“I want to be on a playlist”
is the new version of “I want to be on MTV”.

Around 2015 or 2016, I contacted a Peruvian independent artist whose song had passed a million Spotify streams. An editor had discovered her music and invited her onto a Latin American editorial playlist.

I have also worked with artists who reached major editorial playlists. Watching the live stream count climb was exciting. But some later fell from tens of thousands of monthly listeners back to hundreds.

Listeners do not automatically become fans

Our mistake was not doing enough to engage those listeners. Exposure brought plays; we still needed to build relationships.

For some artists, that means consistent content. For others, it means performing more often. Choose an approach that fits your music and feels natural. A playlist can open a door, but lasting engagement requires continuing the conversation.

Adapted from my LinkedIn article, published April 12, 2025.