Are Playlist Pitches Still Worth It? Why I Think Real Momentum Starts Off-Platform

For over a decade, playlisting has been sold as the golden ticket for independent artists: land a coveted spot on a high-traffic Spotify or Apple Music playlist, and overnight you’re propelled into streams, followers, and visibility. It’s a dream that powered the “playlist economy” of the late 2010s and early 2020s. But in 2025, the shimmer has dulled. Algorithmic playlists now dominate where editorial lists once ruled, competition has ballooned, and artists are left wondering if pitching playlists is still worth the energy.

The short answer? No—not if it’s the foundation of your strategy. Playlist placements can be useful, but they’re not the engine of sustainable momentum. The real growth for artists today starts off-platform, in the messy, unpredictable world of communities, content, and direct connection. Let’s unpack why playlists have lost their luster, and why artists who shift focus to real-world momentum are the ones carving out lasting success.

The Myth of the Playlist Lottery

Back in 2017, an editorial playlist spot could transform an unknown artist into an overnight sensation. Stories of 200,000 streams in a weekend were circulated like gospel, and for a while, they were true. Platforms invested heavily in curated editorial lists to boost discovery, and fans trusted them. Landing on “New Music Friday” or “RapCaviar” was a stamp of legitimacy.

Fast-forward to 2025, and the playlist ecosystem has fundamentally changed. Editorial playlists have been diluted by the rise of algorithmic playlists that adapt to each listener’s preferences. These are powerful in theory, but less about breaking new artists and more about keeping listeners locked in. The editorial gatekeepers that once made—or at least boosted—careers now control far fewer levers of discovery.

The odds of breaking through on a high-level playlist pitch are slim. Thousands of songs are submitted daily. Many distributors now funnel playlist submissions through identical pipelines, where tracks are skimmed, tagged, and often overlooked. What’s left is a system where artists pin their hopes on being picked from an endless pile—more chance than strategy.

Why Playlist Streams Don’t Translate to Fans

Let’s say you do land the playlist placement. Your streams climb. Your monthly listeners spike. For a brief window, your Spotify for Artists dashboard is glowing. But what happens after the playlist cycle ends? Too often, the answer is nothing.

Playlist listeners are passive. They don’t necessarily save tracks, follow the artist, or explore the catalog. They hit play on the playlist while they drive, work, or study. Your track is background noise, not an intentional choice. As soon as the playlist rotates, you vanish. Artists can spend months chasing playlist placements only to find that their follower counts haven’t budged and their core fanbase is stagnant.

In contrast, artists building momentum off-platform—on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, live shows, Discord servers, or through word-of-mouth—see entirely different results. Fans discover the music in a context, often tied to a story, a piece of content, or an authentic connection. These listeners remember the artist’s name. They follow, they share, they show up. In other words, they convert.

The Economics of Playlist-First Thinking

Another overlooked issue with playlist-first strategies is the economics. Streaming payouts remain notoriously low in 2025, hovering at fractions of a cent per play. A million streams might sound impressive, but in real terms it often amounts to a few thousand dollars, especially after distributor and label splits.

For independent artists, that money may not even cover production and marketing costs. Meanwhile, artists who build communities off-platform can monetize more directly—selling merch, tickets, Patreon memberships, or digital exclusives. Ten thousand deeply engaged fans on a mailing list are often worth more than a hundred thousand anonymous playlist streams.

Playlists create exposure. Communities create revenue. Confusing the two leads many artists into a treadmill of chasing streams that never materialize into sustainable careers.

Why Momentum Starts Off-Platform in 2025

If playlist pitches are a lottery, off-platform strategy is a craft. The artists thriving in 2025 are those treating platforms as amplifiers, not origins, of their careers. Momentum begins where fans can feel connected, engaged, and involved.

TikTok remains a powerful discovery engine, though it’s no longer the wild west it was in 2020. Success here requires consistency, creativity, and adaptability, but viral moments still launch careers. YouTube, too, has resurged as artists build series-based content, behind-the-scenes videos, and visual storytelling that give fans reasons to subscribe and return. Instagram and Threads foster personality-driven branding, while Discord and community hubs allow for direct fan interaction.

Perhaps most importantly, live shows and in-person events are once again a central piece of momentum. Post-pandemic fatigue has evolved into a hunger for real experiences. Artists who can draw even modest local crowds create stories and word-of-mouth far more powerful than any passive playlist slot.

The magic lies in weaving all of these together: a fan discovers you on TikTok, explores your catalog on Spotify, follows you on Instagram, joins your Discord, and eventually buys a ticket to your show. That is momentum. That is sustainable.

The Psychological Trap of Playlisting

Part of what keeps artists chasing playlists is psychological. The pitch process feels official—something measurable, something you can “apply” for, like a grant. It feels less uncertain than pouring time into building content that might flop or hustling to connect with local scenes.

But the trade-off is illusory control. You’re not building equity in your brand—you’re gambling on gatekeepers. That chase can become addictive. Each placement feels like validation, even if it does little for your career. Meanwhile, artists who lean into off-platform strategies accept uncertainty but invest in ownership. They may not see overnight spikes, but they build long-term foundations.

How Artists Can Rethink Playlists

This doesn’t mean playlists are useless. They’re still a valuable part of the ecosystem, but only when reframed as a complement, not a cornerstone. Playlists work best when they amplify momentum already building off-platform.

Think of it like a spotlight at a concert—it highlights what’s already happening onstage. If you’ve cultivated a fanbase that’s streaming, saving, and sharing your music, algorithmic playlists will reward that behavior by pushing your tracks into more feeds. Editorial playlists are more likely to notice artists with visible momentum outside the platform.

In other words: playlists are an effect, not a cause, of career growth. Artists who understand this shift their energy toward making fans care first. Once that happens, playlists follow.

Stories from the Field

Consider the contrasting journeys of two independent artists in early 2025. One, an electronic producer, spent thousands on playlist-pitching services, cycling through distributors and email campaigns. They racked up half a million streams across three singles but gained fewer than 300 followers. When the playlist placements dried up, so did their growth.

The other, a singer-songwriter, focused on TikTok storytelling—short videos about the inspirations behind her songs, casual acoustic clips, and transparent updates about her struggles. One clip connected, and her fanbase swelled—not to millions, but to a dedicated few thousand. Those fans streamed her music intentionally, supported her crowdfunding campaign, and showed up to small regional shows. She earned less in streaming revenue than the producer but far more in direct fan support. Her career feels alive.

Looking Forward: The Post-Playlist Era

By 2025, the playlist-first era is ending. Not because playlists have disappeared, but because they’ve become saturated, automated, and stripped of their cultural weight. The new frontier of music growth is context, connection, and culture.

Fans don’t care about your placement. They care about your story. They care about how you make them feel, the worlds you build, and the ways you let them in. Playlist pitches may still deliver bumps in streams, but they won’t deliver careers. Those who adapt now—those who shift their strategies off-platform—will be the ones who not only survive, but thrive, in the decade ahead.

Conclusion

Playlists aren’t dead, but the dream of playlists as career saviors is. They’re no longer a strategy, but a side effect. In 2025, the artists who win are those who create momentum off-platform, building worlds their fans want to inhabit and stories worth following. If you’re still chasing playlist pitches as your primary growth plan, you’re chasing ghosts. The real work, and the real reward, starts elsewhere.

At STUDIO814, we believe in amplifying voices, celebrating creativity, and connecting music lovers with the artists who inspire them. Stay tuned to our blog for more stories, spotlights, and insights from the ever-evolving world of music.