guide

Top 25 Spotify Playlist Curator Communities And How To Join Them

Playlist promotion growth funnel 30-50 Playlist Pitches 3-10 Placements (10-20% rate) 500-5,000 Streams Algorithm Trigger
Playlist promotion funnel: Targeted pitches → Playlist placements → Initial streams → Algorithmic momentum

Curator communities are online spaces where playlist curators share their playlists and accept music submissions from artists. These communities exist on Discord, Facebook, Reddit, and specialized forums. Unlike cold outreach, community submissions are invited—curators are actively looking for new music. This guide covers the 25 best curator communities, how to join them, and how to submit effectively.

TLDR: The best curator communities are on Discord (Indie Music Feedback, Music Promo Today, SubmitHub Discord), Facebook (Spotify Playlist Promotion, Indie Spotify Playlists), and Reddit (r/SpotifyPlaylists, r/IndieMusicFeedback). Join by requesting access, introduce yourself, follow community rules, and submit only when submissions are explicitly open. Engage genuinely before pitching—communities ban spammers quickly.

Why Curator Communities Work

Communities solve the discovery problem. Instead of hunting for curator contact info individually, you access dozens or hundreds of curators in one place—all actively accepting submissions.

Warmer reception. Curators in communities expect submissions. They're not annoyed by cold emails because they joined specifically to find new music.

Genre-specific targeting. Many communities focus on specific genres (lo-fi, indie rock, electronic). You can join communities matching your sound for higher acceptance rates.

Relationship building. Repeated positive interactions in communities build relationships that lead to ongoing curator support across multiple releases.

Discord Communities

1. Indie Music Feedback - One of the largest indie music Discord servers with 50,000+ members. Has dedicated playlist submission channels and active curators. Join via Discord search or indie music forums.

2. Music Promo Today - Focused on music promotion strategies with curator channels. Active community with weekly submission threads. Search Discord server directories.

3. SubmitHub Community Discord - Official SubmitHub Discord with curators who use the platform. Good for connecting with curators outside of paid submissions.

4. Promote Your Music - General music promotion Discord with playlist curator channels. Large community but variable quality—focus on verified curator channels.

5. The Lofi Collective - Genre-specific Discord for lo-fi producers. Multiple curators with playlists accepting submissions. Great for lo-fi/chill beats artists.

6. Electronic Music Production - EDM-focused Discord with producer and curator overlap. Curators share playlists in dedicated channels.

7. Hip-Hop Heads Discord - Hip-hop community with playlist sharing channels. Curators range from small indie playlists to larger hip-hop-focused curators.

8. Indie Folk & Acoustic - Niche Discord for acoustic and folk music. Smaller but highly engaged curator base with relevant playlists.

Facebook Groups

9. Spotify Playlist Promotion - 20,000+ members. Primary Facebook group for playlist promotion with regular submission threads. Request to join and answer screening questions.

10. Indie Spotify Playlists - Indie-focused group with curators sharing playlists weekly. Smaller than the main group but more targeted for indie artists.

11. Playlist Promotion for Independent Artists - Artist and curator community with submission thread structure. Active moderation keeps spam low.

12. Music Promotion Network - Broader music promo group with playlist curator subset. Search posts for curator submissions and playlist shares.

13. Electronic Music Playlists - Genre-specific group for electronic music curators and artists. Good for house, techno, EDM, and electronic subgenres.

14. Lo-Fi Hip Hop Community - Facebook group specifically for lo-fi with curator engagement. Highly targeted for lo-fi beats producers.

15. Rock & Alternative Playlists - Rock-focused playlist community with regular curator submission threads.

Reddit Communities

16. r/SpotifyPlaylists - 100,000+ members. Curators post playlists; artists can submit in comments. Read rules carefully—self-promotion restrictions vary.

17. r/IndieMusicFeedback - Feedback-focused but includes curators. Provide genuine feedback to others before requesting adds. Strong community engagement required.

18. r/MusicPromotion - General promotion subreddit with playlist threads. Variable quality but worth monitoring for curator posts.

19. r/WeAreTheMusicMakers - Production-focused but has periodic playlist threads. Large community with occasional curator engagement.

20. r/ListenToThis - Discovery-focused subreddit. Not explicitly for submissions but curators browse for new music. Getting upvoted increases curator exposure.

Specialized Forums And Platforms

21. Daily Playlists - Website platform connecting artists and curators. Registration required. Submit tracks for curator review.

