#and this was truer than ever in ep 20

[thedelolos]

neverafter ep. 4live thoughts

okay here are my live thoughts from neverafter ep. 4 under the cut

Live thoughts on Neverafter 4

The opening didn’t change?? I hope that this means good things for the party 

THEY STARTED WITH BRENNAN ALONE ufbbuw Like you can just tell by the audio quality change (there aren’t any other people to reverb against so the mic sounds flatter)

YES GEPPETTO

WE ARE GETTING TIMELOOP? HVGJHKGHHKT

SOLO PLAY

“Hey lou, you wanna come play some dnd?”

“I don’t know, cause it feels like you’ll kill me again”

This is great truly

Wait are we getting like? An episode of solo sessions?? That’s really cool tbh

I will be making a lou reaction image because these facial expressions that he’s making are really good Poor pinocchio, i can’t imagine being in this state 

“While the world was changing, the rules were not” i think that line is actually really powerful, like it’s small. But i think it is central to pinocchio as a character. 

WHO’S THIS??

WE GOT A CRICKET

Where’s my ghost cricket art 

Yooo Pinocchio ghost 

One man’s dead is another man’s alive

Pinocchio is so sad and i feel bad for him 

“With that attitude it might just stay different”

Strings?? Stepmother again? 

Wait was that the door behind brennan?? That’s really cool 

Gosh Stepmother is terrifying 

A missing doorknob?? He actually got the door knob.

WAIT BRO DON’T TELL HER BRO 

‘YOU WERE FRUENDS”

NO THE NOSE 

Give me the knife

Untranslusent 

The long arm, this is really some other mother stuff 

Pinocchio gotta break that nose back off quick, he’s gonna have to lie if he wants to break free of her   

SNAPS THE NOSE OFF YOUR FACE YO WHAT

Yeah i’m officially terrified of her 

“Who do we know who has blood?”

NOOOOO SHE’S GONNA TAKE BLOOD FROM HIS DAD NOO

BRENNAN BIRD NOISES

NOOOO SHE USED HIS NOSE 

SHE’S SO EVIL AND MANIPULATIVE

No more Senator?? *cries*

“Dreamy – and all it cost was my father’s blood”

“The mice were not taken into consideration” no because nobody ever remember the mice

A NAT 20 AND NO ONE IS HERE TO CELEBRATE

Violence in Amanti?? 

Like the drawings in tim’s book?? Interesting. So it seems like she has some sway over the stories, if she can put him into a new one 

I’m really curious to see how things change for pib 

Dropped attachments? Dropped to all fours 

Follow the curiosity, become a truer version of yourself 

SPIRIT CAT 

Shedding your skin? 

Wait are they the same people who become different people in different tales? 

So the role of the cat is to subvert the story one way or another? 

Could Zac come back as the rabbit or the fox? 

“Not all shit’s the same buddy” 

Cat i love you never change 

New boots and cape, a darker story? 

A little less paddington lol  

A ring and daggers, inchresting 

Wolf’s fang daggers

She awakes back in her bed, fresh flowers in the the vase. Wait are we finally gonna get to meet cindy?? 

Yo this armor is cool as hell 

“We’re somewhere a little unfinished”

“We can die more often than most people”

Poor Rosamund

So do Rosamund and Cinderella and Snow

Destiny is a project by the fairies 

This line about the coat is epic 

So Rosamund is a Ranger 

Cinderella is an Eldritch Knight Fighter or Paladin maybe?

A Snow is a spellcaster, based on the learning line i’m gonna go wizard 

CRIT

DANG THESE NARRATIVE CRITS 

So the book has awakened the party?

 Many of the kinder worlds have already died, keep an eye out for witches and and especially fairies 

12 DANCING PRINCESSES??

So basically Snow and Cindy are creating a coalition of princesses 

7 fairies?? 

Wisdom as one of the gifts? That makes so much sense with rangers being wis casters

YOO She’s got the spindle now that’s so cool, i wonder if she can use that to put other people to sleep, like if it is attached to an arrow 

I wonder if Red and Pib are in the same woods, 

“you already killed me once?” is that how red got her curse?

