Spotify Discovery Mode

All Rapture partners are eligible for Spotify Discovery Mode (SDM) submission.

WHAT IS SPOTIFY DISCOVERY MODE?

With SDM, artists and labels can prioritize specific songs, and Spotify will use this signal to influence algorithms that determine personalized listening sessions, such as Radio, Autoplay, and Spotify Mixes (known as Discovery Mode contexts). This signal increases the likelihood of selected songs being promoted, but does not guarantee it.

WHY IS DISCOVERY MODE EFFECTIVE?

SDM is based on listeners' tastes, prioritizing music from their listening patterns rather than relying on sponsored promotion. This enhances authentic discovery aligned with genuine preferences. However, it only works if fans love the music, as Spotify tracks listener engagement and incorporates it into future recommendations.

WHICH TRACKS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SPOTIFY DISCOVERY MODE?

• Tracks released on Spotify for at least 30 days

• Tracks streamed at least 20 times over the last 28 days

• Tracks met Spotify's monetization eligibility criteria in the previous month

Content automatically excluded from SDM: Spoken word, audiobooks, podcasts, videos, karaoke.

WHAT KIND OF RESULTS CAN LABELS/ARTISTS EXPECT FROM DISCOVERY MODE?

Spotify claims that Discovery Mode provides:

+50% increase in saves

+44% more user playlist adds

+37% growth in follows during the first month

+58% first-time discoveries from listeners outside the home country.

Rapture users are seeing a significant boost in their Spotify catalog revenue, with Discovery Mode increasing streams and audience engagement.

HOW DO I GET STARTED AND SUBMIT TRACKS TO DISCOVERY MODE?

Rapture receives an update of eligible tracks for the month inside our Discovery Mode Dashboard. This dashboard allows us to easily opt in tracks for SDM campaigns each month and opt them out if they don't perform as expected.

HOW MANY ELIGIBLE TRACKS CAN BE SUBMITTED FOR DISCOVERY MODE?

We're able to submit an unlimited number of eligible tracks for Discovery Mode.

WHAT ARE SPOTIFY’S COMMISSIONS FOR DISCOVERY MODE?

The service doesn’t require an upfront budget. When you opt in an eligible track to the campaign, Spotify applies a 30% commission to the recording royalties generated from streams in Discovery Mode contexts. This fee is deducted from your future royalty statements and delivered in a report separate from the standard royalty reports. Any other streams of tracks enrolled in Discovery Mode that occur outside of Discovery Mode contexts remain commission-free. To ensure the best results, our automated system removes underperforming tracks early, so partners only pay the increased commission on streams that deliver real value - making this a win-win service. Furthermore, Rapture does not charge anything extra for Discovery Mode beyond your usual revenue share.

WHY DO DISCOVERY MODE ROYALTIES APPEAR AS A NEGATIVE AMOUNT ON STATEMENTS?

Discovery Mode royalties appear as a negative amount because tracks in the program earn a lower per-stream rate for plays from Autoplay, Radio, and other recommendations (see other sections for commissions and Discovery Mode context). This adjustment reflects the difference between standard and promotional rates, but it’s important to note that royalties themselves are not negative - this is just how Spotify displays the adjustment.

CAN I SUBMIT TRACKS FOR DISCOVERY MODE VIA SPOTIFY FOR ARTISTS?

No. While a Discovery Mode section might be visible on your (or your artist's) Spotify for Artists dashboard, tracks distributed by Rapture cannot be submitted or monitored through this platform. If you or your artist continue to see an SDM section in Spotify for Artists, it's likely due to past partnerships with distributors who used this method, or because existing tracks are still distributed by them.

The Rapture SDM program works differently and via a dedicated dashboard as outlined in this article. The program’s main benefit is that it avoids artist eligibility restrictions found on Spotify for Artists, such as needing a minimum of 25,000 listeners and three eligible songs. This means Discovery Mode is available for almost any eligible track in your catalog.

For any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to us to support@rapturemusic.co

 
Useful Links:

Discovery Mode Landing Page
What are 'Discovery Mode contexts'?
Discovery Mode Reporting Guide
Spotify's monetization eligibility criteria