Apple Music vs Spotify for Instrumental Artists: Which Platform Should You Prioritize?

Every independent instrumental artist eventually faces this question: where should you focus your promotional energy - Spotify or Apple Music? The honest answer is both, but the dynamics of each platform favor different strategies.

Here is a practical breakdown.

Audience Size and Discovery

Spotify has the larger global user base and a more mature algorithmic discovery system. Discover Weekly, Release Radar, and the Radio feature are all powerful discovery engines for artists who accumulate saves and playlist placements. The sheer volume of listeners means there is more potential organic reach.

Apple Music has a smaller but generally more engaged audience. Apple Music listeners tend to stream more intentionally and are more likely to purchase music, attend shows, and engage with artists as fans rather than passive listeners.

For discovery volume, Spotify wins. For quality of listener engagement, Apple Music has a meaningful edge.

Editorial Playlist Opportunities

Both platforms have editorial teams that curate playlists for specific moods, genres, and contexts.

Spotify's editorial team has historically invested significantly in instrumental and mood-based music. Playlists like "Peaceful Piano," "Deep Focus," and genre-specific ambient playlists have millions of followers and are genuinely impactful for instrumental artists who land on them.

Apple Music's editorial team has a reputation for being highly selective but responsive to quality. Getting on an Apple Music editorial playlist can be a significant signal for your career, and the team is specifically interested in neoclassical and instrumental music.

Both require pitching through their respective artist platforms (Spotify for Artists and Apple Music for Artists) before your release date.

Independent Curator Ecosystem

This is where the platforms differ most meaningfully for independent artists.

Spotify's independent curator ecosystem is significantly larger. There are thousands of independent curators managing meaningful playlists, and platforms like InstrumentaList connect instrumental artists directly with these curators.

Apple Music's independent curator ecosystem is smaller and less accessible. Most Apple Music playlist discovery happens editorially or through the algorithm.

For independent curator outreach, Spotify is the clearer priority. InstrumentaList supports submissions to both Spotify and Apple Music curators, so you can pursue both simultaneously without doubling your workload.

Revenue Comparison

Apple Music pays a higher per-stream rate than Spotify. However, Spotify's larger user base and stronger discovery tools typically result in higher total stream counts for independent artists, which often means higher total revenue despite the lower per-stream rate.

Both platforms distribute through standard distributors (DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, etc.). The revenue difference between platforms is less important than the total audience you build on each.

Our Recommendation

Do not choose. Release on both platforms through a distributor and pitch to editorial teams on both. Focus your independent curator outreach on Spotify, where the independent curator ecosystem is larger and more accessible.

InstrumentaList streamlines this process by connecting you with verified human curators on both platforms. You can start for free and scale your outreach as your catalog grows.

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InstrumentaList supports instrumental artists across both Spotify and Apple Music with verified curator connections and submission tools. Start building your playlist presence today.