I wonder if the cha check is gonna come up 

Ylfa i love you you silly little girl

“The only time you will accept to make your life worthwhile is forever” that’s metal brennan

“My grandma taught me how to shop” 

YLFA ASKING ABOUT JACK CRYING

Ylfa really do be like, “Can I call my grandma? I’d like to phone a friend”

YLFA I’M CRYING SHE DESERVES SO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS WORLD

“There’s a part of her that ate the wolf too” grandma got grandma swag 

I really hope that the warmth on the cloak is a protection enhancement or something bc if were gonna open ylfa’s bottleneck again then she’s gotta have a higher AC lol 

Blood in the water oh no 

MURPH NAT 1 

YO IT’S PINOCCHIO’S FAIRY

I’m very suspicious of her 

Mmmm nope i’m here for the princess revolution i don’t trust the fairies 

NOPE DO NOT TELL THIS FAIRY ABOUT THE BOOK 

“If anything this is a sequel” lol

So Elody is part of the princess pact (yes that is what i am calling the princesses now)

DO NOT GIVE THIS SHARD

I don’t think she can touch the glass because it’s an artifact to go in the book 

Wait so did gerard never get turned human in this new story?

Curious to see how ally’s play through is different because mother goose is the holder of the book 

“Run afoul” i’m crying brennan

Mother goose is preserving the stories in the way they should be and leaving them happy?

So jack is not mother goose’s son in this world So that is how this world will be darker for mother goose, because his son won’t be his son there 

So the gander is satan and the goose is god? 

WAIT WAS I RIGHT ABOUT MOTHER GOOSE’S SUBCLASS?? COLLEGE OF SPIRITS WOULD BE SO GOOD IF THEY CAN JUST SUMMON STORIES FROM THE BOOK 

Maybe it’s a modified version of the subclass with the stories as new homebrewed tale from beyond options to choose from 

I think i trust the goose? Because the goose doesn’t seem to want to control the stories 

“You view all the world as your children” crying 

“It’s a very safe waiting room”

Extra spells known?? Intriguing, hopefully more crowd control and heals 

“The book is not as special as the man who holds it” 

Yay everyone back to the table!!

That was a really good episode, i’m really glad that we have this timeloop this is gonna be a fun season

[knightotoc]

Higher Ground Blogging 9

- a.k.a. The Good Place final season is finally on Netflix, but it doesn’t have any Star Wars people in it so priority #1 is this 20-year-old teen angst + Canadian outdoor adventure show

HGB 1 (eps 1-3), 2 (4), 3 (5-7), 4 (8-9), 5 (10), 6 (11-13), 7 (14-16), bonus content: sleepy hayden, 8 (17-18)

Last time on HGB: SHELBY!!!!!!!!!!!

ep 19: scott: *staring at the rain* daisy: i miss her too. scott: she’ll be okay, right? ... she’s tough... she’ll be okay. daisy: *... holds his hand* *other characters start talking but you can still hear scott saying “she owed me that much, it’s not a lot to ask!” in the background lol what an asshole*

- shelby: “i’m home. i’m back in the nightmare, and i don’t know how i’m gonna get through it again” NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! - she got her coffee but at what cost - scott and shelby doing the dishes but miles and miles apart - scott: “i can’t believe peter let her go home!” -- ahhhh there it is!!! cue Battle of Heroes!!!!!! - peter-bi-wan, how can you go to Tibet at a time like this?!?!?!?! into the garbage chute mountain boy!!!!!!!! - it’s so weird that peter-bi-wan’s actor is an executive producer of this show and the whole thing is so clearly this man’s strange vanity project and yet his character is more dislikable than piper chapman. also his last name is lando which is quite funny - juliette and auggie are actually more interesting than scott and shelby, just not as va-va-voom - hello gatorade product placement - this ot3 letters subplot is sublime - hey angels, shut up! the chosen one is praying, pay attention - SHELBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ep 20: - peter-bi-wan fell asleep on the keyboard but it was the x-key, not the z-key, so they didn’t even do the joke right

tfw Shelby - daisy vs scott =  cassandra vs eugene but emo - oh auggie is so nice😭😭😭 - scott playing piano again!!! what a cool little song! - “you’re getting mean, you know that?” -- juliette watching the clone wars

