How Groover helps independent artists break through the noise

In today’s music landscape, independent artists have more tools than ever—but breaking through the noise can still feel overwhelming. That’s why beatBread partnered with Groover to explore how smarter promotion can amplify an artist’s reach and accelerate their career. 

We sat down with Dorian Perron, cofounder of Groover, to learn how the platform empowers artists with actionable feedback, direct industry access, and meaningful visibility. Perron shares the story of Groover, the evolution of playlisting, success stories, and how artists can confidently invest in promotion that actually moves the needle. 

What type of artist is Groover right for? 

Groover is designed for independent artists who want their music to be heard, but may not yet have the networks, budget, or resources of a label or PR team. Whether you’re releasing your first single, an EP, or a full album, Groover connects you directly with playlist curators, blogs, radio stations, labels, managers, and more. 

It’s a platform for artists who want to build a real career: grow their entourage, get strategic feedback, and reach the right industry contacts. If you’re committed to improving your craft and taking proactive steps toward visibility, Groover gives you a structured, effective way to do it. 

It’s also a tool used by artists and labels who are already established. Labels like Secret City Records and Ninja Tune use Groover regularly to test new markets and expand exposure. 

When is the right time for an artist to start using Groover? 

The best time to start using Groover is when your track is fully ready—mixed, mastered, and packaged with artwork. Many artists also use Groover before release to build anticipation, secure exclusive premieres, or land playlists and radio spots on release day.  

If they’re at the demo stage, they can also get insightful feedback on their production or release strategy from sound specialists and mentors. Others start after release to maintain momentum and continue reaching new audiences. Another thing to note is that Groover can work both for new releases and tracks from the back catalogue that could use a little push. 

The key is preparation: if you’re proud of your music and ready to gather feedback while promoting it strategically, that’s the moment to start leveraging Groover. 

How has playlisting evolved, and where is it heading? 

Over the past few years, playlisting has become a central part of music discovery, but it’s also become more competitive. While editorial playlists were once a relatively accessible path to streams and exposure, today thousands of playlists exist across platforms, and curators receive more submissions than ever before. Many playlists may have high follower counts, but engagement can vary significantly, which makes standing out more challenging. 

Looking forward, playlisting seems to increasingly focus on niche, human-curated playlists with loyal audiences. Independent artists now have more opportunities to reach engaged listeners globally, but success requires precision targeting, consistent releases, and relationship-building with music curators. Groover helps artists navigate this complex landscape, ensuring their music reaches the right people, whether for playlist inclusion, blog coverage, or radio features. 

We consistently see that getting your track added to relevant third-party playlists is a key factor in triggering algorithmic playlist placements—especially on Spotify. While it’s not enough on its own to grow your audience or build a long-term career, it can contribute to that growth in a meaningful and measurable way. 

On Groover, we vet all our playlist curators to make sure they’re relevant, authentic, and build their audience in an organic way with real listeners. Artists should be super careful never to pay for any service that guarantees “organic” streams. It is not possible to guarantee streams, and most the websites that sell this false hope are botting their playlists, which could have nasty consequences for artists and releases who purchase their services. 

What artist success story are you most proud of? 

One success story I particularly like is Lofi Milk, a Japanese lo-fi duo. They used Groover to connect with curators worldwide, including those they couldn’t reach on other platforms. One of their tracks surpassed 2 million streams, helping them grow a dedicated international fanbase. 

Another one I love is the one of the Swedish artist Art Longo who signed with the renowned Parisian independent record label Cracki Records (L’Impératrice, Agar Agar, Isaac Delusion etc.). We invited them in our office, and even filmed a small interview so they could tell us more about their encounter. 

But beyond numbers, I’m just proud of the moments when artists land their first radio plays, get signed by a label, meet their manager, or are featured in blogs that amplify their visibility. That’s when I think: “That’s why I built Groover”. 

These early wins are often the foundation of long-term careers, showing that effective promotion combined with quality music can create real opportunities. 

If I have a $500 budget, what’s the best way to use it? 

Groover works with a range of budgets, but $500 is enough to run a highly effective campaign with Groover. Here’s how I’d recommend allocating it: 

1. Main Groover campaign ($200–300)

Send your track to a 100 targeted curators and pros, among playlists, blogs, radios, labels etc. They key is to select the right curators for your music: look at their profile, understand the music they curate and contact them if you believe it’s the right fit for your music. Always use the filters (genres / curator types) to help you refine your selection. It’s also interesting to do a mix between the type of curators, and their level of influence, to optimize your results! 

2. Improve your presentation ($50–100)

It’s also important to invest in your presentation: a professional artist bio, impactful pitch, and appealing visuals make a big difference and can help standing out. 

Groover offers services to help you improve your bio / pitch (see here), but you can also have a look at Fiverr for instance, to get in touch with freelance creators. 

3. Reinforce success ($100–150)

Finally, saving some of the budget to reinvest in new campaigns and get in touch again with the curators that already responded positively to your music. It ensures that the initial momentum can grow into meaningful exposure. 

You can also try running ads to showcase your releases to your audience in a direct way. You can have a look at our Groover Ads service for this. 

Groover’s ecosystem: What are all your services? 

Groover — The Music Promotion Platform
Guaranteed listening, real feedback, and opportunities across playlists, blogs, radio, labels, and features like Hype and Charts to boost visibility. 

Groover+ — The All-in-One Membership 
Savings on campaigns, free Hype & Charts tools, and exclusive monthly perks from Groover and vetted partners. 

Temple by Groover 
A direct-to-fan mini-site that helps artists showcase music, merch, and events, collect fan data, and communicate via email, SMS, and ads. 

Groover Services 
Bio writing, pitch creation, ad campaigns, coaching, and more to help artists present themselves professionally. 

The Groover Blog 
A resource hub with education, tutorials, and strategies for release planning and promotion. 

Why Groover? 

Dorian’s insights highlight why beatBread’s partnership with Groover matters so much: both companies are committed to giving independent artists real tools, real opportunities, and real control over their careers.  

Groover helps artists build visibility through curated connections and strategic promotion, while beatBread empowers artists with flexible funding to fuel those efforts. Together, they form a powerful pathway—where quality music, smart promotion, and financial freedom work hand in hand. 

Want to try Groover for yourself? Use code BEATBREADGROOVERVIP for 10% off your first campaign.