Hello, fellow music lovers and creators! My name is Alex, and I'm an independent singer-songwriter who loves making and sharing music. In this blog post, I want to share with you my journey of getting 1 million streams on Spotify in 2023, and give you some tips and tricks on how you can achieve the same goal.
## Why Spotify?
Spotify is one of the most popular and influential music streaming platforms in the world, with over 365 million monthly active users and over 70 million songs available¹. Spotify is also a great platform for emerging artists to showcase their music and reach new audiences, as it offers various features and tools to help them grow their fanbase and career.
Some of these features and tools include:
- Spotify for Artists: This is a free service that allows artists to claim their profile, access their data and analytics, pitch their songs to playlists, promote their music, and connect with their fans².
- Spotify Canvas: This is a feature that allows artists to add a short looping video or animation to their tracks, which can enhance the listener's experience and increase engagement³.
- Spotify Codes: These are scannable codes that can be used to share and discover music on Spotify. They can be generated from any song, album, playlist, or artist profile, and can be scanned by using the camera icon in the Spotify app⁴.
- Spotify Pre-Save: This is a feature that allows listeners to save an upcoming release to their library before it is available. This can help artists build anticipation and hype for their music, as well as boost their first-day streams⁵.
## How I Got Started
I started making music when I was 15 years old, using GarageBand on my laptop. I loved experimenting with different sounds and genres, and writing lyrics about my life and feelings. I uploaded some of my songs to SoundCloud and YouTube, but I didn't get much attention or feedback.
I decided to take my music more seriously when I turned 18, and invested in some better equipment and software. I also learned how to mix and master my own tracks, using online tutorials and courses. I wanted to improve my skills and sound quality, as well as have more creative control over my music.
I also decided to upload my music to Spotify, as I wanted to reach a wider and more diverse audience. I signed up for Ditto Music, which is a digital distribution service that charges £19 a year for unlimited uploads to Spotify and other streaming platforms⁶. I chose Ditto Music because it was affordable, easy to use, and offered fast delivery and good customer support.
I uploaded my first single to Spotify in January 2023, which was a catchy pop-rock tune with a catchy chorus and a heartfelt message. I was nervous but excited to see how people would react to it.
## How I Promoted My Music
I knew that uploading my music to Spotify was not enough. I had to promote it and market it effectively, if I wanted to get more streams and listeners. I did some research online and learned about some of the best practices and strategies for music promotion in 2023. Here are some of the things I did:
- Claimed my Spotify for Artists profile: This was the first thing I did after uploading my music. I claimed my profile by verifying my identity and linking my social media accounts. This allowed me to access my data and analytics, pitch my songs to playlists, update my bio and photos, add Canvas videos, and more.
- Updated my social media profiles: I made sure that all of my social media profiles had consistent branding and information. I added links to my Spotify profile everywhere, such as in my bio, posts, stories, highlights, etc. I also used hashtags related to my genre, style, mood, etc., to increase my visibility and reach.
- Created content for social media: I created various types of content for social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc., to showcase my music and personality. Some of the content I created included:
- Behind-the-scenes videos: I showed how I made my music, from writing lyrics to recording vocals to mixing tracks.
- Covers of popular songs: I sang covers of songs that were trending or relevant to my genre or audience.
- Challenges or trends: I participated in challenges or trends that were viral or fun on different platforms.
- Live sessions or Q&A: I went live on Instagram or YouTube occasionally, where I performed some of my songs or answered questions from my fans.
- Collaborations with other artists: I collaborated with other artists who had similar or complementary styles or audiences. We made duets or remixes of each other's songs or featured each other on our channels.
- Used Facebook ads: I used Facebook ads to target potential listeners who were interested in my genre or similar artists. I created a landing page with a Spotify Pre-Save button, where I offered a free download of one of my songs in exchange for their email address. I also created a video ad with a snippet of my song and a call to action to pre-save it. I set a budget of £10 per day and ran the campaign for two weeks before my release date.
- Used YouTube ads: I used YouTube ads to target viewers who were watching videos related to my genre or similar artists. I created a video ad with a snippet of my song and a call to action to stream it on Spotify. I set a budget of £10 per day and ran the campaign for two weeks after my release date.
- Used Submithub or Groover: These are platforms that allow artists to submit their music to blogs, playlists, radios, labels, etc., for feedback or exposure. I used Submithub⁷ and Groover to pitch my music to various curators and influencers, hoping to get some reviews or placements. I paid a small fee for each submission, and received some responses and results.
- Connected with other artists: I networked with other artists who were in the same or similar stage as me, and supported each other's music. I followed them on social media, commented on their posts, shared their music, etc. I also reached out to them via email or DM, and asked them if they wanted to collaborate or cross-promote our music.
- Created excitement for the release date: I built anticipation and hype for my release date by teasing snippets of my song, revealing the cover art, announcing the title, etc. I also created a countdown timer on my website and social media profiles, and encouraged my fans to pre-save or pre-order my song.
## How I Got 1 Million Streams
I released my first single on Spotify on February 14th, 2023, which was Valentine's Day. I thought it was a good date to release a love song, and also to stand out from the crowd. I was nervous but excited to see how people would react to it.
To my surprise and delight, the song got more streams than I expected. It got over 10,000 streams on the first day, which was amazing. It also got some positive feedback and comments from listeners who liked the song.
I think the main reasons why the song did well were:
- It was catchy and relatable: The song had a catchy melody and chorus that stuck in people's heads. It also had a relatable message that resonated with people who were in love or looking for love.
- It was well-produced and well-promoted: The song had a good sound quality and production value that matched the industry standards. It also had a good promotion strategy that used various platforms and methods to reach potential listeners.
- It was lucky and timely: The song got lucky with some playlist placements and algorithm recommendations that boosted its visibility and exposure. It also benefited from being released on Valentine's Day, which was a relevant and popular occasion for music consumption.
The song continued to grow in streams over time, as more people discovered it and shared it with others. It also got some more reviews and placements from blogs, playlists, radios, etc., that increased its credibility and popularity.
It took me about six months to reach 1 million streams on Spotify, which was faster than I expected. I was overjoyed and grateful for this achievement, as it was a milestone for me as an artist.
## How You Can Do It Too
If you are an aspiring artist who wants to get 1 million streams on Spotify in 2023, here are some tips and advice that I can give you based on my experience:
- Make good music: This is the most important thing. You need to make music that you are proud of and passionate about. You need to make music that reflects your identity and style. You need to make music that connects with your audience and stands out from the crowd.
- Learn how to produce your own music: This is not mandatory, but it can be very helpful. Learning how to produce your own music can give you more creative control and flexibility over your sound. It can also save you money and time that you would otherwise spend on hiring producers or studios.
- Upload your music to Spotify: This is obvious, but you need to upload your music to Spotify if you want to get streams on Spotify. You need to use a digital distribution service that can deliver your music to Spotify and other streaming platforms quickly and easily. You also need to claim your Spotify for Artists profile and optimize it for your brand.
- Promote your music effectively: This is crucial. You need to promote your music using various platforms and methods that can reach your target audience and generate interest and engagement. You need to create content for social media, use ads, pitch playlists, connect with other artists, etc.
- Be consistent and persistent: This is essential.
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