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Spotify Discovery Mode

Updated this week

Spotify Discovery Mode is a marketing tool that helps your music get heard by more listeners when they’re most open to discovering something new — like during radio and autoplay sessions.

There’s no upfront cost, and it’s a great way to grow your audience on Spotify. Below is everything you need to know about how Discovery Mode works through Spare Music.

🎯 What is Spotify Discovery Mode?

Discovery Mode increases the visibility of your music on Spotify’s radio and autoplay features. When a track is enrolled, Spotify is more likely to surface it in those contexts — helping you reach new fans organically.

  • No upfront cost

  • Increased visibility via radio/autoplay

  • Tracks are selected automatically based on Spotify recommendations

  • 30% marketing fee applies to eligible streams only

✅ How to Opt Into Discovery Mode

You can opt into Discovery Mode directly from your Spare Music account:

  1. Go to Tools → Spotify Discovery

  2. Click Opt In

We’ll handle the rest — enrolling your eligible tracks based on Spotify’s recommendations.

Tracks get added to Discovery Mode during the next campaign cycle. You must opt-in your tracks by the 26th of each month to be apart of the campaign for the following month.

📅 How Campaigns Work

Discovery Mode campaigns run monthly, and your eligible tracks will update with each new campaign. Once a campaign starts, changes (like opting in or out) won’t take effect until the next cycle.

📋 Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for Discovery Mode, a track must:

  • Be live on Spotify for at least 30 days

  • Have 20+ radio/autoplay streams in the past 28 days

  • Meet Spotify’s monetization criteria

Only releases you distributed through Spare Music are eligible for the program.

💰 How Much Does It Cost?

Discovery Mode has no upfront cost.

Spotify applies a 30% marketing fee only to streams that come from radio or autoplay during an active campaign. All other streams (like searches, playlists, and libraries) are paid at the full rate.

Spare Music does not charge you anything to participate.

🤔 Can I Pick Which Tracks Are Enrolled?

Not manually.

We rely on Spotify’s recommended track list each month to determine what’s enrolled. Tracks that underperform are automatically removed to protect your earnings — no need to manage this manually.

❌ How to Opt Out

To leave the program:

  1. Head to Tools → Spotify Discovery

  2. Click Opt Out

This will remove all your tracks from the program starting with the next campaign. You can opt back in anytime before the next period begins.

🧾 Why Are There Negative Values in My Earnings Report?

That’s the 30% marketing fee from Spotify for eligible radio/autoplay streams. You’ll still earn the full payout for all other streams.

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