Do you ever wonder how the perfect playlist for every mood or occasion seems to magically appear on your Spotify account? Well, you have music curators to thank for that. These behind-the-scenes professionals work tirelessly to create and manage the best possible playlists for music lovers everywhere.
Music curators are an increasingly important part of the music industry, particularly in the age of streaming services. With more and more people turning to Spotify and other platforms for their music fix, the need for high-quality, personalized playlists has never been greater.
But what exactly does a music curator do, and how do they go about creating the perfect playlist?
In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at the day-to-day activities of music curators, the challenges they face, and the importance of their work in the ever-evolving world of music streaming.
Table of Contents:
I. What is a music curator?
In short, a music curator is someone who selects and organizes music for a specific purpose or audience. This can range from creating playlists for personal use to developing soundtracks for movies, TV shows, and other forms of media.
However, in the context of music streaming services like Spotify, music curation typically involves creating playlists for a wider audience, with the goal of providing a unique and engaging listening experience.
To be a successful music curator, you need to have a deep knowledge and appreciation of music, as well as a keen sense of what listeners want to hear. This means keeping up with the latest trends and emerging artists, as well as being able to identify classic songs and genres that stand the test of time.
In addition, you need to be able to think creatively and come up with innovative playlist ideas that set you apart from the competition.
Ultimately, the goal of a music curator is to create playlists that listeners will love and keep coming back to time and time again.
II. How do I become a music curator?
I'm glad you asked. Or I guess technically I did. Whatever. Regardless, music curator jobs are require a deep understanding of a niche genre or style of music, and a strong determination.
You need a strong determination because, most times, unless you get lucky and land a gig with a major label or a streaming service to create and manage editorial playlists, music curator jobs are extremely hard to come by.
However, we can help you monetize your playlists and begin your music curator journey.
Our Playlist Curator Network
We offer two collaboration options for Spotify playlist curators looking to make money with their playlists.
1. Marketing Assistance
Our first option is a more hands-on-deck role.
Here's how it would work - we receive song submissions from independent musicians. We would then pass that music on to you, and if you decided after reviewing music submissions that you like the song and think it would fit well in your playlist, we can incorporate your playlist into the artists marketing budget and help you earn revenue for your assistance in promoting the song.
Simple enough.
2. Playlist Collaboration
Our other option is more of a passive income opportunity.
You will be able to continue to add your favorite music to your playlist, however, we will be able to add songs to your playlist as well. If you are unaware, Spotify allows for people to share playlists similar to a Google Doc.
This way, you can keep managing your Spotify playlist without having to deal with constant music reviews. We act as the music reviewer, and only add the best possible music to your playlist.
All we need is to negotiate how many slots, or songs, can be held in your playlist each month. Then, we find talented musicians and can pay you monthly in exchange for the promotion.
A win-win for everybody.
There only requirement to join our network of music curators is that your playlist needs at least 1,000 REAL followers. No bots or fake engagement.
If your playlist is good to go, and you are interested in either job description, reach out to us by clicking the button below!
Anyways, lets dive deeper into music curation jobs, and what they entail.
III. Day-to-Day Activities of a Music Curator
The day-to-day activities of a music curator can vary depending on their job responsibilities and the specific platform they are working on. However, some common activities that a music curator may perform on a daily basis include:
Researching new and emerging artists to include in their playlists
Analyzing listener data and feedback to inform playlist creation and curation
Collaborating with other curators and industry professionals to share ideas and insights
Managing and updating existing playlists to ensure they stay fresh and relevant
Creating new playlists based on specific themes, genres, or moods
Working with artists and record labels to promote new releases and build relationships
These tasks require a high degree of creativity, organization, and attention to detail. Music curators must constantly be on the lookout for new and interesting music to add to their playlists, while also ensuring that their playlists are well-organized, cohesive, and engaging for listeners.
Streaming Curators vs. Commercial Curators
There are two main types of playlist curators. Although both of them require similar skills and efforts (such a listening to music), they are different in nature.
Streaming Curators
Streaming curators, also known as platform curators, are those hired by music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora to create and curate playlists for their users.
Their primary goal is to help users discover new music, keep them engaged on the platform, and ultimately increase retention and revenue for the streaming service.
