How to get on RapCaviar, realistically
Want to know how to get on RapCaviar and get your music heard faster than ever before?
Virtually all artists and rappers know a thing or two about Spotify has heard of the infamous RapCaviar playlist.
It's one of the most influential and popular playlists on the platform, drawing in millions of listeners to its regularly updated picks of the newest music in the hip hop and rap genre.
RapCaviar has managed to develop a reputation of being what new artists aspire to get featured on (in the rap niche, at least).
We know what we're talking about.... We spent over $30,000 on Spotify promotion.
Here's the proof, below. 👇
Bonus: Check out Boost Collective's free Spotify promotion here - our free-to-use platform is a must-join for all independent artists!
Is there a RapCaviar Playlist Submission?
To get into RapCaviar, you’ll need a lot of notoriety with your music. Virality is a key factor for getting on RapCaviar, so keep pushing your music on TikTok and social platforms.
I tried to find a RapCaviar playlist submission somewhere on the web but got nothing.
One of your best bets is to collaborate with a large artist.
If they can get on RapCaviar, since you’ve been on their track then you get the same buzz.
While it’s not guaranteed that they’re going to work with you, collaboration is the name of the game for music promotion.
It’s your best shot at getting heard.
Who Runs RapCaviar?
RapCaviar was originally created by Tuma Basa, an independent playlist curator on Spotify. The playlist soon gained viral status, building a reputation for being the best place on Spotify for rap/hip-hop music.
Spotify took notice and took control of the playlist a few years back.
It is now managed by the Spotify editorial team, with the playlist being curated by their team today.
Since Spotify owns the playlist, it's harder than ever to get featured on RapCaviar.
The editorial team prefers to put on releases that are mainstream.
Examples: Kodak Black, Drake, Lil Baby, Kanye West, Etc.
Any music promotion agency or service that promises they'll get you on RapCaviar is likely only running a marketing scheme.
Spotify knows the power of putting music on RapCaviar.
Any company unaffiliated with Spotify has next to no chance of getting you featured, regardless of what's being advertised.
Why The RapCaviar Playlist is so Important
The hype behind RapCaviar extends beyond the realm of hip-hop.
RapCaviar represents the peak of what a playlist can be, transcending a small curated list to become an outlet of an immense online presence.
Record labels who work closely with Spotify use RapCaviar as a primary promotion & discovery strategy for getting new music out there.
Get Closer to Spotify's Marketing Team
Getting in front of Spotify's team consistently is easier than you think - and there are far fewer artists doing it than one would imagine.
Shouting them out on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and tagging them in the post is a great way to get closer to them.
Another way to get in front of Spotify's team is by getting on other Hip Hop playlists that they regularly check for new music to add.
Getting on smaller official lists like these below can increase your odds at a feature on RapCaviar:
- Most Necessary New Artists (your best chance)
- Get Turnt High Energy, Hip-Hop
- SignedXOXO Pop Rap/Crossover
- Conscious Hip-Hop (Mos Def, Immortal Technique)
- UK Hip Hop (Ambush Buzzworl, T MULLA)
- Trap Rap (Future, Kodak Black)
- Pop Rap (Drake, 6LACK)
You can also go the full direct route:
- Make a LinkedIn account
- Go to Spotify's company profile
- Message the relevant employees working there with a thoughtful message designed to spark a connection (not just a song link).
You will be getting relevant people to hear your music, which is what we want.
This is a more popular technique even new artists are employing, so many of Spotify's employees may ignore you.
The only way to prevent this is by standing out and actually going the extra mile to try to give value to them first and solidify a strong relationship before asking for anything in return.
Put out Releases Consistently
The more releases you put out, the more chances you have of getting noticed.
An artist who puts out three tracks a month on Spotify is three times more likely to get noticed than an artist who puts out music only once a month.
As soon as your release hits Spotify, your music gets pushed out to algorithmic playlists.
Not to mention, streaming services like Spotify prefer fresh new releases over old ones.
It's in your favor to grind - and put out as many songs as you possibly can (while keeping the quality of your music top-notch, of course).
Keep your demos on your Soundcloud account - your absolute best music on Spotify only!
Grow Your Music Industry Connections
Just like the LinkedIn strategy where you reach out to Spotify employees...
