How Deezer's playlists can build your audience

In this guide we’ll share the difference between the three main forms of playlists on Deezer, explain why playlists are so important for artists, and give you the best routes to getting your music featured.

Deezer has three types of playlists.

1. Playlists created by the Deezer editorial team
2. Playlists created by a user
3. Playlists created automatically by the algorithm

Editorial playlists are created and curated by Deezers team of editors around the globe. They’ve got playlists based on genre, mood, and even events or festivals (for example Le Printemps de Bourges).

Each genre has its own global playlist (i.e. Rock : Hot New Rock), with an editor taking charge of this global playlist. You can find playlists for Rap, Electronic, Jazz, Classic, and Alternative etc. You can also listen to global “mood” playlists, where you will discover playlists such as Chill Vibes and Back to the 80s. Some of the most popular playlists are the Worldwide New Releases – where you will find the well-known Fresh Rap.

Because Deezer’s editorial playlists are curated globally and locally, each country also gets its own local editor in charge of promoting the releases from their designated country. Here you can find localized playlists and content, like the Le Rock Français and Explosão Brasil playlists. Each local editor also contributes to genre, mood, and new release playlists, giving the global playlists some local representation. This means you can adapt your release strategy to both local and global audiences. Getting on a smaller localized playlist could be the stepping stone you need to get your music heard by a larger global audience.

User-created playlists are created by members of the platform. If you dig deep enough, you can discover playlists for everything and everyone. As an artist or label, you can also create your own playlists through your account. As previously mentioned, playlists are a great way to focus on a specific genre, mood, or activity. If you’re an artist or label looking for exposure, playlists are a great promotional tool to get your music out there.

Check out some of the playlists iMusician has created, below:

These are playlists curated around a member’s listening behavior: the genres they like, the artists they listen to, etc. These playlists offer listeners a chance to discover releases and artists that might not be on their listening radar yet. As an artist, this is a huge opportunity to get your music heard by a whole new audience.

If you’re a current user of Deezer, you might already be aware of their algorithm-generated playlists: Flow, Mix, New Releases, and Discovery. Each of these use a listener’s favorite tracks and artists to serve up playlists that they'll love.

In addition to the three main types of playlists, Deezer also has specialized playlists that can be useful for artists.

Deezer charts playlists collect the tracks that are causing waves in the Deezer charts. Here you can discover the top 100 tracks that each country is listening to – very useful if you want to see the trends happening across the globe. If you find your music in one of these playlists, your Deezer promotion strategy is definitely working.

Curator playlists are curated by labels or brands, like magazines, radio stations, or an influencer. They’re designed to help brands and labels connect with fans across Deezer. If you start building up your own playlists, you can apply to become an approved curator. When you become an approved curator, you’ll get the data for your playlists in your Deezer Backstage. Staying up to date with your latest data is essential for improving your future playlists. To get the best out of the curator playlists, the curator has to follow the guidelines regarding artwork and music that is added. It also helps to update these playlists as often as you can.

Deezer Originals is a series that is exclusive to Deezer. Here you’ll find a mix between live artist performances, live EPs, and original podcasts. Getting featured via Deezer Originals is not an option given to most artists. They tend to focus on more globally recognized artists, bands, and music industry moguls. That’s not to say that one day you might be invited. Never say never!

Below you can see a selection of live sessions from Liam Payne, Manuel Turizo, and Raye.

Trailblazers and Straight Outta Asia are both original podcasts created by the Deezer team. Trailblazers is a series that honors famous artists, DJs, and creators who influenced the course of music in their own way. Straight Outta Asia focuses on the growing influence of hip hop in Asia. Both are fascinating listens – highly recommended!

You know what it’s like: You open your streaming platform and your mind goes blank – you don’t know what you want to listen to. Like many people, you might search for a mood or genre you’re feeling at the time. It’s these moments when having your own playlists can really help grow your fanbase.

As an artist or a label, curating your own searchable playlists helps to connect with fans and build your audience with very little work – it’s fun making them, too! First, you need to give people a reason to listen to your playlists. Create playlists that reflect your personality and taste. They could be based around artists you love, your favorite morning tracks, or songs you wish you had written. The possibilities are endless. If you think it makes sense and fits with the playlist’s theme, you can also add in your own tracks to bump up your revenue. It’s also a great way to promote a new album, a tour, or a festival date.

