Playlist Search

Playlist Search is your command center for discovering Spotify playlists that match your music. Whether you're an artist looking to pitch your tracks, a label researching trends, or a curator analyzing the competitive landscape, this tool helps you find the right playlists, verify their quality, and take action—all from one interface.

Use Cases

Playlist Search helps you:

  • Find placement opportunities: Discover playlists by keywords, genres, similar artists, or mood that match your music

  • Research competitors: Analyze which playlists feature artists similar to you and identify gaps in your strategy

  • Spot trending playlists: Sort by "Fastest Growing" to discover hot playlists gaining momentum in your genre

  • Verify playlist quality: Filter by bot-free, actively maintained playlists with engaged audiences

  • Access curator contacts: Get email addresses, Instagram handles, and submission platform links for direct outreach

  • Manage campaigns: Export search results to CSV, save playlists to folders, and track your pitching progress

Prerequisites

  • A logged-in account on artist.tools

  • For advanced filters and unlimited exports: Artist Access (paid plan)

Plan-Based Access

Playlist Search features vary by plan:

Free Plan

  • Search & Filters: Full access to keyword search, metric filters, contact filters, genre filtering, and folder management

  • Results Display: Can see which playlists exist and basic metrics, but restricted fields appear blurred or locked:

    • Estimated Listeners: Blurred to "XXXX-XXXX /month" (tooltip explains it's an internal estimate)

    • Popularity Score: Blurred to "XX/100" (Spotify's average popularity score for playlist tracks)

    • Contact Details: Shown as locked badges (e.g., "Email 🔒", "IG 🔒") with no access to actual email addresses, Instagram handles, or submission links

    • Mini-Charts: Replaced with "Upgrade to view Mini Chart" badge

    • SEO Metrics: Search volume blurred to "XX,XXX/mo" with details hidden

  • Pagination: Limited to 100 playlists per page

  • Advanced Filters: Disabled (owner/artist/track IDs, exclude keywords, exact phrases)

Artist Access (Paid Plans)

  • Full Data Visibility: All fields unblurred—exact listener estimates, popularity scores, and complete contact details

  • Interactive Contacts: Clickable email badges (opens Gmail with pre-filled template), direct Instagram links, and submission platform access

  • Advanced Features: ID-based targeting, unlimited pagination (up to 250/page), interactive sparklines, detailed SEO breakdowns

  • Full Exports: CSV downloads include all fields without restrictions

Free Plan Strategy: You can still identify promising playlists using follower counts, bot quality ratings, and track counts—all visible on the free plan. Use locked contact badges to confirm contact methods exist, then upgrade when you're ready to pitch.

  1. Click Search in the sidebar navigation under Tools

  2. Or visit directly: app.artist.tools/search

The default view loads with sensible filters already applied: botted playlists hidden, user playlists only, and contact info required.

How to Search for Playlists

Use the search bar at the top of the page to enter:

  • Genres: "indie rock", "lo-fi hip hop", "country pop"

  • Similar Artists: "FKJ", "Tame Impala", "Billie Eilish"

  • Moods or Vibes: "chill", "upbeat", "emotional acoustic"

  • Playlist Titles: "morning coffee", "workout motivation"

  • Curator Names: Search by specific playlist owners

Press Enter to execute the search. Results display all playlists matching your keywords in their title, description, included genres, or featured artists.

Pro Tip: Combine multiple keywords like "indie, upbeat, guitar" to broaden your results and discover playlists across overlapping themes.

URL Search (Direct Navigation)

Paste any Spotify URL into the search bar to jump directly to that entity's detail page:

  • Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXcBWIGoYBM5M

  • Artist: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0L8ExT028jH3ddEcZwqJJ5

  • Track: https://open.spotify.com/track/3n3Ppam7vgaVa1iaRUc9Lp

  • User: https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify

You can also paste artist.tools URLs:

  • https://app.artist.tools/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXcBWIGoYBM5M

  • https://app.artist.tools/artist/0L8ExT028jH3ddEcZwqJJ5

This bypasses search results and takes you straight to the entity's detail page (Overview, Tracks, Contacts, Charts, and SEO tabs).

URL Format Requirements: Only valid Spotify URLs (https://open.spotify.com/<entity>/<id>) and artist.tools URLs (https://app.artist.tools/<entity>/<id>) are recognized. If you paste a different link format or a URL missing the https:// prefix, it will be treated as a regular keyword search and likely return no results.

Filtering Results

Filters appear below the search bar as category buttons. Click any category to open its options in a popover. On mobile, tap the filter icon (sliders) to access all filters in a slide-out drawer.

Metrics Filters

Refine playlists by size and growth:

  • Follower Range: Drag the double slider to set minimum and maximum followers (0 to 50M)

  • Listener Range: Filter by estimated unique listeners (0 to 1M)

  • Average Daily Growth: Set minimum followers gained per day (0+)

Strategy: Target playlists with 10,000–100,000 followers for a balance of reach and curator responsiveness. Smaller playlists are often more accessible; larger ones receive hundreds of submissions daily.

