Curator notes typically read as a short acceptance, a conditional accept with a specific ask, or a decline with a one-line reason, and we’ve gathered copy-ready examples of each below. These reflect the kind of written feedback Spotify editors and independent curators actually send, along with templates you can adapt for your own submissions.
TL;DR:
- Conditional requests mean the curator likes the track; send the requested asset within a day or two and confirm the expected placement date.
- Treat comments about distant vocals or thin production as mix feedback, while a weak chorus points to arrangement and may need a stronger build.
- Spotify recommends pitching at least 7 days before release; about 20% of Spotify for Artists submissions reach a playlist, and placement is never guaranteed.
- After a couple of weeks without a reply, assume a pass and focus on independent curators or your next release, not repeated submissions.
- Log curator feedback across pitches, because repeated mix criticism or genre mismatches reveal patterns that one isolated acceptance or decline cannot show.
Table of Contents
- 1. Examples of curator notes: accepts, conditional accepts, and declines
- 2. Copy-ready templates and the phrasing curators repeat
- 3. How to turn curator feedback into your next move
- 4. How long curator replies take and what placement odds look like
- 5. Where real written curator feedback comes from
- 6. Reading curator notes without taking them personally
- 7. See real curator feedback or start your own campaign
- FAQ
- Sources
1. Examples of curator notes: accepts, conditional accepts, and declines
Most curator notes fall into one of three buckets, and knowing the shape of each helps you read your own feedback faster.
Short accepts tend to run one line, confirm the playlist name, and sometimes a placement date. They’re brief because the curator has already made the decision and moved on.
- “Added to Fresh Finds Indie, out Friday. Love the guitar tone.”
- “In. Great fit for our chill mornings slot, going live next update.”
- “Adding this to Bedroom Pop Picks. The hook at 0:45 sold it.”
- “Yes on this one. Dropping it into our Sunday rotation.”
Conditional accepts add a request or a timing caveat. They signal real interest but tell you something needs to change before (or after) the add.
- “We’ll add this if you can send an instrumental version for our transition set.”
- “Fits the playlist, but can you confirm the clean edit? We only run radio versions.”
- “Love it, holding for next month’s update since this round is locked.”
Each of these means the track already cleared the bar. The curator is asking for an asset or a scheduling adjustment, not a rewrite.
Declines range from terse to genuinely constructive, and the difference matters for what you do next.
- “Not a fit for us, thanks for sending.” (No usable signal, just a pass.)
- “Good production, but vocals sit too far back in the mix for our playlist’s loudness profile.” (Specific, actionable mix note.)
- “Solid track, but we’re full on synth pop this quarter.” (Timing and quota issue, not a quality judgment.)
- “Chorus doesn’t hit hard enough compared to what’s already on the list.” (Arrangement or hook feedback worth taking seriously.)
The metadata and pitch details curators reference most often include genre tags, mood descriptors, and the one line explaining where the song fits, which lines up with what Spotify’s pitch form asks you to fill in before submitting.
2. Copy-ready templates and the phrasing curators repeat
Once you’ve read enough notes, patterns emerge. Curators tend to reuse a handful of phrases, and you can build your own templates around them.
For acceptances, keep a short log for press or social posts:
- “Thrilled that [song title] was added to [playlist name] this week.”
- “[Playlist name] just picked up our new single, out now.”
- “Added to [playlist name], our first placement for this release.”
For conditional replies, respond quickly and confirm the ask:
- “Sending the instrumental version today, thanks for considering it.”
- “Here’s the clean edit you asked for, let me know if you need anything else.”
- “Totally fine waiting for next month’s update, appreciate you holding the spot.”
For declines, a short, polite follow-up keeps the relationship open without pushing for a reversal:
- “Thanks for the honest note on the mix, really useful.”
- “Appreciate the feedback, will keep this playlist in mind for the next single.”
- “No worries, thanks for taking the time to listen.”
Pro Tip: When you pitch, name your genre, mood, and a one-sentence “why this fits” exactly as the curator would phrase it back to you, since clear metadata is what Spotify’s own pitch guidance says helps editors match tracks to playlists.
