How to promote your music to media outlets?

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 each week. It's up to you to stand out by adapting your approach and offering an attractive pitch. Since this is not an easy exercise, we have written, especially for you, an article gathering our advice to optimize your chances of being featured in a media outlet.

1. Create 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 elements that distinguish you from other bands?

Then give 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 each 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!

Conclude your press release by discussing your upcoming news. Concert dates? A release party?
Are you already working on your next release? Now is the time to talk about it!

Remember to include a unique link (such as 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, your release artwork, etc. The goal: to allow the media to have all the information gathered in one place to save time!

2. Make a list of media outlets you want to approach

Before launching into an outreach 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 already, in the past, promoted artists with a style similar 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, outreach platform, social networks, or, for some media, sending a CD by mail...). Generally, media outlets have a contact page on their website that clearly details the outreach process.

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

3. Contact the media

Your press release (or press kit) is ready and you've targeted the media outlets / people you want to contact? It's time to submit your pitch and promo elements with a personalized email. Impersonal emails are not at all attractive. If you know who you're addressing, mention the name of your contact. A personalized 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 to consider the fact that you may not get as much feedback as you hoped for.

For the feedback received, remember to share it on your social networks. If the approached media gives you visibility, it's your turn to do the same!

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