How to Follow Up With Curators Without Being Annoying

Hi there,

You finally send your track to a playlist curator. You write the email, include the song link, explain why you think the track fits, and then you wait. A few days pass, but there's no response. So you start wondering whether you should send another message.

Following up with curators is completely normal. The problem is that many artists either never follow up at all or keep sending messages until the curator feels overwhelmed. The goal isn't to keep reminding someone until they respond. It's to give your original submission another opportunity to be seen while still respecting their time.

Here's how to follow up without becoming annoying.

The first mistake is following up too quickly. Curators may receive many submissions every week, and they may not have time to listen to every track immediately. Give them some space after your first message. If the curator has clearly mentioned a review timeframe, follow it. If they haven't provided one, wait several days before sending a short follow-up. You don't need to follow up the next morning. Remember that your track is probably one of many submissions sitting in their inbox.

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Your follow-up doesn't need to repeat your entire pitch. The curator already received your original message. Instead, simply bring the submission back to their attention. For example: "Hi Alex, just following up on the track I sent earlier. I wanted to make sure it reached you. Thanks for taking the time to listen."

That's enough. You don't need another long introduction, and you don't need to explain your entire artist story again. A short message is easier to read and shows that you understand the curator's time is valuable.

Your tone matters. Avoid messages like "Why haven't you added my song yet?" or "Please respond as soon as possible." A curator doesn't owe you a playlist placement. Their job is to decide what fits their playlist and audience. Your job is to present your music clearly and give them enough information to make that decision.

A respectful follow-up keeps the conversation professional and gives the curator room to make their own decision.

Sometimes your follow-up can include something useful that wasn't available when you first contacted them. Maybe you've released an official video, the track is now part of a larger project, you've updated the listening link, or you have new information about the song that is genuinely relevant to the curator.

If something meaningful has changed, mention it briefly. But don't create unnecessary updates simply because you want another reason to send an email. Your follow-up should add value, not just add another message.

One of the easiest ways to become annoying is sending several messages too close together. Think about the curator's inbox from their perspective. They receive your original submission, then another message, then another reminder. Even if your intention is good, repeated messages can become frustrating.

A better approach is simple: Initial pitch → Wait → One thoughtful follow-up → Wait.

If you still don't receive a response, give them space. There are many potential connections in the music world. You don't need every curator to respond.

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Some curators explain exactly how they want artists to submit music. They may use a submission form, prefer email, ask artists not to send follow-ups, or explain how long reviews normally take.

Pay attention to those instructions. If someone asks you to use a particular submission method, don't ignore it and send your track through several other platforms. Following the process shows that you've taken the time to understand how they work.

Your follow-up doesn't need to sound like a formal business letter. A simple and friendly message can work well.

For example: "Hi Sarah, hope you're doing well. Just wanted to follow up on my recent submission and make sure you had a chance to see it. Thanks again for your time."

That's all you need. You're reminding them about the track without putting pressure on them. The simpler the message feels, the more natural the conversation can become.

This is probably the most important part of following up. Not every curator will respond. Not every song will fit every playlist. And no response doesn't necessarily mean that the curator disliked your music. They may be busy, they may have already planned their playlist, or they may simply not have had time to review your submission.

After a reasonable follow-up, move forward. Keep building relationships with other curators instead of spending all your time waiting for one person. Curator outreach works better as a long-term process.

If you're contacting many curators, keep a simple record of your submissions. You can note the curator, playlist, date contacted, follow-up date, and response.

This helps you avoid sending multiple follow-ups to the same person. It also gives you a clearer picture of your outreach over time. You may eventually notice which types of curators respond more often, which messages receive better responses, and which playlists are a better fit for your music.

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Following up with playlist curators doesn't have to feel uncomfortable. The key is to give people enough time, keep your message short, and respect their decision.

You don't need to chase every response. You don't need to send the same message repeatedly. And you don't need to make your follow-up sound more important than it is.

A simple approach is:

Send → Wait → Follow up → Respect the decision → Keep moving

Your goal isn't to pressure someone into adding your song. Your goal is to make sure your submission gets a fair opportunity to be seen while building professional relationships along the way.

Good outreach isn't about sending more messages. It's about sending the right message at the right time.

Rakib
MovGrowth