Resources
/
SubmitHub PR
/
SubmitHub submission optimisation Checklist

Checklist

SubmitHub submission optimisation Checklist

Q: Should I submit the same track to overlapping curators (e.g., multiple 'Indie Rock' specialists)?

Yes, but strategically. If two curators overlap significantly (similar follower count, recent updates, playlist cohesion), prioritise one and revisit the second in 60 days if rejected. Avoid submitting identical tracks to dozens of genre-adjacent curators simultaneously—this dilutes your message and makes data tracking impossible.

Q: What's the difference between standard and premium credits in practice?

Premium credits typically target larger playlists (5k+ followers) with faster review times. Standard credits reach smaller, niche curators with longer review windows. Premium has higher response rates but costs 2–3x more; the right choice depends on your monthly submission volume and budget. Track which tier produces placements with the highest stream counts for your genre.

Q: How long should I wait before resubmitting a track after rejection?

Never resubmit the same track to the same curator unless they explicitly ask for changes or invite you to try again. If rejected, they've told you it's not their fit. Move to different curators in the same genre. Only approach the original curator again with new material 3+ months later.

Q: Can I improve my approval rate by submitting more frequently?

No—volume without precision tanks your ROI. Submitting low-quality matches or to poorly-vetted curators increases your rejection rate and wastes credits. Focus on curator quality and genre alignment instead. 10 well-targeted submissions beat 50 scattered ones.

SubmitHub submission optimisation checklist

Updated 12 March 2026

SubmitHub approval rates reward preparation over volume. This checklist covers curator vetting, genre alignment, message crafting, and submission timing—the mechanics that separate consistent placements from rejected batches. Work through these steps before uploading any track.

0 of 35 completed0%

Curator Research & Vetting

Check curator response rate on their public profile
Critical
Profile cards show accept, decline, and unreviewed percentages. Below 40% accept rate often indicates vanity metrics or curator inactivity. Avoid submitting to accounts with high unreviewed counts—they've likely abandoned the role.
Listen to the last 5 tracks on their playlist
Critical
Streaming numbers are irrelevant; sound quality is everything. If the playlist hasn't been updated in 3+ months or contains obvious playlist-filler, curator isn't actively building audience. Genuine curators rotate tracks every 4-8 weeks.
Verify playlist follower count growth trajectory
Use Spotify embed previews or external tools to spot stagnant playlists. A 5k-follower playlist gaining 100 followers monthly shows curator is engaged; a 50k playlist with no monthly growth suggests it's no longer actively promoted.
Cross-check genre tag against actual playlist content
Critical
Many curators tag themselves broadly (e.g., 'Electronic') but actually focus narrowly (e.g., 'Synthwave'). Spend 2 minutes scrolling the full playlist—mismatches will reject your submission before it's heard.
Search for previous feedback comments from submitters
Scroll profile comments or check if the curator has left feedback on past submissions. Transparency about their taste and feedback quality indicates professionalism. Silence or generic feedback suggests low-engagement curation.
Identify if curator has a distinct editorial voice
Real curators have a coherent aesthetic and explain their picks. Compare against 'volume curators' who accept anything that remotely fits a tag. Your music should feel like a genuine fit, not just technically eligible.

Genre Matching & Tagging Strategy

Use only primary genre from SubmitHub's fixed list
Critical
SubmitHub enforces a standardised genre taxonomy. Forcing your track into a misaligned category (e.g., 'House' when it's 'Tech House') tanks your visibility to relevant curators. Always choose the tightest fit, not the broadest.
Test genre against 3-5 directly comparable recent releases
Critical
Find tracks released in the last 6 months with similar energy, BPM, and instrumentation, and note their primary genre tag. If your track differs significantly from this cohort, you've chosen wrong. Consistency with contemporaries matters.
Avoid secondary tags unless they precisely describe the sound
Secondary tags are optional but curators use them for precision filtering. Only add them if they genuinely apply—adding 'Synthpop' to an Indie Rock track dilutes your primary genre signal and triggers irrelevant curators.
Check how many curators are filtering for your genre + mood combination
SubmitHub shows curator count per genre, but not by mood. Before finalising, filter curators by your genre and mood—if fewer than 20 curators match, you're in a niche and should expect lower response volume.
Document your genre choice and reasoning for internal consistency
Create a simple reference document with your track's primary genre and why you chose it. This prevents accidental tag-switching across multiple submissions and helps you spot pattern misses if rejection rates spike.
Reconsider genre if you're rejected by 5+ curators in the same category
Critical
Consistent rejection from a single genre cluster suggests your tagging is misaligned. Pause, listen to rejected curators' actual playlists, and re-evaluate your primary tag. One bad tag rejects dozens of submissions.