- his real mom is here!!! - omg they keep talking about peter-bi-wan ending up in “the gutter in Seattle,” it’s so funny to me - lol ezra and daisy are haunting peter-bi-wan’s nightmares😂 a sign that you’re the weird kids in class - “all those curls, he was just so cute. the light just seemed to come right from his face” -- scott’s mom talking about scott when he was a baby😭😭😭

“Gee, I’ve broken the buddy code. I’ve been a bad, bad Cliffhanger.” - his voice is all growly and he’s ranting about being cursed I LOVE IT!!!!!! - this peter-bi-wan subplot is THEEE WOOORRRSSTTT

shmi’s wish come true - “you’ve gotten taller. you look really healthy. i like your hair a little longer, it makes it more curly” -- scott’s mom going from AotC to RotS - “I bet I know what you’re gonna order.” “what?” “bacon cheeseburger” 😭😭😭😭 that’s what i always ordered when i was a teenager too!!!! - ok now peter-bi-wan is having a vision that he’s getting beat up by a cop...?

daisy: don’t you just hate a happy ending? juliette: no! daisy: like ‘em sappy, huh? juliette: i didn’t say sappy, I just don’t see anything wrong with happy. why’s everything have to be so heavy with you all the time? auggie: you go, jules! you tell her!

scott: *strolls in looking sad and PO’d as usual* daisy: so? how did it go? scott: ............... *victoriously* i had a bacon cheeseburger ezra: could you gloat any more about it auggie: hey man. it’s good to see your face back in the circle. scott: hhh *eye-contact avoid-y laugh-exhale thing*

- SHELBY’S BACK - wowowow scott is KILLING it on the piano!!!!!!! he’s so talented😭

darth piano (look at his eyelashes as;fjksdjf)

hark!

[tgaoe]

Andy’s 2017 Television Report

I love watching good TV. I still feel there’s a stigma associated with watching as much as I do, but I’m trying to own it. I love TV. I would much rather watch an old West Wing ep than go on a hike or do basically anything outdoorsy. So there that is. And here is an exhaustive list of everything I watched this year.

Not Enough Time and/or Motivation to Watch/Finish Ranked by Level of Intention to Watch/Finish

10. The Vietnam War 9. Godless 8. The Young Pope S1 7. The Handmaid’s Tale S1 6. Search Party S2 5. Rick & Morty S3 4. Halt and Catch Fire S4 3. You’re the Worst S4 2. Better Things S2 1. Broad City S4

Disappointing/Bad The Americans S5 Starts strong, has some nice character development, but the main story was inconsequential and frustrating, as were several side stories.

Preacher S2 Has cool moments and I still love the three leads, but the main plot left me cold. Not even close to as good as the debut season.

Sherlock S4 Stupid and infuriating.

Seasons I Liked, Ranked by Favoritism 32 Curb Your Enthusiasm S8 Same old show, wearing a little thin but still enjoyable.

31 I Love Dick Obtuse, intentionally discomfiting, wonderfully acted; Kathryn Hahn is a goddess.

30 Stranger Things S2 A fun time and not much more, which is fine.

29 Veep S6 Somehow exactly the same cruel, cynical show despite a somewhat significant premise shift.

28 Silicon Valley S4 More of the same. Not sure how much longer this show can sustain the whole “awkward tech bros overcoming impossible odds” premise. Hoping for some risks next season.

27 Vice Principals S2 A hilarious, surprisingly emotional comedy that will always be stuck in the shadow of its predecessor.

26 Love S2 Rock solid cast, writing with a nice balance of comedy, drama, and romance.

25 Bojack Horseman S4 I like this show less than everyone else who likes it, feels like. Still, no other televised depiction of depression rings truer, and remains funny without making light of serious mental illness.

24 Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Manic, inspired inanity.

23 Brooklyn Nine Nine S4/S5 Comfort food. Love everyone on the show. Every episode is the same and always will be and who cares.

