Spotify Playlist Pitch: Rules, Template and Examples (2026)
Pitch one unreleased song in Spotify for Artists at least 7 days before release. The form's rules, a fill-in template, two examples and a free builder.
On this page
You pitch Spotify's playlist editors from Spotify for Artists, under Music, then Upcoming, while the song is unreleased. Pitch one song at a time, at least 7 days before release day: that also puts the song in your followers' Release Radar. Once the song is live, it can't be pitched (Spotify for Artists Support).
Below: the official rules in one table, what the form asks for, a fill-in template, two example pitches and a free builder that writes the text with you.
Spotify pitch rules
Checked October 29, 2026.
| Rule | What Spotify says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Where | artists.spotify.com, Music, then Upcoming, then choose a song | Spotify Support |
| What can be pitched | Upcoming, unreleased songs. Compilations and songs where you're the featured artist can't be pitched | Spotify Support |
| How many | One song at a time. When it goes live, you can pitch the next one | Spotify Support |
| From an EP or album | One song from the release | Spotify for Artists, Playlisting |
| Timing | Deliver at least 7 days before release so editors have time to listen | Spotify Support |
| Release Radar | A pitch sent at least 7 days before release adds the song to your followers' Release Radar | Spotify Support |
| Editing | You can edit the pitch up to release day, with no guarantee editors see the changes | Spotify Support |
| After release | A song that has gone live is no longer eligible | Spotify Support |
| Who can pitch | Anyone on the artist team with Admin or Editor access | Spotify Support |
| Videos | Pitched separately from songs; official music videos, unreleased or released in the past 7 days (rolling out gradually) | Spotify Support |
| Result | Shown in Music, then Playlists, once the song is live. Editors may pick a different song than the one you pitched | Spotify Support |
Pitching doesn't guarantee a placement, and Spotify says so on the same page. What it does guarantee, if you're on time, is the Release Radar slot for your followers.
Can you pitch a song after release?
No. Spotify's rule is that a song stops being eligible once it goes live. If you missed the window, the next chance is your next unreleased song. This is why the pitch date belongs in your plan before the release date is final: if your distributor needs several days to deliver the song to Spotify, count those days too, because the song has to show up under Upcoming before you can pitch it.
For the rest of the pre-release timeline, use the music release checklist.
What the pitch form asks for
Spotify describes the form on its Playlisting page: you pick up to three genres and tell them about the sound, then tell your story (what the song is about, what it means to you, whether you collaborated with anyone). You can also add your hometown and where you're based, because editors sometimes look for sounds from a specific place. The pitch is about the song; for the text about you, see how to write an artist bio.
The character limit. Spotify's help pages don't publish the length of the free-text description. Distributors and pitching guides consistently report 500 characters, including Identity Music and SubmitHub. Write to 500 and the form will tell you if it changed.
Two practical notes on the tags. Pick the genres and moods that describe the song as it sounds, not the ones you wish it sat next to; the tags help route the song to editors who cover that sound. And keep the metadata consistent with what your distributor delivered, such as the song title, featured artists and ISRC (what an ISRC code is).
Spotify pitch template
The 500 characters go fast. This template fits in roughly 350 to 450 characters once filled in, which leaves room for one specific detail:
[Song title] is a [genre] [single/track from the EP or album title] about [what the song is about, in one concrete line]. [How or where it was made: who produced it, where it was recorded, one unusual sound or instrument]. It fits [a listening moment: late drive, gym warm-up, Sunday morning]. [Artist] is based in [city]; [one fact that is true and checkable: last release, a show, a sync, a video coming out]. Release plan: [what you'll do on release week].
What to leave out: praise for your own song ("amazing", "catchy"), requests to be added to a specific playlist, and anything you can't back up. The editor can listen to the song; the text is there to tell them what they can't hear, such as the story, the place and the plan.
Two example pitches
These are written for fictional artists to show the format. Both are under 500 characters.
Example 1 (indie pop single)
"Glass Kitchen" is an indie pop single about the first apartment you can't afford to keep. It was recorded in one weekend in a Medellín living room, with a borrowed Wurlitzer and a drum machine run through a guitar amp. It fits a late bus ride home. Mara Vey is based in Medellín and played her first headline show in September. A live video of the song comes out on release day, and the single leads into an EP in March.
Example 2 (rap track from an EP)
"Nine to Five Fifteen" is the focus track from the EP "Overtime," a rap song about working two jobs and writing verses on the bus. Produced by Kiel Dano over a chopped 70s soul sample, 88 BPM. It fits a slow drive or a headphones walk. Tavo Ruiz is from Houston's Northside. Release week: a short film shot on his commute, and three shows in Texas.
Free tool: Spotify pitch builder
Answer a few questions and the builder writes the pitch in the template above, counts the characters against the 500 that distributors report, works out your Release Radar deadline from the release date, flags the words that tell an editor nothing, and stops you if Spotify won't take the pitch (a song where you're the featured artist, or a compilation). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.
Build your Spotify pitch
Answer what you can. The text builds itself below; nothing is stored.
Your pitch
- Add a release date to see the pitch deadline.
Rules from Spotify for Artists Support (pitching). The 500-character limit is what distributors report; Spotify doesn't publish it.
After you pitch
Check Music, then Playlists, in Spotify for Artists once the song is live. If you're eligible for a This Is playlist, you can pin the pitched song there; Spotify says pinning takes about 3 days after the song is available and lasts up to 28 days after release (Spotify Support).
The pitch reaches editors. Everyone else finds the song through the link you share, so set up a pre-save link before release and a release page for release day. If you haven't decided whether the songs go out as singles, an EP or an album, see EP vs album vs single first, because you can only pitch one song per release.
Where does Loud fit?
Loud doesn't pitch for you: that happens inside Spotify for Artists. What it does is the page after the pitch. We make Loud, which builds your website and link in bio from your Spotify and makes a page for every release, with the listen buttons and a sign-up for your fan list, so the people who find the song can hear about the next one.
FAQ
How do I pitch a song to Spotify playlists?
Log in at artists.spotify.com, go to Music, then Upcoming, choose the unreleased song and fill in the pitch form. Pitch at least 7 days before release. If you don't have access yet, how to release music on Spotify covers claiming your profile.
How many days before release should I pitch to Spotify?
At least 7. Spotify says that gives editors time to listen and adds the song to your followers' Release Radar.
Can I pitch a song after it's released?
No. Once a song has gone live on Spotify, it's no longer eligible for pitching.
What is the character limit for a Spotify pitch?
Spotify's help pages don't publish it. Distributors and pitching guides such as Identity Music and SubmitHub report 500 characters for the description.
Can I pitch more than one song from an EP or album?
No. You pitch one song from the release, and one song at a time. Editors may still pick a different song from it.
Does pitching guarantee a playlist placement?
No. Spotify states that pitching doesn't guarantee placement. A pitch sent 7 or more days before release does get the song into your followers' Release Radar.
Can I edit my pitch after submitting it?
Yes, up to release day, but Spotify says there's no guarantee editors will see the changes.
