#220: The One Thing We’ll Do Differently in 2026 (and Why It Matters)

Stop counting playlist streams and start building momentum where it matters. Marc Matthews and Tim Benson unpack a year of wins and lessons that took monthly listeners from modest to meaningful, and the theme is simple. When you optimise for saves, repeats and fast post-release engagement, Spotify’s algorithm does the heavy lifting. That means Radio, Discover Weekly, and personalised mixes begin to surface your music beyond your immediate circle—and the compounding effect beats a single playlist spike every time.We share the unglamorous work that unlocks creativity at speed: DAW templates, organised drum kits, and a handful of trusted synth presets that act as launchpads instead of cages. There’s a balance to strike between efficiency and originality, so we talk about stepping away when tweaks turn into time sinks, coming back with fresh ears, and capturing the patches worth saving. We also get candid about release cadence and genre clarity. Keeping one artist profile sonically consistent helps Spotify place you next to the right peers; if you love variety, set up separate profiles so each lane feels coherent.Collaboration sits at the heart of our 2026 plan. We’re reaching out to local vocalists to bring songs to life and share with audiences in a way that attracts editorial and radio attention. On the business side, we dig into the small but real revenue streams that stack: PRS, PPL, publishing admin via Songtrust or Sentric, DistroKid splits, and even modest YouTube monetisation. Add in smart seeding through SubmitHub and user curators to spark early signals, and you have a repeatable system that turns good music into sustainable growth.Links mentioned in this episode:Got a win from 2025 or a goal for 2026? We want to hear it, and we’re featuring listener wins on an upcoming show.Send me a message Support the showWays to connect with Marc:If you'd like a second set of ears on your mix or workflow, you can book a no-pressure chat hereRadio-ready mixes start here - get the FREE weekly tipsFollow Marc's Socials:Instagram | YouTube Thanks for listening!!Try Riverside for FREE