how to get press for your music.
four things, in order: a press page a writer can use, a press release, a list of outlets that cover your genre, and one pitch to each, written for that outlet. then read each outlet's own submission rules and follow them exactly. the rules of the ones that publish theirs are below.
by Studio Raine, a music PR firm in New York. we sell some of what this guide describes, and our own prices are marked as ours.
updated
1. a press page a writer can use.
bio, music to play, photos to download, a contact. one link. the EPK checklist has every part.
2. the press release.
the news, once, in an order an editor can run: headline, the story in two sentences, a quote, the facts, a contact. the template is free.
3. the list.
outlets that cover your genre and your size of artist. for each one, find the page where it says how it takes music, and note three things: where to send it, what format, and how far ahead.
what outlets ask for, in their own rules.
| outlet | covers | how it takes music | lead time and other rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| DownBeat | jazz | promotional material by post, marked for album reviews. | no lead time stated. |
| JAZZIZ | jazz | editorial requests by email to the editors. | says it cannot answer every request. a $25 paid album listing is sold separately. |
| All About Jazz | jazz | pick a writer by style, then use its coverage request system. | says you do not pay for reviews in any form. |
| SmoothJazz.com Global Radio | jazz, radio | audio files by file-transfer link, with your contact details. 320k mp3 recommended. | allow up to two weeks for a reply. |
| No Depression | americana | press releases and information, with the release date, by email to the editors. | no lead time stated. |
| Americana UK | americana | an email with a download link, a full press release and a streaming link. no mp3 attachments. | albums are assigned 5 to 6 weeks before the release date. earlier is better. |
| Folk Alley | americana, radio | WAV files and liner notes by download link, or a CD by post. | no individual replies. airplay is not guaranteed. |
| SoulTracks | r&b and soul | a picture, the music as a file or a link, and a one-sheet. | two weeks before you want the story to run. says it covers 2 or 3 submissions a day. |
| SoulBounce | r&b and soul | music, press releases and tips to one email address. | do not add it to a mailing list it did not join. |
| YouKnowIGotSoul | r&b and soul | music and materials by email to the submissions address on its contact page. | submissions sent to the owners' own addresses are not reviewed. |
| The Urban Music Scene | r&b and soul | a press release or bio by email, with the music as a zip of mp3 files or a streaming link. | covers gospel, jazz and R&B. no songs or videos with profanity. |
| ThisIsRnB | r&b and soul | one email address for all submissions, separate from general enquiries and advertising. | no lead time stated. |
| KJLH 102.3 FM | r&b and soul, radio | the song by email to the station's music address. every song needs a registered ISRC code. | for higher rotation a song must already be at number 35 or better on a chart such as Billboard or Mediabase. |
| 103.9 WDKX | r&b and soul, radio | an mp3 of the clean radio version by email or its upload form, with contact details, social links and a short bio or EPK. | it will not download music from links sent by email. |
| The Drop 104.7 | r&b and soul, radio | up to three clean-version songs through its form, with cover art and a file or link it can download. | submissions are reviewed about once a month. a whole album sent in is skipped. |
| Saving Country Music | americana | a streaming link to the full album through its contact form, with the artist, title, release date and a statement on AI use. | six weeks to three months before the release date, or after it. no Dropbox or Google Drive links and no physical copies. reviews run after the album is out. |
| Twangville | americana | a review request by email to the address on its submission policy page. | submissions that come with permission to post a song get priority. |
| KLOF Magazine | americana | download links to 320kbps mp3 files by email, with background and credits. formerly Folk Radio UK. | no AI-made music. it says it cannot reply to everyone. |
| Roots Music Canada | americana | its submission form, with links to the music. | covers Canadian roots music. |
| WMOT Roots Radio | americana, radio | a CD by post to the programming department, which it prefers, or links to digital files. | CDs by post only, not dropped off in person. |
| Americana Music Association radio charts | americana, radio | an album sent to the reporting stations has to be fingerprinted in the CDX database, which happens when it goes to radio through CDX. | the association does not send music to stations itself. a new album has 20 weeks to debut on the top 50. |
| NPR Music, All Songs Considered | general, radio | an email with a link to a page where one original song can be heard. | no status updates. a submission does not guarantee airtime. |
| KEXP | general, radio | streaming and WAV download links by email to the music director. no attachments. | airplay cannot be bought. wait two weeks before following up. |
| KCRW | general, radio | a broadcast-clean .wav or .aiff file by email to the music department. | no lead time stated. |
| Bandcamp Daily | general | a link to the release on Bandcamp, saved as a draft or private. no links to other platforms. | eight weeks before the release date is ideal. says it receives about 1,000 pitches a week. |
| Atwood Magazine | general | one direct link to the music, on one service only. | at least three weeks for a premiere. one follow-up at most. |
| EARMILK | general | through SubmitHub or Pillargram only. | no lead time stated. |
| BBC Music Introducing | general, radio | upload tracks through its Uploader, which sends them to BBC radio shows. | UK-based artists only. |
| Songlines | world and new age | a streaming link by email, marked for review. | recent and upcoming albums. no singles. |
| World Music Central | world and new age | a physical CD is preferred. AIFF for digital. include a press release and a cover of at least 800 pixels. | no lead time stated. |
| Echoes | world and new age, radio | a download link to AIFF or WAV files. no attachments. a CD is accepted. | no individual replies. |
| Hearts of Space | world and new age, radio | one released CD by post, with a one-sheet. | no low-resolution mp3 files. |
| One World Music Radio | world and new age, radio | files by file-sharing link. email before posting a CD. | says airplay is free. |
| New Age Music Guide | world and new age | a press release by email, with the music by file-sharing link. | says it receives 10 to 15 submissions a day. |
4. the pitch.
- one outlet, one message. name the writer or the show.
- say what it is in the first line: artist, title, date, genre.
- one reason this outlet, from something it ran.
- the link to hear it, the link to the press page, the release pasted below.
- one follow-up. then leave it.
what you are pitching for.
| the piece | what it is |
|---|---|
| review | a writer's verdict on the record. |
| feature | a story about you, with the release as the reason. |
| interview | your answers, in print, on air or on a podcast. |
| premiere | one outlet runs the song or the video first. |
| performance | you play live on a show or a session. |
| roundup | a list: new releases, year-end, best of a genre. |
5. keep what runs.
every piece, with its link and date, in one file. it goes on your press page, into the next pitch, and it is the raw material for a Wikipedia article, which is built from what independent outlets have written about you.