22 Legion S1 In a year that hadn’t also included Twin Peaks: the Return, this would have ranked much higher for its crazy formalist experimentation, dazzling visual style, and sustained weirdness. Wish it had been more character-focused, and I hated the coda. Almost dreading season two.

21 Easy S2 Warm, human, real. Love the whole notion of a serialized anthology.

20 GLOW S1 Spending time with these characters just feels great, even when they’re behaving awfully. It’s the kind of show the predictability of which is a positive.

19 Big Little Lies S1 Reese Witherspoon projectile vomits pure green goop in this show. It rules.

18 Crashing S1 You love Pete or you don’t. I love him, have for years. The show is just more Pete.

17 The Good Place S1/S2 Quite possibly the most imaginative, innovate half-hour sitcom of all time; inspires equal investment in the characters and the ever-expanding mythology and mysteries, which is quite a feat.

16 Top of the Lake: China Girl Full review.

15 Fargo S3 By far the weakest season of the show, yet still one of the year’s best. Willfully disgusting and perhaps a bit too writerly, the last few episodes redeem some early rambling and formlessness. Ewan McGregor was not great in his role(s), and Carrie Coon’s performance was done a disservice by her appearing here and in The Leftovers simultaneously. But Mary Elizabeth Winstead and David Thewlis kill.

14 Ozark S1 Every 2-3 episodes contain enough plot for a full season of most other shows. It is wild. Characters at once inhabit archetypes and subvert them. I love how the main means of circumventing trouble is simply telling the truth.

13 One Mississippi S2 The best pure romance story on TV this year.

12 Future Man S1 Starts rough, slowly gets great. Consummately derivative sci-fi comedy. Couldn’t love it more.

11 Mindhunter S1 Spent most of the season deciding whether Jonathan Groff is terrible or magnificent here. Landed on magnificent, for the way he oscillates between ego states in response to story turns, negotiating his perceptions of both the concept of deviance and his sense of his own masculinity.

10 Dear White People S1 The number of characters this show balances is a miracle, and how it engenders empathy for all parties while maintaining its slick, ultracool visual style and exploring sensitive themes with the utmost nuance.

9 Mr. Robot S3 A vast improvement after the letdown of season two. Takes some weird risks that attempt retrofit current events into the show’s 2015 setting, and while not all of them work, the ones that do pay off massively. Plot mechanics are secondary to atmosphere, character, and theme. The cast is great as ever, and this year Bobby Cannavale joins the fray, which is never a bad idea.

8 Insecure S2 Continues to use top-notch production values and writing to explore lifestyles and perspectives previously ghettoized on TV, relegated to peripheral channels and the lowest of low budgets. Issa Rae’s performance is reliably loveable despite her character’s constant questionable decisions, but Yvonne Orji truly makes the show. Somebody cast her and Tiffany Haddish in something together asap.

7 Better Call Saul S3 Slow, methodical, pulpy, consistent. Another solid season of intricate, character-driven puzzle-piece storytelling.

6 American Vandal S1 The funniest entertainment of any type I consumed all year, and surprisingly thematically resonant as it progresses toward its conclusion.

5 Master of None S2 As funny, romantic, and charming as its creator. Tackles some surprisingly heavy subjects, has gained significant poignancy after cultural shifts that came later in the year.

4 The Deuce S1 An even seedier iteration of David Simon’s expansive storytelling style than The Wire, the period details of this show are casually perfect; unshowy and lived in. The Deuce convinced me that James Franco is one of our greatest living actors, on the level of someone like De Niro in his prime. Franco plays twins, and though they look and sound exactly alike, his slightly varied physicality always makes it clear who each is.

3 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S1 Such fun. A romantically stylized 1950s New York period piece starring a woman who should be, and might yet become, our biggest movie star. Nicely balances light comedy and light drama. Watching feels like cuddling up in a warm blanket.

2 Twin Peaks: the Return Mystifying, hilarious, infuriating, horrifying, wonderful.

1 The Leftovers S3 Not just the best season of television this year, but one of the greatest of all time. I have never been more satisfied by a finale. I refuse to write more lest I spoil anything. If you have not watched this show, watch it. The first season is flawed and difficult. The second is perfect, and so is the third. If this show’s premise even remotely appeals to you, watch it.

