Spotify is expanding its Fresh Finds playlist network into a year-long artist development initiative expected to support approximately 10,000 emerging independent artists annually. The program, called Fresh Finds Forward, launched Thursday and will offer free studio time, music-production tools, wellness resources, industry programming and potential touring and video opportunities.
How Fresh Finds Forward works
Artists added to any Fresh Finds playlist beginning January 1, 2026, may receive an invitation through Spotify for Artists. Once enrolled, participants can access the program’s benefits for 12 months.
Benefits include:
- Premium access to LANDR Studio Pro and Splice’s Creator Plan
- Early access to select Spotify products
- Virtual and in-person events
- Six months of therapy through BetterHelp
U.S.-based artists may also receive free studio time at Electric Lady Studios in New York, The Lighthouse at Ocean Way Nashville or Spotify Studios in Los Angeles.
Spotify says participants will receive prioritized consideration for certain tour and music video partnerships, although inclusion does not guarantee that an artist will land one. A Fresh Finds badge will also appear on participating artists’ profiles.
Playlist track record
Fresh Finds has operated for more than a decade as Spotify’s editorial showcase for unsigned, independent and early-career artists. According to the company, its playlists have featured more than 80,000 artists from 127 countries.
Alumni include:
- Laufey
- Clairo
- Doechii
- Ice Spice
- ROLE MODEL
- Ethel Cain
- Wet Leg
- Japanese Breakfast
- Megan Moroney
- Ella Langley
- Omar Apollo
Fresh Finds alumni have also appeared among the Grammy nominees for Best New Artist in each of the past five years.
Spotify says the playlists have generated more than 128 million new artist discoveries since 2024, with almost 70% of their streams coming from listeners encountering an artist for the first time. More than half of the artists featured later receive placements on other Spotify editorial playlists, including New Music Friday, RapCaviar and Lorem.
Beyond the playlist spike
The aim is to turn the fleeting attention of a playlist placement into something closer to sustained career support. A playlist spike does not automatically create a durable fan base, a touring business or a sustainable career. Fresh Finds Forward is intended to address the period after discovery, when an artist has attention but may not yet have the money, infrastructure or professional network to use it.
“Participating artists aren’t just getting a playlist placement,” said Joe Hadley, Spotify’s Global Head of Music Content and Partnerships. “They’re getting the benefits, resources, and the community to make the most of that moment.”
The program also gives Spotify a more concrete answer to a familiar criticism of streaming-era discovery: platforms can generate sudden visibility without providing the support needed to convert it into long-term growth.
There is no separate public application for Fresh Finds Forward. Independent artists hoping to qualify must first pitch an unreleased song to Spotify’s editors through Spotify for Artists and secure a Fresh Finds placement. Editorial selection remains the gateway, but for artists who pass through it, the program adds resources beyond playlist analytics.