Contact Filters

Filter by available contact methods:

  • Has Any Contact Info: Enabled by default; shows only playlists with at least one contact method

  • Specific Platforms: Email, Instagram, SubmitLink, SubmitHub, Groover, DailyPlaylists

  • Contacted Status: Hide playlists you've already marked as contacted, or show only those

Free users can see which playlists have contact info. Paid users unlock the full contact details (email addresses, Instagram handles, etc.) in the Contacts tab.

Quality Filters

Ensure playlist integrity:

  • Hide Botted Playlists: Enabled by default; removes playlists flagged for bot activity

  • Show Only Botted: Research bot patterns (not recommended for pitching)

  • Tracks Added Within: Filter by recent activity (1 day, 7 days, 1 month, etc.) to find actively curated playlists

Avoid Botted Playlists: Playlists flagged as botted can harm your Spotify algorithmic profile, reduce visibility in Discover Weekly and Release Radar, and even result in withheld royalties or account penalties. Always verify quality before pitching.

Type Filters

  • User Playlists Only: Shows playlists created by individual curators (default)

  • Editorial Playlists Only: Displays Spotify-owned editorial playlists

Note: Editorial playlists don't have public contact information. If you select "Editorial Playlists Only," the "Has Any Contact Info" filter will be automatically disabled to avoid conflicts.

Folder Filters

Organize your workflow:

  • Filter by Folder: Show only playlists saved in a specific folder

  • Hide Playlists in My Folders: Exclude playlists you've already saved to focus on new discoveries

Manage folders in Dashboard.

Advanced Filters (Paid Plans Only)

For precise targeting, click Advanced to access:

  • Owner IDs: Spotify user IDs (comma or newline-separated, up to 50)

  • Artist IDs: Show only playlists containing tracks by specific artists (up to 50 IDs)

  • Track IDs: Find playlists featuring specific tracks (up to 50 IDs)

  • Playlist IDs: Include or exclude specific playlists by their Spotify IDs (up to 50)

  • Genres: Filter by official Spotify genres (comma-separated, up to 50; see valid genres)

  • Exclude Keywords: Hide playlists containing certain terms in titles or descriptions

  • Includes Exactly: Case-sensitive exact phrase matching

Performance Note: Advanced filters with large ID lists or complex keyword logic can significantly slow search times. A toast notification will appear if a search is taking longer than usual.

Free users see advanced filters grayed out with a lock icon and the message: "Upgrade your account to use advanced filters." Click to view pricing options.

Applying and Clearing Filters

  • Changes apply automatically with a short debounce (slight delay) for performance

  • Click the X icon next to active filters to clear all at once

  • Filters persist in the URL, so you can bookmark searches or share them with your team

Sorting and Viewing Results

Card View (Default)

Visual grid layout ideal for browsing:

  • Use the Sort dropdown to order by:

    • Most Followers

    • Fastest Growing (followers per day)

    • Most Listeners

    • Highest Quality (bot-free score)

    • Lowest Quality (for research)

    • Most Popular

    • Oldest Updated

    • Newest Updated

  • Each card shows playlist cover art, name, follower/listener counts, quality status, and contact availability

  • Hover over cards to see sparkline trends for follower growth

Quick Win: Sort by "Fastest Growing" to identify trending playlists gaining momentum. These curators are actively building their audience and may be more receptive to new submissions.

Table View

Spreadsheet-style layout for power users:

  • Click column headers to sort by any available metric

  • Customize visible columns: show/hide fields based on your workflow

  • Common columns include: playlist name, owner, follower count, estimated listeners, popularity score, quality rating, contact availability, track count, genres, and last updated date

  • Ideal for comparing playlists side-by-side or exporting detailed datasets

Toggle between views using the buttons in the top-right corner.

Note: Some columns like estimated listeners, popularity score, and contact details are blurred or locked for free users (see Plan-Based Access above).

Pagination

  • Default: 24 playlists per page

  • Use pagination controls (arrows, page numbers) or the dropdown to change page size (8–250 results per page)

  • Free users: Limited to 100 results per page

  • Paid users: Up to 250 results per page

Viewing Playlist Details

Click any playlist card or row to open the full detail view, which includes:

  • Overview: Historical follower growth charts, quality score, bot detection status, and key metrics

  • Tracks: Complete tracklist with stream counts, artist names, and add dates

  • Contacts: Curator email addresses, Instagram handles, and submission platform links (paid plans only for full details)

  • Charts: Visualizations of growth trends, listener estimates, and engagement patterns

  • SEO: Where the playlist ranks in Spotify search for specific keywords and markets

Before You Pitch: Check the Overview tab for bot status, follower growth consistency, and recent activity. Also review the Tracks tab to ensure your music fits the playlist's existing vibe and genre.

Exporting Search Results

Paid users can export search results to CSV:

  1. Click the Download button at the top of the results

  2. The CSV includes all visible playlists and columns (followers, listeners, quality score, contact methods, growth metrics, etc.)

  3. Use exports for campaign tracking, team collaboration, or building outreach lists

Export Limits: Exports larger than 250 playlists may fail with the error: "Export too large; reduce page size." If this happens, apply filters to narrow your results or export in smaller batches.