Favorite Episodes 12 “Amber Waves” The Americans S5E1 Bold start to an ultimately weak season. Features a ten-minute sequence during which a group of characters silently and methodically dig a hole, and somehow it is almost impossibly dramatic and exciting to watch. Here’s hoping the show picks up again for its final season next year.

11 “Chicanery” Better Call Saul S3E5 A courtroom episode rife with familial drama and series history exploited to maximum effect.

10 “Prodigal Daughter” Easy S2E6 A small, deeply humanist story of a high school girl discovering what she values, and how she wants to manifest those values. Lovely.

9 “Chapter V” Dear White People S1E5 Builds tension to a fever pitch using dialogue, editing, and camera techniques  downright orchestral. Directed by Barry Jenkins, of Moonlight fame.

8 “Part 8” Twin Peaks: the Return Several professional writers called this David’s Lynch’s Tree of Life, and I can’t describe it more succinctly than that. Lynch traces the origin of evil in his universe in a way no person who ever lived would except him.

7 “Who Rules the Land of Denial?” Fargo S3E8 For the bowling alley scene alone.

6 “eps3.4_runtime-err0r.r00” Mr. Robot S3E5 A bravura, (faked) single-take episode that brilliantly uses transit time to build tension.

5 “eps3.7_dont-delete-me.ko” Mr. Robot S3E8 The opposite of bravura; Elliot walks around with a young boy for most of the episode, and it is even more kinetic and exciting than the one with the single take.

4 “Amarsi Un Po'”/“Buona Notte” Master of None S2E9/E10 Heartbreaking. Aziz Ansari’s tribute to the Before Trilogy, and, let’s be honest, the Elevator arc from Louie, is brutal in its exposure of emotional truth. The chemistry between the leads makes the whole thing work.

3 “Part 18” Twin Peaks: the Return The finale. Mystifying, infuriating, horrifying, wonderful. Decidedly not hilarious.

2 “Thanksgiving” Master of None S2E8 A deeply-moving short film exposing a type of hardship so specific that I’d never seen it depicted before. The ways Ansari marks the passage of time throughout this story… just astounding.

1 “The Book of Nora” The Leftovers S3E8 Perfect. There is a monologue here with more story and gravitas than entire seasons of other shows, great ones. Watch The Leftovers.

[ulyssessklein]

The Spotify checklist for independent musicians

Spotify has grand plans to solidify its position as the global streaming leader, and a big part of their efforts to win this “streaming war” against Pandora, Apple, and Amazon involves courting the very artists, labels, and managers who’ve expressed reservations about the benefits or even solvency of the service.

By offering unprecedented access to Spotify user data (I mean, Tower Records never let you walk through the doors and take a look at who was buying your music), and by developing tools that will help musicians connect directly with fans on the platform, Spotify is trying to position itself as THE indispensable monetized streaming option.

John Paul Titlow wrote in detail about Spotify’s attempts to better meet artists’ needs in this article for Fast Company. It’s a long read, but worth it, and provides a glimpse into the exciting opportunities independent artists may have if Spotify can find a way to scale the extra perks it’s now offering to a select group of established acts.

Over the last year I’ve written a lot about Spotify, and how — if you own 100% of your publishing and master recording rights — a single placement on a big Spotify playlist can earn you serious money. Today, as streaming accounts for over 50% of music revenue and has driven the industry’s highest growth in two decades, it’s truer than ever that Spotify CAN provide a solid income source for musicians who know what they’re doing. For instance, Tycho, the ambient/down-tempo act led by Scott Hansen, now receives 53% of their income from Spotify.

Are you doing everything you can to benefit from Spotify? Here’s a handy checklist to make sure.

10 steps to get the most from your music on Spotify

1. Get your music onto Spotify (and everywhere else)

Obvious first step: Your music needs to be on Spotify! And it should be available on Apple, Amazon, Google, Pandora, and all the rest, because if you have success on one platform, it stands to reason you’ll see some action elsewhere too. Plus, you don’t want to limit how and where someone can listen to your music. You need to be everywhere. CD Baby makes that easy, with no annual fees.