Message Writing & Personal Touch

Mention a specific track from their playlist by name
Critical
Generic messages get rejected reflexively. Reference an actual song on their playlist—explain why it resonates with your sound. This takes 30 seconds and signals you've actually listened.
Keep message under 150 words
Critical
Curators receive hundreds of submissions weekly. Long backstories don't improve approval odds. State who you are, why the fit works, and stop. Brevity signals respect for their time.
Avoid clichéd language ('pushing boundaries', 'unique sound', 'genre-blending')
Every artist claims to be genre-blending or unique. Instead, be concrete: 'This track builds on shoegaze vocal production with drill trap drums.' Show, don't hype.
Never mention your follower count or prior playlist placements
Critical
Curators care whether your track fits their audience, not your vanity metrics. Emphasising your existing numbers suggests you're chasing validation rather than genuine curation fit.
Include release context only if it's recent or timely
If the track dropped last week, mention it. If it's 6 months old, omit release date. Curators assume your music is new; dwelling on old releases makes your submission feel stale.
Proofread for typos and awkward phrasing
Critical
Spelling errors and clunky grammar suggest low professionalism. Even a well-matched track gets rejected if your message reads rushed. Spend 2 minutes on this.
Personalise the greeting when possible
Use curator's name if it's publicly visible. 'Hi [Name]' rather than 'Hi there' shows attentiveness. Generic greetings feel like bulk spam.

Timing & Submission Strategy

Submit during curator's stated review window
Critical
Many curators list review turnaround (e.g., 'Reviews within 7 days'). Submit when they're actively reviewing, not weekends or holidays. Check their profile for explicit statements about availability.
Avoid submitting Fridays or public holidays
Curators' inboxes overflow before weekends and are reviewed later. Submit Tuesday–Thursday for better visibility. Track review timescales to identify which days produce fastest responses.
Space submissions to the same curator at least 90 days apart
Critical
SubmitHub limits resubmission frequency. Submitting every 2 weeks to the same curator frustrates them and triggers rejections. Wait 3+ months before retargeting with new material.
Batch submissions by geography and timezone where relevant
If you have UK, US, and EU release timelines, prioritise curators in each region around your local launch. A Monday morning UK submission reaches London-based curators during their working hours.
Track submission data (curator, date, tier, response time, outcome)
Critical
Create a simple spreadsheet logging every submission. Over 20+ tracks, patterns emerge—certain curator types respond faster, certain genres get higher acceptance, certain submission windows work. Data beats guesswork.
Don't resubmit rejected tracks to the same curator unless explicitly invited
Critical
If a curator declines once, your track isn't their fit. Resubmitting the same track wastes credits and annoys them. Only resubmit if they offer feedback suggesting revision.

Credit Management & Economics

Understand standard vs premium credit ROI before spending
Critical
Standard credits (cheaper) reach smaller curators with lower response rates. Premium credits target bigger playlists but cost 2-3x more. Calculate expected response rate per tier and compare against your success data before allocating budget.
Set a maximum cost-per-playlist-add target
If you spend 50 credits per month and land 2 playlist adds, your cost is ~25 credits per placement. Track this metric and adjust your curator targeting if it creeps above your tolerance threshold.
Reserve 20% of monthly credits for testing new curator types
Don't always chase the same 'safe' curators. Allocate a small buffer to experiment with emerging curators or niche genres. This discovers undervalued placements before they become saturated.
Pause submissions if rejection rate exceeds 75% for 2+ weeks
Critical
A sudden spike in rejections signals either misaligned genre, poor curator vetting, or message quality issues. Review your last 10 submissions, identify the failure point, and adjust before wasting more credits.
Track which credit tier produces the highest-value placements
Premium playlists drive more streams, but standard playlists sometimes generate better engagement. Monitor follower growth, playlist add count, and stream quality per tier to justify future spend.