Streaming curators work within the platform's guidelines and algorithms, using a combination of data and personal taste to create playlists that cater to specific genres, moods, and occasions. This job type often involves collaborations with other curators, artists, and industry professionals to ensure that their playlists are relevant and up-to-date.
Note: If you are looking for an entry level position as a music curator, these are generally considered the more official music curator jobs.
Commercial Curators
On the other hand, commercial curators are individuals hired by artists, brands, media companies, or events to create and curate playlists for a specific commercial purposes. This is the case for most curators, as 99% of playlists on Spotify are user-generated rather than editorial.
A commercial curator typically works outside of the streaming platform, and their playlists may on social media, websites, blogs, and/or in-store displays.
Commercial curators typically work to promote music that fits a playlist they curate.
Note: Often accidentally, a playlist will begin to gain traction and followers, and the user will begin to receive messages and song submissions from artists interested in landing their own song in the popular playlist. This is how many Spotify playlist curators begin their journey. On accident.
The main difference between streaming playlist curators and commercial playlist curators is their primary goal and context. While a streaming curator's main focus is providing a high-quality listening experience, a commercial curator is focused on promoting a brand, product, or artist.
Additionally, a commercial playlist curator has more flexibility in terms of playlist content and context, as they are not bound by the algorithms and guidelines of a specific streaming service.
IV. The Importance of Music Curation
Music curation is a critical component of the music industry, particularly in the age of streaming services.
Here are just a few reasons why music curation is so important:
Personalization: Music curators have the ability to create personalized playlists that cater to specific tastes and moods, allowing listeners to discover new music they might not have found on their own.
Promotion: Music curators can help promote new and emerging artists by featuring them in their playlists and introducing them to a wider audience.
Revenue: Streaming services like Spotify rely on curated playlists to keep users engaged and subscribed, making music curation an important revenue stream for the industry.
Quality control: With so much music available online, it can be overwhelming for listeners to sift through it all. Music curators help provide a filter, ensuring that only the best and most interesting music is featured in playlists.
Overall, music curation plays a vital role in the music industry, providing listeners with personalized, high-quality playlists while also promoting new and emerging artists. Music curators may work behind the scenes, but their impact is felt by music lovers everywhere.
V. Qualities of a Successful Music Curator
While anyone with a love of music can try their hand at music curation, there are certain qualities that make someone a successful music curator. These include:
Deep knowledge of music: Obviously, a successful music curator must have a broad and deep knowledge of music across a range of genres and styles. They should be able to identify classic songs and artists, as well as stay up-to-date with emerging trends and new releases.
Creativity: Music curators also need to be able to come up with innovative and engaging playlist ideas that set them apart from the competition. (Clever names, engaging cover images, etc.) This requires a creative and imaginative mind, as well as a willingness to take risks and experiment with different genres and styles.
Analytical skills: Music curators must be able to analyze data and metrics to inform their playlist creation and curation. This means having a strong understanding of analytics tools and metrics, as well as the ability to interpret data and use it to improve their playlists.
Communication skills: Music curators often work with other curators, industry professionals, and artists. This requires strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with others.
Passion for music: Above all, successful music curators must have a deep passion and love for music. This is what drives them to consistently seek out new and interesting music, and to create playlists that resonate with listeners.
VI. The Future of Music Curation
As music streaming services continue to evolve and grow in popularity, the role of music curators will likely become even more important. In the future, we may see new technologies and tools emerge that make it even easier for music curators to create personalized and engaging playlists for listeners.
At the same time, there may be new challenges for music curators to navigate, such as changes in listener behavior and preferences, as well as increased competition from other curators and algorithms. AI is already beginning to understand music and music psychology better and better, so in time, that could definitely threaten the average Spotify playlist curator.
Despite these challenges, one thing is clear: music curation will continue to be an essential part of the music industry, providing listeners with high-quality playlists and helping to promote new and emerging artists.
Conclusion
In conclusion, music curation is a crucial part of the music industry, especially in the era of streaming services.
A music curator is someone who selects and organizes music for a specific purpose or audience, with the aim of providing a unique and engaging listening experience.
To be a successful music curator, one needs to have a deep knowledge and appreciation of music, a keen sense of what listeners want to hear, and the ability to use data and analytics to inform their playlist creation.
Though music curator jobs are hard to come by, there are ways to monetize playlists, such as collaborating with platforms like our Playlist Curator Network.
We hope you enjoyed this insight into the world of music curation jobs! Until next time!