2. Be buzz-worthy (to create press and playlist interest)

In order for Spotify’s in-house editorial team to notice your music, you’ve got to make some noise. That could mean hiring a publicist. It could mean doing something so awesome that bloggers want to write about it even without much of a pitch. It could mean going on a big tour, or making an amazing music video, or anything else that draws attention, drives listeners to the platform to hear your songs, and boosts your overall Spotify presence.

3. Become a verified artist on Spotify

Once you’re verified as an artist on Spotify, you can customize your artist discography page, promote playlists, and access analytics (although a more robust version of that data is available and updated daily in the “Trending Reports” section of your CD Baby dashboard). Here’s how to get verified.

4. Create your own playlists

In order to grease the wheels of Spotify’s algorithm, which is on the lookout for songs gaining traction on the platform, you should build your playlist resume by creating your own themed playlists (and placing one of your songs in each playlist).

5. Educate and ask your fans and friends

Sometimes it helps to explain to your audience exactly how and why their actions matter.

Tell them how important it is for them to follow you on Spotify (you’ll have a better chance of your new songs being added to their customized playlists), or how the best thing they can do is add your songs to their own playlists (which is the factor that Spotify weighs most heavily when considering which songs are worth considering for further attention).

6. Try to get on some bigger playlists

This is, of course, the gold ticket that everyone wants to win. But it’s not a total crapshoot. There’s a strategy you can follow to increase your chances of being noticed by a prominent playlist curator. There are also streaming promotion services such as Streaming Promotions (I love that name, so simple) you can hire to build a playlisting campaign around your latest release.

7. Promote your Spotify successes to your audience

If you have a placement in a playlist, share the news. Of course the curator has put together the playlist out of a love for music (hopefully), but they also want your assistance building THEIR audience. Blast it out. Thank them. Keep in touch.

8. Use the data

Spotify really does provide a wealth of information to artists about users’ listening habits, demographics, and more. You can use this data on a daily basis to assess the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, make more informed decisions about your ACTUAL audience, and see where the biggest demand is for your music — which helps you better route tours, customize messaging, and design special region-specific products.

9. Release (less music) more frequently

First of all, people’s listening habits have changed dramatically over the past 20 years. Playlists are the standard for arranging songs, not albums. So why put all your effort into making a 10-song masterpiece when half your listeners or more are only gonna hear the first track in a single sitting? Instead, spread out those ten songs into a series of single releases, or several shorter EPs.

The second reason to do this is it gives Spotify more opportunities to ping your listeners, either by sending an email to users about your new release, or by adding your songs to customized playlists such as Discover Weekly and Release Radar.

10. Be hungry for more tools, higher pay, and better access

Being successful on Spotify doesn’t mean you have to be either complacent or overly-celebratory of a service that could be improved. Stay informed so you can take advantage of new Spotify tools when they become available; remain active in the discussion about royalty rates and advocate for yourself and other rights holders; and make it known that you think it’s important for Spotify to continue being open with its user data.

Well, there’s your Spotify starter list. Do you have any items to add? Holler in the comments.

The post The Spotify checklist for independent musicians appeared first on DIY Musician Blog.

[ulyssessklein]

The Spotify checklist for independent musicians

Spotify has big plans to solidify its position as the global streaming leader, and a big part of their efforts to win this “streaming war” against Pandora, Apple, and Amazon involves courting the very artists, labels, and managers who’ve expressed reservations about the benefits or even solvency of the service.

By offering unprecedented access to Spotify user data (I mean, Tower Records never let you walk through the doors and take a look at who was buying your music), and by developing tools that will help musicians connect directly with fans on the platform, Spotify is trying to position itself as THE indispensable monetized streaming option.

John Paul Titlow wrote in detail about Spotify’s attempts to better meet artists’ needs in this article for Fast Company. It’s a long read, but worth it, and provides a glimpse into the exciting opportunities independent artists may have if Spotify can find a way to scale the extra perks it’s now offering to a select group of established acts.

