Lets Decode The Spotify Algorithm Together... Again

Author

Andrew Southworth
April 02, 2025

Hey friends!

Three years ago we ran a study to try and learn how the Spotify algorithm worked. The results of this study lead to us learning that:

  • The most important factor for algorithmic playlists on Spotify was the number of streams in the past 28 days.

  • Engagement was still important, and having only streams with bad save rates, streams per listener etc won’t get you algorithmic playlists a lot of the time.

  • It takes about 2,500 streams in the first 1-3 weeks of a release to get an algorithmic push on Release Radar.

  • It takes about 10k streams in any 28 day period to get on Discover Weekly.

However, things change. Over time Radio has become more prominent for many artists, and Discovery Mode is part of that as well. Additionally Spotify has adjusted their popularity index a couple times since.

So, we’re running the study again! Watch this video below to learn more about this, and see how you can help contribute:

Multiple entries are encouraged, and a diversity of newer songs / older songs are also encouraged. If you can enter multiple data points with at least 7 day gaps in between, that is also very helpful. Whether you have 20 monthly listeners or 2 million monthly listeners, your data is helpful here!

If you’ve already watched the video, you can also click here to fill out the form and submit your data.

New Content

In this interview Ryan Schmidt and I talk about music law, how artists and labels can protect themselves and how music royalties ACTUALLY work in language anyone can understand.

We're 1 week into this Spotify growth campaign to promote our song, let's go over how it's doing and how i'm optimizing it!

How to Promote Your Music on Spotify with Facebook Ads (2025):

Whenever you’re ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:

  1. My courses. Spotify Growth Machine teaches you how to use Facebook ads to promote your music on Spotify. YouTube Growth Machine teaches you how to grow a YouTube channel organically and how to use YouTube ads. Fan Growth Machine teaches you how to build a website, online store and grow your email list.

  2. My ad agency specializes in running Facebook conversion ads to promote your music on Spotify.

  3. Website / Store / Funnels. MusicFunnels is the best all-in-one platform for music artists to make a website, online store, sales funnels and build their mailing list.

  4. 1-on-1 consulting. You can book 1-hour calls with myself or my team here.

Southworth Media

Southworth Media provides digital music marketing solutions to artists, managers and record labels.

southworth.media

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If you’d rather just purchase the e-book, or physical book or audiobook you can do so here.

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