Post-Submission Follow-Up

Respect stated review timelines; don't message before deadline
Critical
If a curator says 'reviews within 14 days', follow up after day 14, not day 7. Early follow-ups read as impatient and waste curator goodwill. Mark calendar reminders for each submission.
If accepted, update the curator with streaming links within 48 hours
Critical
Curators need embedded or live Spotify links to add tracks. Delays in providing this lose momentum and signal disorganisation. Have your platform links ready before submission.
Thank accepted curators publicly or via follow-up message
A one-line thank you message builds rapport for future submissions. Tagging curators on social when their playlist adds go live also reinforces the relationship.
Analyse feedback from declined submissions for patterns
Critical
If curators leave feedback ('Not quite the sound we're looking for'), note common themes. Three rejections mentioning 'mix quality' signals a different problem than three mentioning 'genre mismatch'.
Don't pursue further contact after a decline unless invited
Critical
Some curators leave the door open ('Keep it in mind for future releases'). Only take this as a genuine invitation, not a polite brush-off. Otherwise, move on and respect their decision.

Approval rates improve through systematic vetting, not luck. Work through this checklist for every submission and adjust based on your outcomes—approval rates of 25–35% are achievable with proper curator research and message precision.

Pro tips

1. Curator quality decays over time. A 20k-follower playlist that's been dormant for 6 months is worth less than a 2k-follower playlist gaining 50 followers monthly. Prioritise curators actively building audience, not coasting on past growth.

2. Genre matching is 60% of your approval rate. Spend 15 minutes testing your genre tag against recent comparable releases before submitting anything. One misaligned tag kills 30+ submissions.

3. Personal messages aren't nice-to-haves—they're minimum viable. Generic messages are rejected on reflex. Always reference something specific from the curator's playlist or explain why the fit is genuine.

4. Track your data. After 20 submissions, you'll see which curator types, genres, and messaging styles work for your sound. This beats industry advice or guesswork and scales repeatably across future releases.

5. SubmitHub is a supplement, not a replacement, for direct PR relationships. Use SubmitHub to test new curators and fill gaps, but your core playlist placements should come from relationships with curators you've worked with directly.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if a curator's playlist will actually drive meaningful streams?

Check playlist age, last update date, and recent follower growth trajectory using Spotify's public embed. A playlist with no updates in 3+ months or stagnant follower count won't promote your track actively. Compare streams-per-follower ratios across the curator's recent adds—if tracks are getting <1 stream per playlist follower, the curator's audience isn't engaged.

Should I submit the same track to overlapping curators (e.g., multiple 'Indie Rock' specialists)?

Yes, but strategically. If two curators overlap significantly (similar follower count, recent updates, playlist cohesion), prioritise one and revisit the second in 60 days if rejected. Avoid submitting identical tracks to dozens of genre-adjacent curators simultaneously—this dilutes your message and makes data tracking impossible.

What's the difference between standard and premium credits in practice?

Premium credits typically target larger playlists (5k+ followers) with faster review times. Standard credits reach smaller, niche curators with longer review windows. Premium has higher response rates but costs 2–3x more; the right choice depends on your monthly submission volume and budget. Track which tier produces placements with the highest stream counts for your genre.

How long should I wait before resubmitting a track after rejection?

Never resubmit the same track to the same curator unless they explicitly ask for changes or invite you to try again. If rejected, they've told you it's not their fit. Move to different curators in the same genre. Only approach the original curator again with new material 3+ months later.

Can I improve my approval rate by submitting more frequently?

No—volume without precision tanks your ROI. Submitting low-quality matches or to poorly-vetted curators increases your rejection rate and wastes credits. Focus on curator quality and genre alignment instead. 10 well-targeted submissions beat 50 scattered ones.

Related resources

Best Free Free alternatives and supplements to SubmitHub Tools

free tool_list

Identifying high-quality SubmitHub curators: A Practical Guide

guide

SubmitHub analytics and campaign tracking: A Practical Guide

guide

Run your music PR campaigns in TAP

The professional platform for UK music PR agencies. Contact intelligence, pitch drafting, and campaign tracking — without the spreadsheets.

Start free See pricing