An editorial playlist is selected and maintained by a streaming service’s own curators, who typically follow particular genres, moods or regions. Many of the best-known mood and genre lists on Spotify, for example, are run by editors who listen to new releases and decide what fits.
Artists and labels can suggest music to these editors. On Spotify, an unreleased song can be pitched through Spotify for Artists, one song at a time, and the platform asks for delivery at least seven days before release so that editors have time to listen; a pitch made that early also adds the song to followers’ Release Radar. Pitching never guarantees a placement, and editors may choose a different track from the release.
For lo-fi producers, editorial lists built around studying, relaxing or sleeping can reach a large audience, and they tend to reward consistent releases, clean metadata and a clear mood. Editorial lists sit alongside algorithmic and listener-made playlists, and a successful release often moves through all three.