You can get closer to the right people by trying to contact employees who work in other companies and are involved with Spotify (and their playlists!).
The goal is to get the right people to hear your music.
Here are some to try:
- Distrokid
- Ditto Music
- Misc. Big Artist Management Companies in Hip-Hop
- Record Labels that are big enough to work directly with Spotify
These strategies can get you somewhere.
Even if it doesn't get you on the all-great RapCaviar playlist, it'll expand your network and push you further in your music career.
How to Get More Exposure on Spotify
Ultimately, the goal of most artists is to grow their Spotify streams and exposure reliably and consistently.
There are easier, more effective, and just better ways you can get noticed on Spotify, to get as many people streaming your songs as possible.
The video below shows you how to get FREE Spotify playlist placements! 👇
RapCaviar is Hard to Get on
Trying to get on RapCaviar to get streams is like the equivalent of making your first-ever song and hoping Sony Music will sign you.
The sheer number of artists and rappers who try to submit their music to RapCavier is staggering.
Not only is the playlist tightly regulated by Spotify's own curator team, but even artists also sign on a label with connections struggle to get playlist consideration on RapCaviar.
For the most part, it's Billboard's top 100 artists that'll get added nowadays.
There are plenty of Spotify playlists that provide real, organic, and fresh listeners, streams, and fans to your music.
As a rapper or artist without a label, getting on RapCaviar is next to impossible.
This doesn't mean you can't make a hit and get it heard.
Getting on other targeted user-created playlists can actually be easy, and get you real fans listening to your music.
Get on the Spotify 'Get Turnt' Playlist
The 'Get Turnt' playlist on Spotify is a wonderful alternative to RapCaviar.
Granted, it doesn’t have the same level of rap music, but you’ll still get love.
Listen to the playlist here:
What I like about 'Get Turnt' is that it’s more accessible for smaller artists.
RapCaviar is almost exclusively A-list rappers, meaning unless you’re taking in HUGE numbers then you’ve got a slim shot.
Want to be featured in the Get Turnt playlist?
For that, you’ll need your song to build a buzz first.
Here are a few ways to improve your odds:
- Submit to Free Spotify Playlist placements
- Get on Release Radar
- Pitch your song to Editorial playlists
Follow these steps and you may see your odds go up!
It’s not 100% guaranteed that you’ll end up in 'Get Turnt', but worth the shot for your own song's sake anyway.
You’ve got potential fans waiting for you!
There are Easier Ways to Get Spotify Promotion
At Boost Collective, we have a playlist network of 350+ Spotify playlists of all genres and every mood.
These are carefully vetted, tested, and analyzed to ensure they are of the same quality as those run by Spotify!
(Same quality as RapCaviar.)
With a Boost Collective Spotify Promotion Campaign, you'll land on top Spotify playlists!
This will drive organic streams to your song to bring in the fans you want.
The best part?
You'll get on Spotify playlists, guaranteed. For 100% free.
Our team has worked with 10,000+ musicians and artists.
We start by getting you a feature on micro-genre lists, and then strategically placing you on playlists within our network to make your track pop off.
How to Get on RapCaviar
While it's not easy to get on RapCaviar unless you are a mainstream hip-hop or rap artist nowadays, there are still some things you can do to improve your odds.
While it's next to impossible for almost all artists to really get your track a feature on RapCaviar nowadays (especially if they signed with a label.)
There are more viable and effective ways to invest your time and effort to get noticed on Spotify.
Getting your tracks featured on Spotify Playlists that are curated by companies like Boost Collective will get more people streaming your music, in a fraction of the time needed to try building up connections to get on RapCaviar.
There are better ways to get people to listen to your records.
There's no such thing as an instant billboard smash records hit.
There's no free lunch in music. Hustle, dream big, and invest your time and effort wisely.
You'll have a bright future (and at least one guaranteed hit) if you hold this mindset for the long run.
And that's it! Now you know how to get on RapCaviar.
Get your music on playlists now.
It’s time you get your exposure and listeners up - playlisting by Boost Collective has been trusted by 50,000+ artists worldwide.
It’s easy: Search your song, get on playlists, and track your campaign.
What’re you waiting for? Tap in - and get added to playlists in 24 hours.
Join Boost Collective for free here.
