Fresh Finds Forward

Fresh Finds Forward is a global program for eligible, independent artists featured on Fresh Finds playlists. Members get 12 months of access to benefits, resources, education, exclusive programming, and community opportunities designed to support their careers. Check out For The Record for more info.

Getting invited

Fresh Finds Forward is an invitation-only program.

If you’ve been added to a Fresh Finds playlist, we'll invite admin users on your artist team to join the program through Spotify for Artists, subject to Spotify’s program eligibility criteria. Joining is optional, and artists can choose to opt in.

See the eligibility section below for full details.

Accessing Fresh Finds Forward

If you're a Fresh Finds Forward member, go to the Fresh Finds Forward hub to complete onboarding and access your information and resources. Some benefits can only be redeemed once per artist team. If you have multiple admins on your Spotify for Artists account, you share one redemption for those benefits.

Fresh Finds artist badge

When you're added to a Fresh Finds playlist and invited to join the program, a Fresh Finds badge will appear on your profile for the first month.

During your 12-month Fresh Finds Forward membership, a Fresh Finds icon also appears in the Artist Badges and Artist Details sections of your profile.

After your membership ends, the icon will remain in Artist Details.

How long membership lasts

After 12 months, access to the hub and its member benefits concludes. Artists can remain part of the members-only community beyond their active membership period.

Fresh Finds Forward eligibility

Fresh Finds Forward is for artists featured on any global Fresh Finds playlists, subject to Spotify's program eligibility criteria.

Eligible artists added to any global Fresh Finds playlist from January 1, 2026 onward are invited to Fresh Finds Forward through Spotify for Artists.

Fresh Finds playlists are curated by Spotify's worldwide team of music editors across many different genres and countries. The playlists highlight independent, DIY, and early-career artists. The best way to be considered for Spotify editorial playlists is to pitch an upcoming, unreleased song through Spotify for Artists. Learn more about pitching your music.

Fresh Finds Forward benefits

Here’s the type of support participating artists can expect:

Create and grow your career

• Early access to select Spotify tools and features;
• Free studio time for U.S.-based artists at studios including Electric Lady Studios in NYC, The Lighthouse at Ocean Way Nashville, and Spotify Studios in LA;
• Opportunity to apply for tour or official music video partnerships with Spotify, coming soon for a limited number of artists based in the U.S.;
• A Fresh Finds badge on your Spotify artist profile, signaling to fans that you’ve been recognized by Spotify's editorial team;

Learn and connect

• An in-person summit in Los Angeles later this year for select program artists, with more planned globally;
• Exclusive programming and sessions with Spotify leaders, industry figures, and Fresh Finds alumni;
• A private community channel and benefits hub;
• Mental health and wellness resources, including dedicated wellbeing programming, and in-person experiences curated for emerging artists;

Access partner benefits and tools

• 12 months of LANDR Studio Pro access, an end-to-end music creation and release suite featuring 70+ plugins and instruments, unlimited mastering and music distribution, a library of 3M+ royalty-free samples, collaboration tools and music production courses;
• Six months of free access to Splice's Creator Plan, including ~200 monthly downloads from a library with more than three million royalty free sounds and samples created by humans, creator tools that compensate the original artist, 1000+ playable Splice INSTRUMENT presets (including the full premium preset library) and powerful DAW plugins; and
• Six months of free therapy through BetterHelp, the world’s largest online therapy platform.