don't

Submit tracks early

Buy fake streams

Watch your stats

Skip data insights

Keep profile fresh

Leave Canvas blank

Try playlist pitching

Miss analytics

Fall for fake playlists

Want better results? Use these tools together and stick with it. That's how you'll build your Spotify presence and connect with more fans.

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