HOW TO PITCH YOUR MUSIC TO BLOGS: FROM A MUSIC BLOGGER
Congratulations!
You’ve decided to embark on the wonderful journey that is independent press relations!
So you’ve made music that you’re proud of – now what?
Well, if you stick around and read through this post, I’ll give you a solid foundation to make sure you have everything you need before pitching to outlets and blogs (like this one).
While it may be tempting to try to DM your favourite blogger or outlet with your new single, or heck – even simply emailing them with a link to your new song since you think it’s “that easy”, it is definitely not the best way to ensure you’re maximizing your chance to get coverage.
Mostly because the person running the socials is highly unlikely to be the editor as well (except for me, I’m a rare exception), and the volume of submissions for most outlets is in the hundreds PER DAY (yes, you read that right) so an unprofessional or bad first impression can lead to a quick “send to trash”.
The best way to blend in with all of the professional labels and publicists is to craft yourself a neat and tidy press release and EPK, and send it out via email well in advance of the release date. It truly depends on the outlet, but a good average is at least one to two weeks in advance (some outlets require it a month or two prior).
And if you’re asking, “what is a press release or EPK?”, let’s go through it together.
What is the difference between a PRESS RELEASE and an EPK?
A press release is essentially a news bulletin sharing information on your release and you as an artist, while an EPK (electronic press kit) is more of a one or two page resume of sorts, that includes your recent releases that you’re most proud of, accolades, socials, photos, and perhaps even tour dates. A press release can almost resemble a newsletter while an EPK can have a bit of personality and graphic design worked into it.
Some outlets require both, often with the EPK hyperlinked in the press release or initial email, but an EPK could be the bare minimum needed for consideration for some outlets.
Remember: most outlets aren’t going to just post your song without writing something; some require more of a news article or written blog to engage their readers. Otherwise, they may as well just make a playlist.
What do you need to include in your press release?
Here is a list of what you should include in your press release:
A headline to outline the release: Is it a new single, album, tour? Also: who are you?
Location & date: Where are you sending this out of and what day is the news for? It should be just before you open up about the release in the first paragraph: Toronto, ON – July 7 2022 – “Blahblahblah music”. If it is an “embargoed” release (i.e. in the future and confidential, make sure you outline that BEFORE the rest of the press release)
Information about the release: What is it about? Is there a narrative (there should be) you want to share? Is it part of a bigger project? Did you work with anyone worth mentioning? You can even make it personal by including a quote directly from the artist about the release to provide some first-hand information.
An artist bio: Often at the end of the press release, a short bio is helpful to further explain who you are as an artist and what you’ve accomplished.
Your socials: Some outlets like to see what sort of following you have before they commit to covering your music (I personally don’t care, but clout chasers are everywhere). As well, it makes it much easier to tag you or embed things if it’s included with everything else.
Photos: Specifically, at least one press photo and artwork (either for the single or full project). You can have it embedded in the press release, but it is also recommended to hyperlink to a high-res download in a Google Drive or Dropbox to give outlets the highest quality image possible for their article about you.
Your music: DON’T FORGET TO LINK YOUR MUSIC. If it is out already out, hyperlink as much as possible in the press release. You can link to a linktree or directly to Soundcloud or Spotify. DO NOT include a download attachment. If it’s unreleased, you are better off a private link on Soundcloud or, if you have to, a Google Drive/Dropbox.
If it is an album or EP, include your track list and link any singles that are out already.
Remember: You want to make everything as easy as possible. Journalists and editors have to go through hundreds of submissions on the regular, so if your song is a headache to even listen to, it’s not going to get picked up. Make it clickable immediately and keep things tidy, legible, and obvious.
What should I include in my EPK?
Like I mentioned before, an “electronic press kit” is essentially a resume of your career, with all of your media in one place. Ideally, a EPK should be one or two pages maximum, and it can be eye-catching in design as long as it’s still legible and tidy.
You should include:
Your artist name & socials
Updated press photos & artwork
Recent releases (songs, music videos, albums – all hyperlinked)
Short artist bio
Accolades: Awards, recent press coverage
Tour dates (if applicable)
The best way to think of it is like a summary of everything you’re proud of as an artist.
If you are in need of templates or ideas, Bandzoogle is a great resource for EPK templates, websites, and e-stores. Sign up with the code DUSTY15 to get a 30-day FREE trial, and 15% off your subscription.
I have my press release and EPK ready – now what?
Now it’s time to send it off to the world and hope for the best (after getting someone to edit it and double-check for errors of course).
If you have a contact list from previous releases, that is always a great place to start, especially if you have a rapport with the journalist/blogger. Even if you don’t, it never hurts to be friendly and personable. Address the email to them personally, or bring up a previous piece of work so they know you’ve done your research.
If you are doing this for your first time, search through social media and the internet to find blogs and outlets that cover artists similar to you. It may take a while (good thing you’ve started this journey ahead of time), but make sure you’re collecting information for relevant outlets. If it’s a country music blog, don’t send your hip-hop song – you’re just wasting everyone’s time and that’s just another “no” to add to the pile (yes, there is a pile).
Look for:
Blogs/Magazines/Newspapers
Local/College/Publicly-funded radio stations (Commercial stations have a different system to get their music)
Popular playlist curators/YouTube channels
Social media accounts dedicated to sharing music
DO. YOUR. RESEARCH. Seriously – make sure there’s actually a chance to say yes.
Pro tip: If someone asks for money to cover your release, be mindful. It’s not always a bad thing, but just make sure there is a good return on investment or value. Is this an established website? Will this actually help grow my audience, or is it just a money-grab? Is this something that will actually be useful? Is it too good to be true?
Unfortunately, it’s not always obvious; for example, if a playlist-er is asking for $50 just to get on their giant playlist for a month, does that seem worth it?
Probably not. You would need your song to be streamed at least 100k times and there are other ways to trick the algorithm into thinking your song is worth being pushed. (I.e. pitching to a bunch of small, free playlists, or getting friends to add it to their own personal playlists, or running ads).
Now it’s time to give it a try!
It will be tough, but if you are proud of your release, it will be worth it. As an artist, you will be faced with rejection, criticism, and negativity throughout your career, and pitching to blogs can be a tolling and gruelling campaign. Not everyone is going to see your music the same way you do, and it is a very saturated industry.
But if you get even one placement or article written about you, that should be considered a success – especially if it’s your first go at it. As cliché as it is to say, your value as an artist is intrinsic, so don’t take it personally (a close second is the strong community of fans you’ve built over the years).
Nothing is overnight in this industry, so be patient and trust your artistic gut.
Best of luck!
If you’ve made it this far, and are still unsure about what to do and would like professional assistance, you can reach out to schedule a 1-on-1 virtual call with Dusty Organ’s Editor In Chief, Kane Wilkinson (that’s me by the way).
And if you are looking for easy-to-use templates or a new website to take your artist brand to the next level, head to Bandzoogle.com to sign up. Use the code DUSTY15 to get a 30-day FREE TRIAL and 15% off your subscription.
Questions? Comments? Let me know below!
