Spotify plays an important role in the music industry. It's been said to have over 172 million premium subscribers, which makes it one of if not THE most popular streaming services out there today. But what happens when you get scammed? Well, don't worry because we're here with tips on how to detect fake playlists and avoid losing time or money. This will also help you get discovered by people who will eventually become loyal fans.

You might think that getting scammed is generally bad, but in reality, it'll hurt you far worse than you think. The community of musicians relies on Spotify for their exposure and if they find out about this then there's no guarantee how much time or space you'll have left to thrive artistically which would ultimately stunt your growth as an artist on a major music streaming platform.

The number of listeners you have could decrease if not properly managed. This is because the use and growth in illicit streams mean no one coming to your gigs or following what's happening on social media platforms. They simply don't exist. You may also lose money through merch sales since there’s nobody who knows about them which means less profit overall.

Let’s start? Shall we!

The Number of Streams Should be Higher than the Number of Followers

Listeners are a lot more likely to play songs from an artist they love than those in their playlist. This means that the number of streams for any given song will always be higher, even if it’s not at all popular among other tracks on similar playlists.

When listeners find themselves enjoying the music so much, playing them can become almost therapeutic - there is something about listening back through your favorite tunes over and again which helps bring out new details each time you hear something anew! The opposite holds as well: You'll never see followers or likes numbers go up when putting together lists.

But if you come across a playlist with only a few followers and save links, quickly move to the next one.

Curator Accounts

So, you've found a Spotify playlist curator that has been following your account for some time, but they have no profile picture and only sparse information about themselves? Well, this could be trouble! You should check their follower count before trusting them.

Always look for red flags such as these and in such a case avoid both the playlist and the curator.

Playlist Name and Description

If you want to make sure the playlist is legit, then the name and description must be accurate. Song titles should give people an idea about what they'll hear when listening while song lengths give them enough time so there isn't any confusion.

Playlist naming is an important aspect of music curation, and it's worth paying attention to the odd names you spot on playlists. For example, if a playlist has no relation at all with its genre or mood target then there may be something suspicious about them - it could have been made by accident rather than design.

Zero Social Media Presence

Try to look for the curator’s contact details in the playlist description. Look them over social media. If the info doesn’t coincide over different social media handles, then it is a telltale sign that something is fishy. It’s better to avoid such curators.

Jumbled Up Genres

Have you ever seen a playlist that contains death metal, pop, and cabaret? Something doesn’t seem right.

Playlists, even when authentic, have a vast array of genres crammed into them, a good practice is to avoid those since they will fail to provide any value to your profile. It will be hard to find your target audience in these playlists.

Playlist Should Have a Cover Picture

The visual design of playlists for any genre should feature the specific sound, or underline its character.

The visual design of playlists is important. For example, artwork should indicate a genre or feature, similar artists, on it who are listed. When you come across a playlist that has little work done on its visuals, it's better to move on. Also, watch out for playlists that share the same artwork and descriptions.

Number of Followers

The process of curating a playlist for the followers is time-consuming and requires a lot of effort. If they are running multiple playlists it takes even longer.

You can't be too careful when looking for new music. The number of followers a curator has may give you an indication of their credibility as well as what they're putting out there. If a curator has a high number of followers in all of their playlists, then it is a bad sign. Their growth doesn’t look organic.

Paid Placements

This indicator is for when you’re already communicating with a curator. Paid playlist placement and even detailed pricing for bundles, if offered then beware, since it’s a big red flag.

The sight of a curated playlist with your song or album in it might seem like an easy way to get popular, but be careful. Spotify’s policies state that if they detect any fraud streaming activities on behalf of you then your profile and music may get removed from their platform.

To Sum it Up

These are only a few of the factors that you need to take into account when identifying a fraudulent playlist from a real one.

Spotify is still the most popular music streaming service in 2021, with 31% of users subscribing to it. It's important for artists and listeners alike to know about fake playlists on Spotify because those who create them could hurt your reputation if you're listed among their followers or liked songs. This will neither support nor assist your artistic growth. As someone trying to make waves within today’s industry, you must stay focused on what matters: creating high-quality content that people want and not getting sucked into a trap.

Be careful not to fall for the trap of strange companies that offer you streams. They are just as bad and will get you nowhere