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New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The best job in the world can be music curation, and you can get paid for it.
Wouldn't that be great?
This article explains how to make money from your Spotify playlist.
What does a music curator do?
A music curator selects and organizes music content for playlists, radio stations, or other streaming services. They choose a collection of songs fitting a particular theme or genre or for use in creating a soundtrack or mood that will appeal to the listener.
If you enjoy listening to music, discovering new artists, and making playlists, you can now earn a living curating playlists. Having a great playlist with many followers is similar to having a huge TikTok account as an content creator. It could be the best jobs in the world, and it's no secret that it can be a gratifying career.
In this article, we will learn about different kinds of music curators, their jobs, descriptions, and earnings. We will also correct misconceptions about this profession and explain how to become a great curator.
We will explain how to market your playlist to gain followers, maximize earnings and become industry influence. So, if you love music and want to turn your interest into a money-making business, keep reading!
The First Curators
Vinyl records.
These were curated at personal stores by collectors and music store workers who carefully chose the vinyl of curation spare and were gone by curators.
Usually, they were enthusiasts, encyclopedic for music records, and built up a catalog of albums that likely had been sold at that store.
Record labels needed to ensure that record store curators were informed and enthusiastic about new upcoming artists, as this has significantly impacted record sales, no different from today.
Times of the Radio
The last century was the golden age of curation, thanks to radio. Its presenters, or radio DJs, were household celebrities who had a significant say in what music people enjoyed. There was no internet, so the radio was the only way to come across new songs. These curators picked out the records, made the playlists, and introduced the audience to new sounds and genres. They were the trendsetters of their time, shaping musical cultures, from rock 'n' roll to jazz to blues, one spin at a time.
The Digital Renaissance
We are in the digital age, and Spotify algorithms and Apple streaming music services have wholly changed music curating. Such services depend on analyzing data and user behavior to suggest which songs and artists will interest us. Algorithmic playlists like "Discover Weekly" and "Release Radar" that we came to know and love, functioning as our trusted curators of the soundtrack of our lives.
Today and Beyond
From where we are today, music curation has never been more diverse. New to the fold are Spotify playlist curators, bloggers, vloggers, and social media influencers, all of whom have taken up the mantle of curators and shared their passion for music. From TikTok and other social media platforms, it has become possible for anyone to become a viral trendsetter, choosing songs and creating playlists that get millions of views without being a professional music curator.
We can only imagine the exciting opportunities ahead as we look to the future. Custom and personalized playlists will keep coming, and AI and machine learning will fine-tune music listening. This is already happening with different algorithmic playlists on streaming platforms.
So What Does a Curator Do?
As tastemakers, these curators are trendsetters and serve as gateways to upcoming artists for broader audiences. They prepare playlists based on particular moods or genres and identify and recommend new music. They offer listeners a curated selection of tracks. Curators assist in exposing the music of independent artists by including their tracks in curated playlists on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, or Tidal.
Understanding Music Curation
They are also in charge of selecting and organizing music for various platforms. They search for new artists and tracks to include in their playlists, ensuring the chosen music aligns with the theme. The curators often update and curate these playlists to make them interesting and new. Curators also engage with the audience through commenting and feedback and accepting playlist submissions from independent artists.
Different Types of Curators
These people work as Spotify playlist curators, creating playlists on the popular streaming platform. The most common are independent playlist curators, who run their playlists across Spotify and other streaming platforms. TV and radio curators choose the music to be used in television shows or the radio.
Supervisors and sync agents are also curators; they film and choose TV show tracks or commercial ad features, as well as the record label side, which involves internally selecting the right artists that fit the label's genre and taste.
Where to Begin?
Anyone can create playlists built on their Spotify assets, engage Apple with music listeners, gain other followers and music, and get visibility. If you focus on one streaming service, Spotify for example, you can copy your Spotify playlists to other streaming platforms.