Over the last year I’ve written a lot about Spotify, and how — if you own 100% of your publishing and master recording rights — a single placement on a big Spotify playlist can earn you serious money. Today, as streaming accounts for over 50% of music revenue and has driven the industry’s highest growth in two decades, it’s truer than ever that Spotify CAN provide a solid income source for musicians who know what they’re doing. For instance, Tycho, the ambient/down-tempo act led by Scott Hansen, now receives 53% of their income from Spotify.

Are you doing everything you can to benefit from Spotify? Here’s a handy checklist to make sure.

10 steps to get the most from your music on Spotify

1. Get your music onto Spotify (and everywhere else)

Obvious first step: Your music needs to be on Spotify! And it should be available on Apple, Amazon, Google, Pandora, and all the rest, because if you have success on one platform, it stands to reason you’ll see some action elsewhere too. Plus, you don’t want to limit how and where someone can listen to your music. You need to be everywhere. CD Baby makes that easy, with no annual fees.

2. Be buzz-worthy (to create press and playlist interest)

In order for Spotify’s in-house editorial team to notice your music, you’ve got to make some noise. That could mean hiring a publicist. It could mean doing something so awesome that bloggers want to write about it even without much of a pitch. It could mean going on a big tour, or making an amazing music video, or anything else that draws attention, drives listeners to the platform to hear your songs, and boosts your overall Spotify presence.

3. Become a verified artist on Spotify

Once you’re verified as an artist on Spotify, you can customize your artist discography page, promote playlists, and access analytics (although a more robust version of that data is available and updated daily in the “Trending Reports” section of your CD Baby dashboard). Here’s how to get verified.

4. Create your own playlists

In order to grease the wheels of Spotify’s algorithm, which is on the lookout for songs gaining traction on the platform, you should build your playlist resume by creating your own themed playlists (and placing one of your songs in each playlist).

5. Educate and ask your fans and friends

Sometimes it helps to explain to your audience exactly how and why their actions matter.

Tell them how important it is for them to follow you on Spotify (you’ll have a better chance of your new songs being added to their customized playlists), or how the best thing they can do is add your songs to their own playlists (which is the factor that Spotify weighs most heavily when considering which songs are worth considering for further attention).

6. Try to get on some bigger playlists

This is, of course, the gold ticket that everyone wants to win. But it’s not a total crapshoot. There’s a strategy you can follow to increase your chances of being noticed by a prominent playlist curator. There are also streaming promotion services such as Streaming Promotions (I love that name, so simple) you can hire to build a playlisting campaign around your latest release.

7. Promote your Spotify successes to your audience

If you have a placement in a playlist, share the news. Of course the curator has put together the playlist out of a love for music (hopefully), but they also want your assistance building THEIR audience. Blast it out. Thank them. Keep in touch.

8. Use the data

Spotify really does provide a wealth of information to artists about users’ listening habits, demographics, and more. You can use this data on a daily basis to assess the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, make more informed decisions about your ACTUAL audience, and see where the biggest demand is for your music — which helps you better route tours, customize messaging, and design special region-specific products.

9. Release (less music) more frequently

First of all, people’s listening habits have changed dramatically over the past 20 years. Playlists are the standard for arranging songs, not albums. So why put all your effort into making a 10-song masterpiece when half your listeners or more are only gonna hear the first track in a single sitting? Instead, spread out those ten songs into a series of single releases, or several shorter EPs.

The second reason to do this is it gives Spotify more opportunities to ping your listeners, either by sending an email to users about your new release, or by adding your songs to customized playlists such as Discover Weekly and Release Radar.

10. Be hungry for more tools, higher pay, and better access

Being successful on Spotify doesn’t mean you have to be either complacent or overly-celebratory of a service that could be improved. Stay informed so you can take advantage of new Spotify tools when they become available; remain active in the discussion about royalty rates and advocate for yourself and other rights holders; and make it known that you think it’s important for Spotify to continue being open with its user data.

Well, there’s your Spotify starter list. Do you have any items to add? Holler in the comments.

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