110 - Compensating Curators

Playlists have been a huge driver in the growth of streaming music, and platforms like Spotify are pushing their curated playlists more than ever. Securing a coveted placement on one of the top playlists could mean millions of streams and new fans for an artist. These playlists drive discovery, chart performance, and sales, and the tastemakers creating them aren’t just kids compiling their favorite songs. From brands to professional curators, many are taking advantage of this new marketing opportunity. But could curation become a viable revenue stream? And  how do artists get their music to these mysterious influencers? On this episode we hear from Garrison Snell, who built his company, Crosshair, around getting curators compensated. We’re also joined by journalist Cherie Hu, who has written about music curation models for Forbes. Walt Lilly, the curator behind the Apollo Playlist brand gives us an idea of what goes into a successful playlist. If you want to hear more about playlisting, check out our recent interview with Liz Pelly.