How to promote your music to the media?

It's definitely not easy to promote your music to media outlets such as webzines, podcasts, print magazines, radio stations etc. These media receive tons and tons of requests every week. It's up to you to stand out by adapting your approach and offering an attractive pitch. Since this is not an easy task, we've written, especially for you, an article gathering our advice to optimise your chances of being featured in the media.

1. Creating a press release

The introduction of your press release should set the context and be concise. What's the story of your band? Who are the members? Are there any elements that distinguish you from other bands?

Then provide more information about your release. Have you worked with well-known people for mixing, recording, mastering or creating your artwork? Try, concisely, to explain how your release stands out from others. A media outlet indeed receives tons and tons of pitches every week. So you need to make them want to discover your release and pique their curiosity! If you have a little anecdote about the composition or recording, that's a bonus. Talk about it!

Close your press release by discussing your upcoming news. Concert dates? A release party? nAre you already working on your next release? Now's the time to talk about it!

Remember to include a unique link (a linktree, for example) that will direct the media to your social networks, your website, your streaming platforms or even a private link grouping your photos, the cover of your release etc. The objective: to allow the media to have all the information grouped in one place to save time!

2. Making a list of media you want to approach

Before launching into a promotional campaign, we invite you to research media outlets that might be interested in your music. These could be radio stations, webzines, podcasts, magazines (etc.) that cover your music style or have previously featured artists with a similar style to yours. Because, no, a media outlet that covers rap won't be interested in a metal band. It's logical ;)

Make sure these media outlets are willing to receive emails or if they use another method (form on their website, promotional platform, social networks or, for some media, sending a CD by post...). Generally, media outlets have a contact page on their website that clearly details the outreach process.

To optimise this listing and to have a clearer vision, we invite you to create a tracking table where you can list all the media you wish to contact, the style of music they cover, the type of outreach they prefer etc. This table will allow you to follow the progress of your press relations campaign in real-time and avoid duplications.

3. Contacting the media

Your press release (or press kit) is ready and you've targeted the media / people you want to contact? It's time to submit your pitch and promo elements to them with a personalised email. Impersonal emails are not at all attractive. If you know who you're addressing, mention the name of your contact. A personalised email, rather than an impersonal newsletter, is much more "friendly" and will (maybe) increase your chances of being featured! 

We remind you, however, that promoting your music is a process that can take a lot of time. We can only advise you to be patient and take into consideration that you may not get as much feedback as you hoped for.

For the feedback you receive, remember to share it on your social networks. If the media outlet gives you visibility, it's up to you to do the same!

So... ready to promote your music to the media? :)