22. Playlist Exchange - Platform for trading playlist adds (you add their track, they add yours). Risky for quality but can build initial momentum.

23. Soundplate - Curator directory and submission platform. Free submissions to curated playlist network. Similar to SubmitHub but different curator base.

24. Indie Bible Forums - Long-running indie music forum with playlist curator section. Older platform but engaged community.

25. Curator.live - Playlist curator community and directory. Curators list submission requirements. Artists can browse and contact directly.

Pitch acceptance rate comparison Generic Template Pitch 2% acceptance Personalized Pitch 10-20% acceptance Generic (2%) Personalized (10-20%)
Acceptance rate comparison: Personalized pitches outperform generic templates by 5-10x

How To Join Communities

Discord: Search server directories or get invite links from music forums. Most servers require accepting rules and introductions before posting.

Facebook: Search group names and request to join. Answer screening questions honestly. Some groups have waiting periods before you can post.

Reddit: Subscribe to subreddits. Read rules in sidebars before posting. Many require account age or karma minimums.

Specialized platforms: Create accounts and complete profile setup. Some require artist verification through Spotify for Artists.

Community Submission Best Practices

Read the rules first. Every community has submission guidelines. Breaking rules gets you banned—sometimes permanently.

Introduce yourself. Before submitting, introduce yourself in the appropriate channel. Share your background and music briefly.

Engage before submitting. Comment on other posts, provide feedback to other artists, and participate in discussions. Communities reward engaged members.

Submit in designated threads/channels. Don't spam links everywhere. Wait for official submission threads or channels.

Follow formatting requirements. Some communities require specific formats: genre tags, track links, brief descriptions. Match the format exactly.

Don't over-submit. Submitting every track to every community burns out your welcome. Be selective about which releases you promote where.

Avoiding Community Bans

Spam behavior: Posting the same link multiple times, ignoring thread rules, or submitting without engaging gets you banned.

Off-topic submissions: Submitting metal to a lo-fi community wastes everyone's time. Match your genre to the community.

Aggressive self-promotion: Asking every curator directly for adds instead of using proper submission channels is frowned upon.

Fake engagement: Asking friends to upvote or like your submissions is detectable and leads to bans.

Not reciprocating: Communities that require feedback (like r/IndieMusicFeedback) ban artists who submit without contributing.

Building Community Reputation

Consistent engagement: Regular participation over months builds recognition. Curators remember artists who contribute genuinely.

Quality submissions: Only submit your best work. Poor-quality submissions damage your reputation and reduce future consideration.

Helpful attitude: Answer questions from newer artists, share resources, and support other musicians. Generosity builds goodwill.

Thank curators publicly: When you get added to a playlist, thank the curator publicly in the community. This builds relationships.

Genre-Specific Community Strategy

For indie/alternative: Focus on Indie Music Feedback Discord, r/IndieMusicFeedback, and Indie Spotify Playlists Facebook group.

For lo-fi/chill beats: Prioritize The Lofi Collective Discord and Lo-Fi Hip Hop Community Facebook group.

For electronic/EDM: Target Electronic Music Production Discord and Electronic Music Playlists Facebook group.

For hip-hop: Focus on Hip-Hop Heads Discord and hip-hop-specific subreddits.

For rock/alternative: Join Rock & Alternative Playlists Facebook group and r/WeAreTheMusicMakers rock threads.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are community submissions free?
Yes. Genuine curator communities don't charge for submissions. Paid communities are often scams.
How many communities should I join?
Start with 3-5 that match your genre. Build reputation in those before expanding.
Do community submissions actually lead to placements?
Yes. Curators in communities are actively seeking new music. Acceptance rates are often higher than cold outreach.
Can I promote my own playlist in these communities?
Some communities allow curator/artist playlists. Check rules—self-playlist promotion is sometimes restricted.
What if my genre doesn't have dedicated communities?
Use general music promotion communities and be clear about your genre in submissions.

Summary

Curator communities on Discord, Facebook, Reddit, and specialized platforms offer warm submission opportunities with curators actively seeking new music. The best communities include Indie Music Feedback Discord, Spotify Playlist Promotion Facebook, and r/SpotifyPlaylists. Join by following invitation processes and accepting community rules. Engage genuinely before submitting—provide feedback, participate in discussions, and build reputation. Submit only in designated threads/channels following format requirements. Avoid spam behavior that leads to bans. Consistent, quality engagement in targeted communities builds curator relationships that support multiple releases over time.

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