The more you get featured on playlists (big or small), the more chance you have of getting discovered. More plays means more revenue! If your track starts getting exposure from streams or fan-curated playlists, it is more likely to get the attention of the editors, taking you one step closer to getting featured on one of Deezer’s featured playlists. But how do you get there?

For now, Deezer doesn’t have an app or form where you can pitch your upcoming single, ep, or album directly to the editorial team. However, you can contact smaller curators to try and get more exposure, building the hype for your release. With so many playlists out there, you’re sure to find one that fits your style.

Try searching playlists by genre or similar artists and see if you can find a contact form/email in the description. If the playlist is curated by a webzine, magazine, or radio station, search for an email address to contact them, and pitch your upcoming release. If all goes well, this could land you a review, article, interview, or a placement in their playlist.

To get featured on one of our iMusician playlists, submit your music by filling out our quick form.

Now that you have a list of playlists you want to contact, what’s next?

Start by organizing your contacts to make it easier when pitching your new music. First, create a spreadsheet. Then make a column for the curator name, the personal name of the contact you have, their email address, and a link of the playlist. Of course, this is just an example, you can organize your contact list however you feel works best.

This database will be the key to your promotion, and the more it grows, the more likely you are to get featured. As time goes on, you can add new contacts and remove the ones that no longer curate playlists.

The first contact you have with a curator is very important, so take your time to prepare it. Include a short introduction about who you are and what you do. Add some interesting points about your release, and all the links where your track can be found and listened to. Also, it’s important to personalize each message. Giving your messages a personal touch lets the person know that you didn’t just spam them along with hundreds of other curators. Be patient and don’t be pushy, give it some time and hopefully you’ll see your hard work pay off.

Each curator is different, so it may take a few pitches before it works out. And don’t take it personally if people don’t include your tracks. It doesn’t mean your music’s bad. It just means it doesn’t fit with the sound they are trying to achieve with their playlists.

Soundplate is a service designed to help artists reach independent curators. It’s a great way to find thousands of playlists and submit your music for free. All you have to do in return is follow their profile and playlist — no payment needed. Remember to only send your tracks to playlists you feel will fit with your style. Always tailor your messages to the person you’re talking to — building a relationship with curators can really help. Sending the same email to a hundred playlists is unlikely to pay off.

As we mentioned earlier, you should be launching your own playlists to promote yourself and your music. This shows fans a little bit more about the person behind the music, helping to build a closer connection with your fans.

Now you know the difference between different playlists and their creators, it’s time to build a strategy that will help grow your fanbase and listeners of your own playlists. Alongside your own music, playlists offer an alternative musical connection with your fans. The more regularly you post and update your playlists, the more likely your listeners are to interact. Updating your playlists regularly helps your listeners know when to check-in for new music. This could be daily, weekly, or monthly – whatever works with your schedule.

Musical taste says a lot about a person, and it’s no different for artists. The music you share as an artist shows your fans what kind of person you are as an individual. Create playlists that mean something to you. They could be based around your favorite artists, current music you’re listening to, or the tracks that help you wind-down after a gig.

Playlists can be used to promote an upcoming release by sharing songs or artists that inspired you; promote a tour or a festival gig by sharing music from other artists on the lineup; or go deep into a mood or a season; for example, summer vacation vibes, your workout mixtape, or anything you feel will connect with your listeners. If you’re also a DJ, create playlists with the tracks you’ve been playing in your sets. This will not only help build your fanbase, it could spark creative connections with the artists you’ve been playing.

To create a playlist, you need to login to your account and apply the following steps:

1. Open Favorites (heart symbol)
2. Go to Playlists
3. Select Create a playlist (deezer.com and Android) or New playlist (iOS)
4. Give your playlist a name and type a description. You also have the option to add a photo or picture, and make the playlist private.
5. Select OK

Tip: Set up your new playlists in "private" mode so that you have at least 15-20 tracks before sharing them.

Still need help? The Deezer team took the time to make a short video showing how to create a playlist on Deezer.