If you've got a Christmas song and you're scared it's already too late to get it on playlists, it isn't, but you've got about two weeks to move. Christmas playlist submission works best in October and early November: finish the song now, release it by mid-November, and pitch Spotify's editors and independent Christmas curators side by side. Spotify said on 1 October 2026 that listeners made more than 100,000 holiday playlists in September alone, and that festive favourites are streamed 36.2 million times a day on average [1]. Independent curators are building their Christmas playlists right now, which is why a mid-December pitch mostly goes nowhere.

Here's the plan I'd follow, plus how to find holiday playlists worth your time.

Why Christmas playlist submission starts in October

The holiday season on Spotify starts earlier than most artists assume. In the same October 2026 post, Spotify said the global average start of holiday listening is 30 October, and some countries go much earlier, with listeners in Barbados ramping up as early as 1 October [1]. So as you read this, the wave has already started. Curators build their lists before it peaks, not during it, and if you wait until it feels like Christmas, the people who could add you have often finished.

Be realistic about the competition. All five of the top holiday tracks in the U.S. last December were more than 30 years old [1]. Newer songs can still break through: Spotify named Bleachers' "Merry Christmas, Please Don't Call" the most popular holiday-themed track of 2026 so far [1]. Your target is the smaller Christmas playlists people put on in the background, not the top of the chart.

When should you release a Christmas song? The timeline

Holiday listening peaks on Christmas Eve and is basically gone by New Year's [3], so every week lost in November is gone for good. The usual advice is to have the song mixed and mastered by late October [3]. If you're reading this in early November and it isn't, here's how I'd catch up:

  • This week: finish the mix and master, and get the artwork done too, so nothing holds up the upload.
  • As soon as it's finished: upload it to your distributor. Check their delivery times, because the advice is to have digital distribution in place by mid-November [3].
  • Mid-November at the latest: release day [3]. Earlier is better if you can manage it.
  • At least 7 days before release: pitch it to Spotify's editors in Spotify for Artists. Doing it this early also means it reaches your followers' Release Radar [2].
  • From today: start finding and pitching independent Christmas curators. You don't need to wait for release day to make the list.

You can only pitch one song at a time to Spotify's editors, and pitching doesn't guarantee a placement [2]. Do it anyway, just don't pin everything on it. Pitch independent Christmas curators at the same time, so one "no" from the editors doesn't sink your whole December.

Original or cover?

A cover has a head start. People already search for it by name, and RouteNote points out that covering a well-known song makes it easier to reach a new audience [4]. The trick is to rework it, quieter or livelier than the original, so something familiar feels fresh [4]. A straight copy gives a curator no reason to pick yours.

An original is harder to get noticed but it's fully yours. Either way, be honest with yourself: holiday playlist listening is mostly passive, so it's less likely to turn people into real fans [3]. That's fine, just plan for it (more on that below).

If you go the cover route, check the rights first. Songs in the public domain can be recorded without a licence, but songs still under copyright, such as "White Christmas" or "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", need a mechanical licence for a cover [3]. On streaming the platforms largely track and pay those royalties, while downloads and physical copies need the cover cleared [3]. Public domain rules vary by country, so check what applies where you release.

How do you find Christmas playlist curators?

Most artists search "christmas", see the giant playlists and give up. Go wider, because the right playlist might not even have "Christmas" in the name. Try:

  • "cozy christmas", "acoustic christmas" or "christmas piano" for gentle, stripped-back songs.
  • "christmas lofi" or "christmas jazz" if your track sits in those styles.
  • "winter", "snow" or "fireside" for songs that feel seasonal without being about Santa.

Then vet each one before you pitch. Has it been updated recently? Does it feature small artists, or only famous names? Does the follower count grow steadily, or does it jump overnight (often a sign of bots)? And would your song honestly sit well next to the tracks already there? A small, active playlist that fits beats a big one that never adds anyone new.

Our data: most playlists you can pitch are small

Across 23,718 Spotify playlists with a curator contact route, the median playlist has 938 followers. A quarter have 221 or fewer, and only one in ten has more than 17,268. Over the last 90 days, 12,269 of the 23,712 we measured grew their followers and 8,510 shrank, so plenty of these lists are still active.

Source: MusicMinutes database of 23,718 Spotify playlists with a listed curator contact route (botted and payola playlists removed), follower counts and quality scores refreshed weekly; checked 31 Oct 2026.

That's the realistic target for a Christmas song: a few hundred to a few thousand followers who actually listen. Every one of those playlists is searchable in Playlist Search on MusicMinutes, by keyword or mood, so "winter" or "cozy" gives you a shortlist straight away. Each one has a quality score and shows how active it is and how many small artists it features, and botted playlists are hidden.

Save the ones you like, then reveal the curator's verified contact when you're ready to pitch. It's part of the paid plans. The pitch itself happens off the platform, by email, Instagram or the curator's submission link, and the contacts you reveal stay yours even if you cancel, so they're there for next Christmas.

If you want a second route, Submit lets you pitch a track from your Spotify catalogue to the MusicMinutes playlists, with a human checking the fit.

How to pitch a holiday song to curators

Keep it short and make it obvious you've listened to their playlist.

  • Use their name if you can find it, and name the playlist you're pitching for.
  • Pitch one song, not your whole holiday EP.
  • Describe the mood, the instruments and the theme in a line.
  • Include the link, or the release date if it isn't out yet. Follow up once, then move on.

Something like this is plenty: "Hi Sam, I've been listening to Cozy Christmas Acoustic and I think my song Paper Snow would fit next to the slower tracks. It's just acoustic guitar and voice, about spending Christmas away from home. It's out on 13 November, link below. Thanks for listening either way."

Put the same details in your distributor metadata and your Spotify for Artists pitch too. Genre, instrumentation and theme help platforms categorise holiday tracks [3], and Spotify says more detail gives your song a better chance [2].

Pitch early. A curator in early November has time to listen. On 20 December they probably don't.

After the placement: making December count

A holiday placement can pay you back for years. Big third-party holiday playlists tend not to swap out their tracklist each year, and Spotify's popular official holiday playlists hardly change from year to year [3]. That cuts both ways. It's why the biggest ones are hard to break into, and it's also why a placement can stick. If a curator adds you this year, you may well still be there next December, so ask them. Thank every curator who said yes and keep a note of them for next autumn.

Because so much of the listening is passive, give people a way to find the rest of your music. Set your Artist Pick on Spotify to your best non-Christmas song and keep your bio current.

Then plan what's next. I'd hold any non-holiday single until January, when the Christmas playlists have gone quiet, and have it ready while December's new listeners still remember you.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I release a Christmas song?

By mid-November at the latest, with it mixed and mastered by late October [3], and pitch it in Spotify for Artists at least 7 days before release [2].

Is it too late to pitch a Christmas song in December?

Mostly, yes. Holiday listening starts around 30 October on average [1], so most playlists are set long before December. Treat it as practice and start in October next year.

Should I release a Christmas cover or an original?

A reworked cover is easier to find [4], but check the licence if it's still under copyright [3]. An original is harder to get noticed, but there's no licence to sort and the song is fully yours.

Do Christmas playlists keep songs every year?

Often, yes. Big holiday playlists tend to keep their tracklists year to year [3], so one good placement can keep paying back.

Can I pay to get on Christmas playlists?

Be careful with anyone promising a spot for money, because you can't see where those streams come from. Paying a submission platform for a curator's time and feedback is different and can be worth it.

References

Facts checked 31 October 2026 by Paul Nicholls against the sources below.