How to Tag Genre Metadata for Better Music Discovery

Genre metadata plays a critical role in music discovery. It’s more than just a tag—it’s one of the first data points digital service providers (DSPs) like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music use to classify songs, personalize recommendations, and place tracks on the right playlists. When the genre metadata is accurate, it helps the music get heard by the right audience and noticed by the right editorial teams.

But every platform treats genre differently. Get it wrong, and the track could be buried in the wrong chart, miss key playlist opportunities, or never land in front of listeners that would love the music.

Here’s how to tag metadata genres the right way — and avoid the most common mistakes.

1. Stick to Approved Genres

Every DSP has its own genre taxonomy. If you use a non-standard or invented genre, your metadata may be altered, delayed, or rejected.

Revelator makes genre metadata easy. Our predefined genre list is fully aligned with all major DSPs, ensuring our customers can easily and accurately match their selections to each platform’s requirements—so their music gets delivered faster and more reliably.

Best practice:

• Choose a primary genre that’s broad and DSP-compliant (e.g. African, Electronic, Latin)
• Add a secondary genre for specificity (e.g. Amapiano, Highlife, Drum & Bass)

This ensures your music is routed accurately—by both humans and algorithms.

2. Understand How DSPs Handle Genre

How Genres Work on Spotify

• Spotify doesn’t display genre metadata publicly
• Editorial teams on Spotify refer to the genre tags in your pitch — so accuracy counts

• Spotify relies more on listening data than delivery metadata over the long term

  Tip: On Spotify, you should choose a genre that reflects sound, not audience aspirations

How Genres Work on Apple Music

• Apple Music enforces a strict, internal genre list
• Primary genre on Apple Music determines where your release charts
• Editorial and radio placements on Apple Music rely on correct tagging

• Genres on Apple Music may be reassigned without notice if the metadata doesn’t match the music

  Tip: Review how your release is classified on Apple Music post-launch — use it to refine future submissions

How Genres Work on Amazon Music

• On Amazon Music, it is best to uses broader, often combined genres (e.g. “Dance & Electronic,” “Singer-Songwriter”)
• Amazon Music is connected to Alexa. Genre affects resultes found via Alexa, playlist eligibility, and chart placement

• Amazon may remap your genre behind the scenes based on their internal rules

  Tip: Check how your music displays on release day and adjust tagging logic if needed

How Genres Work on Beatport

• Beatport only supports approved electronic genres (e.g. Techno, Afro House, Amapiano)

• Mislabeling on Beatport an lead to rejection or manual reassignment by curators

  Tip: Deliver to Beatport only if your music fits within their genre system

3. What Not to Do

• Don’t invent hybrid genres like “Trapwave Jazz”
• Don’t use mood words (e.g. “chill,” “dark,” “uplifting”) in the genre field
• Don’t tag based on fan preferences — genre is about sound, not audience
• Don’t change genres randomly across an artist’s catalog — it disrupts discovery and analytics

4. Watch for These Metadata Red Flags

• Inconsistent primary and secondary genres (e.g. Classical + EDM)
• Using region-specific subgenres (like Amapiano) as your only tag
• Forgetting that genre determines where your music is placed, not just how it’s labeled
• Not reviewing storefron****t genres after release — DSPs may reassign silently

5. What Smart Genre Tagging Looks Like in Practice

Genre tagging isn’t just about compliance — it’s about long-term strategy. The most effective distributors do more than just pass metadata along. They help you manage it consistently, align with evolving DSP standards, and ensure your catalog stays clean and discoverable at scale.

At Revelator, we focus on:

• Providing a curated, DSP-compliant genre list to reduce errors
• Supporting a structured tagging approach with clear primary/secondary logic
• Enabling internal metadata validation before delivery
• Helping clients manage catalog-wide consistency for artists, sub-labels, and regional markets

If you’re managing hundreds (or thousands) of releases, it’s not just about one correct tag — it’s about building reliable infrastructure that supports editorial consideration and long-term catalog health.

Before You Deliver, Check This:

• Are your genres on the approved DSP list?
• Is your primary genre broad and platform-recognized?
• Is your secondary genre specific but accurate?
• Are you consistent across your artist’s catalog?
• Have you reviewed how DSPs display your genre post-release?

(Apple Music and Amazon may override your tags — adjust future releases accordingly)

Getting genre metadata right isn’t just a technicality—it’s a strategic move. When the genres are accurate, platform-approved, and consistent, the music stands a better chance of landing on the right playlists, reaching the right listeners, and building long-term visibility. Don’t let a simple oversight hold back the next release. Treat genre metadata like the frontline of the music marketing—and set the tracks up for success from day one.

For a deeper dive, read our full guide on music metadata and why it matters more than ever.