Our guide to Spotify editorial pitches walks through filling out that metadata in more detail if you want a longer reference.
3. How to turn curator feedback into your next move
Curator notes are only useful if you act on them. Here’s how to translate common phrases into decisions.
- “Vocals too distant” or “mix feels thin”: treat this as a mix note, not a songwriting problem, and get a second mix opinion before re-pitching.
- “Not a fit for this list” with no detail: log it and move on, since there’s no actionable signal here.
- “Chorus doesn’t hit hard enough”: this points to arrangement, consider a second pre-chorus lift or a bigger instrumental swell.
- “We’re full on [genre] this quarter”: this is a timing issue, not a quality one, so re-pitch the same track in a future cycle.
- Conditional ask (stems, edit, later slot): reply within a day or two with exactly what was requested and confirm the expected date.
Before you re-pitch anything, run through a short checklist: has the song changed meaningfully since the last note, does the playlist’s genre still match, and has enough time passed that it won’t read as spam. Our breakdown on managing pitch links and follow-ups covers the mechanics of vetting a playlist and following up without over-pitching.
4. How long curator replies take and what placement odds look like
Spotify recommends delivering your pitch at least 7 days before release, since editorial consideration takes time and pitching never guarantees a placement.
About 20% of tracks submitted through Spotify for Artists land on at least one playlist, according to Spotify’s own editors, who also note they receive thousands of pitches and can’t reply individually to most of them. That’s useful context: a decline, or no reply at all, is common and rarely personal. If you haven’t heard back after a couple of weeks, it’s reasonable to assume a pass and shift focus to independent curators or your next release rather than repeatedly re-submitting the same track.
5. Where real written curator feedback comes from
We built our service around giving every artist written feedback from a real curator on every decision, accept or decline, instead of a silent algorithmic pass. Our pitches go to vetted, genre-matched curators rather than automated playlist networks, and the notes you’d see above are representative of what artists actually receive back through campaigns we run. You can inspect public campaigns with curator notes directly to see the range of language curators use before you submit your own track.
6. Reading curator notes without taking them personally
Curator notes are data, not a verdict on your music. A terse decline usually means volume or quota, not quality, while a specific critique is a gift most artists never get.
When you respond, keep tone short and grateful regardless of the note, and never argue a decision. Track your notes across submissions in a simple spreadsheet. Patterns (the same mix comment twice, repeated genre mismatches) tell you more than any single reply ever will.
— Einars
7. See real curator feedback or start your own campaign
We publish public campaigns with real curator feedback so you can read actual accept and decline notes before you spend a dollar on promotion. 
Every campaign includes written feedback from a genre-matched curator on every decision, with real-time updates as responses come in. If you’re ready to see how your own track gets received, our Starter, Standard, Pro, and Max tiers are built around different placement goals, and you can check which fits your release before you submit.
FAQ
What does a typical curator decline note look like?
A typical decline is one to two sentences, either a brief pass (“not a fit, thanks for sending”) or a specific critique about mix, arrangement, or genre fit. The more specific declines are usually the most useful for revising your next pitch.
How long does it take to hear back from a Spotify curator?
Timing varies widely, and Spotify advises delivering your pitch at least 7 days before release to allow for editorial review. Independent curators often reply faster, sometimes within days, though a reply isn’t guaranteed either way.
What percentage of pitched songs actually get placed?
Spotify’s editors report that about 20% of tracks submitted through Spotify for Artists get placed on at least one playlist. That figure applies specifically to Spotify’s own editorial pitch system, not independent curator submissions.
How should I respond to a conditional curator note asking for stems?
Send the requested asset, whether that’s stems, an instrumental, or a clean edit, as quickly as you can and confirm the expected placement date in your reply. This kind of note means the curator already likes the track and just needs one more piece before adding it.
Does Intonality provide written feedback on every submission?
Yes, every campaign we run includes written feedback from a real curator on each decision, whether it’s an accept, a conditional note, or a decline. You can review examples on our public campaigns page before starting your own.
Sources
- Behind the Playlists: Your Questions Answered by Our Playlist Editors – Spotify for Artists
- Pitching music and videos to Spotify playlist editors - Spotify
