Getting on a Spotify playlist can boost your music more than almost anything else. Two of the most powerful playlists are Release Radar and Discover Weekly. These are algorithm-based playlists that update every week for each listener — and getting your song into them can lead to thousands of new streams and new fans.
But how do you actually land a spot on them?
Let’s break it down in simple steps.
Release Radar is a playlist that updates every Friday. It’s different for every user, and it includes new music from artists they already follow or have listened to in the past.
Discover Weekly updates every Monday. It recommends new songs that the listener hasn’t heard yet, based on their listening habits and what they tend to like.
If you can get your track into either one, it means you’re showing up directly in the personal playlist feed of real listeners who are most likely to enjoy your sound.
This might sound obvious, but first things first — your music has to be delivered properly to Spotify and other major platforms. Using a digital distributor like MusicDigi makes sure your songs get uploaded not just to Spotify, but also Apple Music and over 200+ digital music stores and streaming services around the world.
So before you can even think about playlists, make sure you’re set up with a trusted distributor who will get your music on Spotify and deliver it on time.
To show up in Release Radar and be considered for editorial playlists, you need to submit your track early through Spotify for Artists. This lets you fill out details about your song — the genre, the mood, the instruments used, and the story behind it.
Make sure your pitch is clear, honest, and describes the feeling of the song. Spotify uses this info to figure out what playlists your song might fit into. MusicDigi’s AI tool can help you craft a clean and focused pitch that speaks to what curators and algorithms are looking for.
Spotify pays close attention to who follows you. If someone follows your artist page, any new release you drop is much more likely to show up in their Release Radar.
That means growing your followers matters — a lot.
Encourage your fans to follow you on Spotify through social media, email lists, and even directly in your songs or visuals. More followers = more chances your new tracks will land in Release Radar every time.
When your song first drops, the next 48 hours are important.
Spotify’s algorithm watches for signals like:
How many people stream your track all the way through
How many save it to their library
How many share it or add it to playlists
How many listen to it more than once
If your track performs well right after release, Spotify sees that as a green light. That’s when you have the best chance of being pushed into Discover Weekly or other algorithmic playlists.
So don’t just post once and hope for the best. Plan your release like an event. Share snippets before it drops. Run a pre-save campaign. Post real-time reactions. Build that first wave of plays.
One of the best ways to build momentum with the algorithm is by releasing music regularly. That doesn’t mean dropping songs every week, but try to stay active with new content or releases every 4–8 weeks.
Consistency helps Spotify’s system understand who you are, what your sound is, and what kind of listeners enjoy your music. The more data they have, the easier it is for your music to be recommended to new people.
Make sure your Spotify for Artists profile is verified and complete. Add your bio, photos, social links, and upcoming shows. Update your profile banner with new release artwork when something drops.
A clean, current profile not only looks professional — it also helps the Spotify team and algorithm trust that you’re an active, real artist.
Release Radar and Discover Weekly aren’t out of reach. They’re built to serve artists who are consistent, engaging, and smart about their release strategy. Get your music delivered early, write a strong pitch, engage your followers, and give every song its own rollout plan.
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