Network with curators and industry professionals for collaboration opportunities, connect with Spotify promotion platforms, and keep on creating and updating your playlists by music genres.
Gaining playlist followers and building your brand is also crucial, but it is demanding and takes time, so constantly share and update new tracks on the blogs or publications to which you submit your curated playlists.
Being a curator can start as a hobby, but it could become a professional work very quickly. Curators play an important role in promoting artists and their music. You don't need to have a huge following to start making money as a curator.
First, you must build your credibility as a curator using your social media presence, whether it is Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.
Promotional opportunities with brands and artists. Curate playlists and post them to your audience on Spotify, Deezer, and Apple.
Consult up-and-coming artists and labels. Make money from your content through affiliate marketing and sponsored posts.
Required Skills and Knowledge
To be a successful curator, you must understand high-quality music, regardless of genre. You need strong organizational skills to manage and update playlists frequently, especially when you grow big and maintain many playlists under different streaming platforms. You should be current with music trends and able to identify emerging artists. Interacting with independent artists, listeners, and industry players is essential. Knowing how to use streaming platforms and analytics tools is vital to understanding playlist statistics.
Earning From Submissions
An independent playlist curator can find income opportunities while working within their playlist genres with a submission platform like One Submit, which offer Spotify playlist submission, TikTok, blogs, magazines and more.
Listeners can earn money by having Spotify review and listen to artists and tracks for their playlists. Getting your independent artists recognized on playlists can bring in compensation. Other ways to make money include collaborations with different curators and industry professionals and record labels.
Who Pays Curators and Why?
Agents, promoters, artists, and record labels can pay the music curators. Instead, many actual playlists are getting paid to place songs on their playlist, but usually they curate bad playlists, that are based on payment and not musical taste. If the curator cares about the quality of music in his curation, then it's the quality of the track and how well it fits the playlist.
How to Promote Your Playlist for an Earnings
Add relevant keywords and Optimize your playlist titles and to increase your earnings as a curator. Team up with other curators or influencers and have them help you promote your playlists to the specific audiences you want to attract for sponsorships. Furthermore, use social ads like Meta ads to expose your playlists to potential followers, it cost money, but it does the trick. Check out Dig Dis video:
Examples of Playlists You Can Create
Workout Playlists:
People create music mixes to motivate themselves while exercising. They consist of songs from different music genres, such as folk, punk, hip-hop, Dance, and rock music.
Relaxation Tunes Playlists:
Very popular genre on the streaming platforms. Perfect for chilling out, include calming tunes like, ambient, meditation music, and lo-fi music.
Nostalgic Hits Playlists:
Classic music playlists. For those with a desire for nostalgia, they may include songs from the 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s.
Focus Music Playlists:
Users use these playlists to help them concentrate while studying or working. They tend to have lyrically subtle tracks, such as classical, jazz, or electronic instrumentals.
On the Road Playlists:
These playlists are created by users for road trips. They often include sing-along songs to help keep the spirit up and make the journey more enjoyable.
Seasonal Sounds Playlists:
People choose playlists based on a season or a holiday. For example, there could be playlists for summer, Christmas vibes, Halloween parties, etc.
Feel Good Beats Playlists:
These are personalized playlists to boost moods and lift spirits. These playlists include uplifting tunes of varying music styles to spread happiness and positivity.
Mixture of Genres Playlists:
People combine music genres to create listening adventures. For example, they curate playlists that combine hip-hop with jazz, classical with folk, or indie with folk.
Final Words
Being a curator and creating and sharing playlists is not the end of the story.
Anyone who wants to make it in the music industry needs to understand what curatorship is all about, the different types of curatorship, and how to turn passion into money.
Although money from curator programs and submission platforms might add a little to your earnings, having a good personal brand and promoting your playlists is essential to making a real difference in the music industry.
Becoming a good curator takes time and work, but with the right talents, expertise, and dedication, you can turn your passion for music into a lucrative career.
