July 30, 2026
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Spotify continues to expand the ways it supports emerging artists from the earliest stages of their careers.
One of its most important initiatives in this area is Fresh Finds, a program created to discover and spotlight independent projects before they reach large audiences or begin generating clear signals across the industry.
What started more than a decade ago as a playlist has grown into a broader ecosystem combining editorial curation, data analysis, live events, content, and new opportunities for artists to connect with audiences.
Unlike other Spotify programs focused on artists who are already beginning to show significant growth, Fresh Finds works with projects that are still building from the ground up.
In many cases, these artists do not yet have high streaming numbers, an established community, or the support of a record label.
The selection process begins with more than 40 editors specializing in different genres and regions.
Every week, these teams review songs submitted through Spotify for Artists, looking for new voices that could connect with listeners.
This shows that, at least in the earliest stages of discovery, editorial judgment continues to play a fundamental role.
The data comes later.
Once a song is added to a playlist, Spotify can begin to understand how listeners respond: how many people play it, save it, visit the artist’s profile, explore other songs, or return to listen again.
The combination of editorial instinct and listener behavior helps identify which projects have the potential to keep growing.
The program has evolved to support artists across more areas of their careers.
Alongside its playlists, Fresh Finds now includes live events, special performances, editorial content, and storytelling initiatives that allow audiences to discover who an artist is beyond a single song.
This expansion reflects an increasingly clear reality: being added to a playlist can create visibility, but it does not build a career on its own.
Independent artists also need to develop their live presence, create content, strengthen their identity, connect with their first communities, and build relationships within the industry.
Fresh Finds aims to bring these different areas together.
A playlist can become a listener’s first point of contact with an artist.
A live event can turn that digital discovery into a deeper connection. An editorial story can help audiences better understand the world surrounding the project.
Spotify is also bringing Fresh Finds into physical spaces.
The program has developed its own stages and events in cities such as Brooklyn and Nashville, giving emerging artists the opportunity to perform in front of new audiences, industry professionals, and record label representatives.
For an independent project, these performances can be especially valuable.
They not only provide live experience, but also allow artists to show how their project connects with a real audience.
In some cases, these events can become a first point of contact with talent scouts, media outlets, or potential professional partners.
Spotify has shared recent results that highlight the impact of these opportunities.
Nomi.’s listeners increased by 128% following her performance at Fresh Finds Live, while Blake Proehl’s streams rose by 122% after appearing on the program’s stage during CMA Fest.
Fresh Finds also supported artists such as Doechii, Laufey, Ella Langley, and Zach Top early in their careers, before they went on to gain wider recognition across the industry.
These examples do not mean that appearing in the program guarantees success. They do, however, show how greater visibility can accelerate growth when an artist already has a clear proposal and a strategy in place to make the most of the opportunity.
Another defining feature of Fresh Finds is its musical range.
The program includes artists working across hip-hop, pop, jazz, country, electronic music, rock, heavy metal, and many other genres.
This diversity is made possible by editors working across different countries and music scenes.
The goal is not to identify one specific type of artist, but to reflect what is actually happening across global music culture.
At a time when genres increasingly overlap and audiences discover music through many different channels, specialized editorial teams create more opportunities for very different projects to find their place.
Fresh Finds offers several important takeaways for artists who are beginning to develop their careers.
The first is that editorial pitching remains relevant.
Submitting a song correctly through Spotify for Artists gives editors the opportunity to discover the project and understand the context behind the release.
The second is that numbers are not the only starting point. A strong artistic direction, a well-crafted song, and a clear identity can attract attention even before an artist has built a large audience.
However, visibility needs to find the artist prepared.
When a song begins to gain momentum, it is important to have an organized profile, available content, a consistent visual identity, and more reasons for listeners to stay connected with the project.
Discovery may begin with a playlist, but growth depends on everything the artist builds around that opportunity.
Spotify wants Fresh Finds to become something broader than a playlist brand.
The program’s next stage includes more events, content, and opportunities for independent artists to meet, build community, and share resources.
The aim is for Fresh Finds to function not only as an entry point for new listeners, but also as a support structure for artists building their careers independently.
For artists, the message is clear: platforms can open a door, but a sustainable career is built by connecting music, identity, strategy, community, and live performance.
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