Every playlist in Playlist Pilot receives a quality score—a numerical rating that indicates playlist authenticity and promotional value. This transparency guide explains exactly how we calculate quality scores, what each metric measures, and how to interpret scores when choosing which playlists to pitch. Understanding quality scores helps you avoid wasting time on fake playlists with bot followers.
TLDR: Quality scores range from 0-100 and combine five factors: follower authenticity (bot detection), engagement rate (saves/listens ratio), update frequency, listener retention, and geographic distribution. Scores above 70 indicate high-quality playlists. Scores 50-70 suggest moderate quality with some concerns. Scores below 50 flag significant bot activity or low engagement. Always check quality scores before pitching to protect your time and Spotify profile.
Why Quality Scores Matter
Not all playlists are equal. A 50,000-follower playlist with bot followers delivers zero real streams and can harm your algorithmic standing. A 3,000-follower playlist with engaged listeners drives meaningful streams, saves, and Discover Weekly triggers.
Fake playlists are everywhere. Estimates suggest 20-30% of independent playlists have some level of purchased followers or bot activity. Quality scores help you identify which playlists have real audiences.
Spotify penalizes artificial streams. If you get placed on a playlist using stream manipulation, Spotify's fraud detection may flag your track. This can reduce your algorithmic recommendations and, in extreme cases, lead to track removal.
The Five Quality Score Components
Quality scores combine five metrics, each weighted based on its predictive value for playlist authenticity:
1. Follower Authenticity (30% weight): This metric analyzes follower patterns to detect purchased followers. We examine follower growth velocity (sudden spikes indicate purchases), follower account ages (new accounts are often bots), and cross-playlist follower overlap (bots often follow the same playlist networks).
2. Engagement Rate (25% weight): Real playlists have listeners who save tracks, complete songs, and return to the playlist. We calculate engagement as saves + full listens divided by followers. High-follower playlists with minimal engagement indicate passive or fake followers.
3. Update Frequency (15% weight): Active curators update playlists regularly. Playlists that haven't been updated in months are either abandoned or were created solely for manipulation schemes. Weekly or biweekly updates signal active curation.
4. Listener Retention (15% weight): Quality playlists keep listeners engaged across multiple tracks. We analyze skip rates and session duration. Playlists where listeners skip most tracks after a few seconds have poor retention—often a sign of bot traffic that simulates plays but doesn't actually listen.
5. Geographic Distribution (15% weight): Real audiences have natural geographic patterns based on genre and language. A English-language indie playlist with 90% of listeners from a single small country is suspicious. Healthy playlists show diverse but logical geographic distribution.
Understanding Score Ranges
Score 80-100 (Excellent): High-quality playlists with authentic audiences. Strong engagement, regular updates, natural listener patterns. These are your best targets for meaningful placements.
Score 70-79 (Good): Quality playlists with minor concerns. May have slightly lower engagement or some unusual patterns, but overall legitimate. Still worth pitching with confidence.
Score 50-69 (Moderate): Mixed signals. Some metrics look healthy while others raise concerns. Review individual metrics before pitching. Consider whether the placement value outweighs potential risks.
Score 30-49 (Low): Significant concerns detected. Multiple metrics indicate bot activity or manipulation. Avoid pitching unless you have specific reasons to believe the playlist is legitimate despite scores.
Score 0-29 (Very Low): Strong indicators of fake playlist. Multiple bot detection signals triggered. Do not pitch—these playlists provide no value and may harm your profile.
How Bot Detection Works
Bot detection uses pattern recognition across multiple signals:
Follower growth spikes: Organic playlists grow gradually. Playlists that gain 5,000 followers overnight likely purchased them.
Account age analysis: Bot accounts are often newly created. Playlists with high percentages of followers created within the last 90 days are suspicious.
Cross-playlist correlation: Bot networks often follow the same playlists. If a playlist's followers also follow 10 other suspicious playlists, it's likely part of a manipulation network.
Listening behavior: Bot plays often follow patterns—identical play times, no saves, no returns. Real listeners have varied behavior.
Engagement Rate Calculation
Engagement rate measures how actively listeners interact with a playlist:
Formula: (Track Saves + Full Listens) / Follower Count × 100 = Engagement Rate %
Healthy engagement: 5-15% is typical for quality playlists. Engaged curators attract engaged listeners who save tracks they discover.
Low engagement (under 2%): Indicates passive followers who don't actually listen, or bot followers who can't engage authentically.
Very high engagement (over 25%): Can indicate a small but highly dedicated audience, or manipulation through artificial save generation.
Reading Individual Metrics
The overall score is useful, but individual metrics tell a more complete story:
High overall score but low update frequency: Playlist may have been quality historically but is now abandoned. Curator may not respond to pitches.
Moderate overall score but excellent engagement: Playlist has some concerning patterns but real engaged listeners. May still be worth pitching.
Low authenticity but high engagement: Possible hybrid—some real followers plus purchased ones. Proceed with caution.
Review individual metrics when overall scores are borderline (50-70 range) to make informed decisions.
Quality Scores vs Follower Count
Quality scores are independent of follower count. A 2,000-follower playlist can score 95 if it has excellent engagement and authentic followers. A 100,000-follower playlist can score 35 if it's full of bots.
This is intentional. Follower count alone is meaningless for promotion—what matters is whether those followers are real people who will listen to and potentially save your music.
For maximum impact, target playlists with both adequate follower counts (1,000+) AND high quality scores (70+). This combination indicates real reach with real engagement.
Using Quality Scores In Your Workflow
Step 1: Filter search results. When researching playlists, filter for quality scores above 70 to focus on legitimate targets.
Step 2: Review borderline cases. For scores 50-70, examine individual metrics. Good engagement might outweigh other concerns.
Step 3: Skip low scores. Don't waste pitches on playlists scoring below 50. The risk of no return (or negative consequences) is too high.
Step 4: Prioritize high scores. When you have limited pitching capacity, prioritize highest-scoring playlists within your genre match.
Step 5: Track results. Over time, compare your acceptance and streaming rates across quality score tiers to refine your targeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Summary
Playlist Pilot's quality scores range from 0-100 and combine five metrics: follower authenticity, engagement rate, update frequency, listener retention, and geographic distribution. Scores above 70 indicate quality playlists worth pitching. Scores below 50 flag likely bot activity—avoid these. Use scores to filter search results, prioritize high-value targets, and protect your time from wasted pitches to fake curators. Quality scores ensure you're promoting to real audiences who will actually listen to and engage with your music.