The Complete Guide to Editorial Pitching on DSPs (For Indie Artists or Labels Using DistroKid)

‍ ‍If you’re running an indie label like MugaTunes or are a indpendent artists looking to get your music in more people’s ears, this is your playbook. editorial playlists aren’t the business — they’re the accelerator.

The real goal is simple:

Create momentum → get noticed → amplify across platforms

This guide breaks down every relevant DSP, how to pitch, and exactly how to set this up as a repeatable system using DistroKid.

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🎧 The Platforms That Actually Matter

We’re focusing only on platforms where editorial placement can realistically move the needle.

1. Spotify (Most Important)

How to Pitch

Use Spotify for Artists
👉 https://artists.spotify.com

• Pitch one unreleased song per release

• Submit at least 7 days before release (2–3 weeks is better)

• Fill out all metadata:

  • Genre

  • Mood

  • Instruments

  • Culture tags

• Write a short pitch (this matters more than people think)

Why It Matters

• Editorial playlists (New Music Friday, genre lists)

• Algorithmic boost (Release Radar, Discover Weekly)

👉 Even if you don’t land editorial, pitching helps trigger algorithmic distribution

🍎 2. Apple Music

How to Pitch

No direct pitch form

Handled through:

• Your distributor (DistroKid)

• Label / industry relationships

👉 You can access your dashboard here:
https://artists.apple.com

Why It Matters

• Highly curated playlists (New Music Daily, Today’s Hits)

• Strong passive streaming once placed

👉 More relationship-driven than Spotify

🎵 3. Amazon Music

How to Pitch

Use Amazon Music for Artists
👉 https://artists.amazonmusic.com

• Pitch upcoming releases

• Manage artist profile + analytics

Why It Matters

• Lower competition than Spotify

• Alexa ecosystem = underrated discovery channel

👉 Easy win if you’re already doing everything else

📻 4. Pandora (Underrated)

How to Pitch

Use Pandora AMP (Artist Marketing Platform)
👉 https://amp.pandora.com

• Submit songs for:

  • Editorial playlists

  • Pandora radio stations

• You can also:

  • Send voice messages to fans

  • Promote tracks

Why It Matters

• Works like radio, not playlists

• Songs can generate consistent passive streams over time

👉 If something catches here, it can quietly run up numbers

🌍 5. Deezer

How to Pitch

• Via distributor (DistroKid)

• Or through Deezer Backstage
  👉 https://creators.deezer.com

Why It Matters

• Strong in Europe

• “Flow” algorithm = their version of Discover Weekly

👉 Good for international growth

💎 6. TIDAL

How to Pitch

• No public submission form

• Must go through:

  • Distributor

  • Label relationships

Why It Matters

• Highly curated

• Smaller audience, but strong engagement

👉 More about credibility than scale

📡 7. iHeartRadio

How to Pitch

• Through distributor or radio connections

Why It Matters

• Blends streaming + traditional radio

• Can matter for crossover records

👉 Secondary, but worth knowing

🔊 8. Audiomack

How to Pitch

👉 https://artists.audiomack.com

• Upload directly

• Engage with platform + community

Why It Matters

• Strong for emerging artists and global markets

• More community-driven than editorial

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⚙️ How This Works with DistroKid

Using DistroKid:

What It Does

• Delivers your music to all DSPs

• Sends metadata (artist name, genre, release date, etc.)

What It Doesn’t Do

• It does NOT actively pitch your music

• It does NOT build relationships with editors

• It does NOT guarantee editorial placement

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Your Ideal Release Workflow

Step 1: Upload Early

• At least 2–3 weeks before release

• This unlocks:

  • Spotify pitching window

  • DSP editorial review time

Step 2: Pitch Platform-by-Platform

Spotify

• Pitch inside Spotify for Artists (mandatory)

Pandora

• Submit via AMP

Amazon

• Pitch inside Amazon Music for Artists

Apple / Deezer / TIDAL

• Rely on:

  • Distributor delivery

  • Metadata quality

  • Relationships (more on that below)

Step 3: Create Your Own Momentum

This is where most labels fail — and where you win.

For Muga:

• Add tracks to your playlists early

• Drive initial streams

• Build velocity

👉 Editorial teams are far more likely to support songs that already show traction

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Bottom Line

If you do this right:

• Spotify = discovery engine

• Pandora = passive radio growth

• Apple = credibility + curation

• Amazon / Deezer = bonus upside

And your playlists?

They’re the foundation that makes all of it work.

If you want, I can turn this into:

• A repeatable weekly release checklist

• Or actual copy/paste pitch templates for Spotify + Pandora + Apple

That’s where this goes from strategy → system

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CHECK OUT OUR SPOTIFY PLAYLISTS

Follow on Spotifyto stream anywhere.