Spotify is testing out a tool that lets artists and labels push a song in the hopes of making it go viral, in exchange for lower royalties.
If your song suddenly goes viral, you’d want to promote it even more. Your label should also spread your viral song on streaming platforms. Thankfully, Spotify wants to give you that power. The company said it allows artists and labels to use its algorithm to promote their hit songs.
Spotify Algorithm
The Verge reports that artists or labels could tell Spotify the song they want to advertise. After that, Spotify’s algorithm would insert that song in your radio playlists or when your session enters autoplay. This ability also applies to any song. So, if your label wants to push a track, they could do so.
Spotify will test letting artists promote songs that are going viral https://t.co/cxrcoqgiev pic.twitter.com/0XWiLkBJJW
— The Verge (@verge) November 2, 2020
What Do Artists Get?
With this ability, artists get an extra marketing boost. In exchange, Spotify would give them a lower “promotional recording royalty” each time the app plays their promoted songs. Spotify says the tool should provide artists a positive return on investment. Moreover, the tool should allow a vast selection of artists and labels to find success.
Charleton Lamb said that Spotify wants artists to “be more in control of their success…and more in charge of their careers.” Lamb is Spotify’s product marketing lead.
What’s Next
The Verge guesses that artists could make up for lower royalties if the song goes viral. On the other hand, a label could use the tool to promote a song it believes has viral potential. The labels could push a song to prime listeners before it spreads worldwide.
These viral tracks could turn TikTok listeners into real fans and paying Spotify subscribers.