Taking Action on Playlists

Contacting Curators

  1. Open a playlist detail page

  2. Navigate to the Contacts tab

  3. View available contact methods (email, Instagram, submission platforms)

  4. For email: Use the pre-filled email template with curator name, playlist name, and top artists auto-populated

  5. Click Send in Gmail to open the template in Gmail and customize your pitch

For detailed guidance on crafting effective pitches, see Contact Playlists with Playlist Search.

Saving to Folders

  1. Select playlists using checkboxes (Card or Table view)

  2. Click Add to Folder in the Actions menu

  3. Choose an existing folder or create a new one

  4. Track your outreach progress and mark playlists as contacted

Marking as Contacted

After reaching out to a curator:

  1. Open the playlist detail page

  2. Click the Mark as Contacted button

  3. Use the "Hide playlists you've marked as Contacted" filter in future searches to focus on new opportunities

Limitations and Known Behaviors

  • Keyword Logic: Searches require ALL query terms to appear in the playlist (title, description, genres, or artist names), but not in any particular order. There's no OR logic—typing "rock OR pop" searches for the exact phrase "rock OR pop," not playlists matching either genre. You can also search for contact information like email addresses or Instagram handles.

  • Genres: Only official Spotify genres are supported. Custom or misspelled genres return zero results. Verify valid genres at everynoise.com.

  • Advanced Filter Complexity: ID-based searches via Advanced filters (owner, artist, track IDs) are very quick. ID exclusions (via "Hide my contacted playlists" or "Hide playlists in my folders") are generally fast unless you have tens of thousands of saved playlists, which can impact performance. However, "Exclude Keywords" and "Includes Exactly" filters can be slow because they use regex and consume more resources, especially in broad searches where you haven't entered a keyword or applied other refining filters.

  • Bot Detection: Bot flagging is probabilistic based on growth patterns, engagement ratios, and demographic anomalies. No system is 100% accurate; occasional false positives or negatives may occur. Learn more in How Does artist.tools Detect Botted Playlists?

  • Data Freshness: Results cache for 60 minutes and refresh every 5 minutes. A snackbar may appear: "Data may be up to 5 minutes old."

  • Mobile Drawer Behavior: On mobile, the filter drawer closes when tapping outside. Unsaved changes are lost. Apply filters before closing the drawer.

  • Editorial Playlist Contacts: Spotify editorial playlists don't have public contact info. Attempting to filter for both "Editorial Playlists" and "Has Any Contact Info" will gray out one option with a tooltip explaining the conflict.

Troubleshooting

No Results Found

Symptom: Empty state message: "No playlists found. Try broadening your search or adjusting filters."

Common Causes:

  • Overly specific or misspelled keywords

  • Invalid genre names (check everynoise.com)

  • Too many active filters narrowing results to zero

  • Search timeout: If a search times out after 2 minutes, it displays the same "No playlists found" message, which can be confusing (see Slow Searches below)

Fix: Remove some filters, simplify your search query, or verify genre spelling. If you suspect a timeout, try simplifying your filters and searching again.

Filter Conflicts

Symptom: Certain filter toggles are grayed out with a tooltip.

Cause: Incompatible filter combinations (e.g., "Editorial Playlists Only" + "Has Any Contact Info").

Fix: Unselect one of the conflicting filters. The tooltip explains which filters are incompatible.

Slow Searches

Symptom: After 5 seconds, a toast appears with the title "Still loading your data..."

Cause: Advanced filters with large ID lists or complex keyword exclusions can slow down searches. Searches time out after 2 minutes and display "No playlists found."

Fix: Reduce the number of IDs (keep under 20 for best performance) or simplify keyword logic.

Confusing Timeout Behavior: If a search times out after 2 minutes, the system displays "No playlists found"—the same message as a genuinely empty search. If you suspect a timeout rather than no results, try simplifying your filters and searching again.

Export Errors

Symptom: "Export too large; reduce page size."

Fix: Apply additional filters to narrow your results or change the page size to 100 or less, then export in batches.

No Results from URL Paste

Symptom: You paste a URL, but the search returns no playlists.

Cause: The URL format isn't recognized as a valid Spotify or artist.tools link, so it's treated as a keyword search instead.

Fix: Ensure you're pasting a complete URL with https:// prefix. Valid formats:

  • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/<entity>/<id>

  • artist.tools: https://app.artist.tools/<entity>/<id>

If the URL is missing https:// or uses a different domain, it will be interpreted as text and likely find nothing.

What's Next

Now that you know how to search for playlists, explore these related guides:

Getting Help

If you encounter issues not covered in this guide:

  • Check your filters: Clear all filters and try a simple keyword search first

  • Test with a Spotify URL: Paste a known playlist URL to verify the feature is working

  • Review your plan: Confirm you have the necessary access for advanced features at Pricing

  • Contact support: If problems persist, include your search query, active filters, and any error messages in your support request

You're All Set! Playlist Search gives you the tools to find quality playlists, avoid bot traps, and connect with curators who genuinely support emerging artists. Happy searching!

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