Spotify Marquee and Showcase: Standard Pacing Update Explained
Spotify Marquee and Showcase campaigns now run on standard pacing by default, spreading your budget across the full campaign window—10 days for Marquee, 14 days for Showcase—instead of spending it as fast as possible. Budgets range from $100 to $10,000 USD. Accelerated pacing is still available if you prefer faster delivery.
What Changed with Marquee and Showcase Pacing?
Spotify has updated the default delivery model for both Marquee and Showcase campaigns. Previously, these promotional tools spent budgets as quickly as possible, often burning through the full amount in just a few days. Now, standard pacing distributes your budget evenly across the entire campaign window.
In limited testing, Spotify reports that standard pacing delivers stronger and more reliable reach compared to accelerated delivery. This means your campaign reaches more unique, likely listeners rather than front-loading impressions in a short burst.
How Does Standard Pacing Work?
Under the new default, your campaign budget is spread to sustain momentum throughout the full window:
- Marquee campaigns run for approximately 10 days
- Showcase campaigns run for approximately 14 days
- Budget range: $100 to $10,000 USD (minimum $250 if booked through Spotify's local representatives)
- Billing model: Cost-per-click, meaning you only pay when someone clicks
The pacing change does not affect eligibility requirements. You still need at least 1,000 streams over the last 28 days in at least one of Spotify's target markets to access these tools.
Distribute your music worldwide and keep 100% of your royalties. Start distributing with Unchained Music →
Standard Pacing vs. Accelerated Pacing: Which Should You Choose?
Accelerated pacing remains available as an option during campaign setup. Here is how the two approaches compare:
Standard pacing is best for sustained visibility around a new release, particularly when you want to reach listeners over a longer window. It works well for album campaigns, playlist pushes, or when your audience is spread across time zones.
Accelerated pacing is better for time-sensitive moments—a release day blitz, a tour announcement, or coordinating with a viral moment where speed matters more than reach distribution.
What This Means for Independent Artists
For independent artists working with limited budgets, this update is meaningful. Standard pacing helps prevent a scenario where your entire budget is consumed in two or three days, leaving the rest of your campaign window with zero visibility.
A $100 Marquee campaign that previously might have spent out in 48 hours will now stretch across the full 10-day window, giving your release more time to find its audience organically while the campaign supports it.
How to Set Up a Marquee or Showcase Campaign
If you are distributing your music through Unchained Music, your releases are delivered to Spotify and eligible for Marquee and Showcase. Here is the process:
- Log in to Spotify for Artists and navigate to the Campaigns tab.
- Select either Marquee (full-screen pop-up recommendation) or Showcase (sponsored card on Home).
- Choose your target release, audience segments, and markets.
- Set your budget between $100 and $10,000 USD.
- Select standard pacing (now the default) or switch to accelerated.
- Review your estimated reach and click forecast, then launch.
Tips for Getting the Most from Standard Pacing
- Time your campaign to start on or near release day for maximum relevance.
- Use audience targeting to focus on listeners most likely to engage—Spotify filters out those who have recently streamed the release.
- Monitor results in Spotify for Artists during the campaign. Final results are available two weeks after the campaign ends.
- If your budget is small ($100–$250), standard pacing is almost always the better choice to avoid burning through it too quickly.
Distribute your music worldwide and keep 100% of your royalties. Start distributing with Unchained Music →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still use accelerated pacing?
Yes. Accelerated pacing remains available as an option when creating your campaign. Standard pacing is now the default, but you can switch to accelerated during setup.
Does this affect how much I pay per click?
No. The pricing model has not changed. Marquee and Showcase are still billed on a cost-per-click basis, and pricing depends on your targeting, market selections, and available inventory.
Do I need a distributor to use Marquee and Showcase?
You need music on Spotify with at least 1,000 streams in the past 28 days in a target market. Unchained Music distributes your music to Spotify, making your releases eligible for these campaign tools.
What is the difference between Marquee and Showcase?
Marquee displays a full-screen recommendation when a listener opens the app. Showcase places a sponsored recommendation card on the Spotify Home screen. Both target likely listeners and run on a cost-per-click model.