Why Smart Independent Artists Pitch Apple Music Curators Too
Why Smart Independent Artists Pitch Apple Music Curators Too
Ask an independent artist about playlist strategy and the conversation is Spotify, Spotify, Spotify. Which makes sense - it is the biggest streaming platform. But it also means the most saturated pitch inbox in music, with every artist on earth competing for the same curators' attention.
Meanwhile, Apple Music hosts a parallel universe of independent curators - real people maintaining real playlists, receiving a fraction of the pitches their Spotify counterparts do. For artists willing to look, that is opportunity.
The Case for the Second Platform
- Less competition per curator. Spotify curators in popular genres receive hundreds of pitches a week. Apple Music curators in the same niches receive far fewer - your pitch stands out.
- A different audience. Apple Music listeners skew toward deeper listening behavior in several genres, and in calm, instrumental, and album-oriented niches their engagement is often stronger.
- Algorithmic carryover. Placements on both platforms build a fuller streaming profile, which helps every future release's algorithmic case everywhere.
- Healthier incentives. Apple Music's curators are not chasing the same viral economics - many run tight, loyal, low-turnover playlists, which is exactly the kind that stream your music for years.
The Objections - Answered
"My streams are mostly on Spotify anyway." They are where you have invested. A presence on both platforms is what makes you placement-proof - when one platform's algorithm shifts, the other keeps working. And every Apple Music placement is permanent streaming income, not a lottery ticket.
"How do I even find Apple Music curators?" This used to be the hard part - Apple does not surface independent curators as neatly as Spotify does. It is one reason the InstrumentaList Curator Database exists: it includes vetted Apple Music curators with verified contact details, alongside the Spotify network, so one search covers both platforms. The database is maintained with ongoing updates as curators go active or dormant.
"Do I need to write different pitches for each platform?" The pitch is the same craft - describe the track, show fit, respect the curator's process - but each pitch should reference the specific playlist and platform honestly. If writing per-curator pitches sounds like a lot, One-Click Pitch handles it for both Spotify and Apple Music tracks: paste the track URL from either platform and it generates personalized pitches for every matching curator.
How to Pitch Apple Music Curators Well
- Submit your Apple Music track URL directly. InstrumentaList accepts Spotify and Apple Music submissions - submit the platform-native link so curators can actually play your track.
- Check the playlist's health first. Same rules as Spotify: recent adds, rotation, reachable curator. Run a Fit Check to see your matches on both platforms before spending credits.
- Mention the placement context. Apple Music curators respond well to pitches that understand their platform - reference how the track sits in their existing sequence.
- Follow up once, politely, after two weeks.
The Platform-Agnostic Artist
The strongest independent artists treat platforms as channels, not identities. Your music is not "a Spotify artist's music" - it lives wherever listeners press play. Pitching both platforms doubles your curator surface area at essentially zero extra creative cost, especially with automated fit-matching doing the work.
Read why curated placement beats algorithm-hoping, see the plans that unlock the full database, and submit your first Apple Music track today.
InstrumentaList supports both Spotify and Apple Music across its entire curator network. Start with a free Fit Check.
