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Words From a Music Blogger: Submitting Music (Part 1)

Hello and welcome to a new editorial series I have created in response to me having so many thoughts in my head about blogging that I just need to get out. I’m not a qualified Journalist (I’m a Communications major), but I have been running this site for the past three years, as well as writing for Kevin Nottingham and Surviving the Golden Age for the past year. I have had my share of blogging experience, sure, and some blogs are better/more popular than others, but there is always a common foundation of music blogging when it comes to creating content: submissions.

In the first part of Words From a Music Blogger, I will do my best to help artists and labels and managers/reps better understand what it is like on the other side of the fence.

Everybody wants their music to be heard; when a song or video or album is submitted to a site, there is a high sense of confidence by the artist/label/rep that that submission should damn well be posted. Well I’ll stop you there because there is absolutely no reason why we (the bloggers) should have to post your music. So allow me to tell me why so that next time you go to submit music, you think about what I have said here and you take your approach to submitting music a little differently.

First, let’s venture into why a site would post your music to begin with. Every music blog is different, but there’s a few common grounds I would say every blog considers when posting somebody’s submission:

1. The music is good (in regards to the website’s taste). 

Plain and simple, this obviously makes a lot of sense. But it is important to note what is in parenthesis: “in regards to the website’s taste.” If a website’s content focuses on, say, early neo-soul, do not submit your new post-grunge rock album. You waste their time and yours.

Know that every blogger has their own unique taste in music. Just because they didn’t post your music, doesn’t mean your music is “bad,” it just means there were reasons that the music could not be posted, which I will eventually go into.

2. You’re submission was met with praise for its professionalism, simplicity, and attention to (important) details.

Nothing is more frustrating for a blogger to have to turn down good music because of a poorly composed music submission. Take this made-up example for instance:

“sup im submitting my new song called the heat plz post thx”

What in the hell are we supposed to do with that? What’s your name? How can I find you on social networks? Many sites require images – what the hell do you look like!? Not only do these questions arise, but the lack of professionalism (i.e. “sup”), the lack of punctuation and the blatant disregard for any relevant information is painfully irritating to say the least.

EVERY MUSIC SITE HAS A SUBMISSION PAGE. I repeat, every music site has a submission page. FIND IT and USE IT. Every site is different, so some sites may require things other sites wouldn’t. But there’s a checklist I can guarantee nearly every music site looks for:

  • Professional greeting (i.e. Hello, Dear…, Greetings, etc.)
  • Artist name and hometown or country
  • Short bio
  • Social links
  • Image of artist and/or song/album cover
  • Any other relevant links (such as website, Bandcamp or Soundcloud account, etc.)

Include these in your submissions, and you will only help your chances of getting posted. You’re music has to be really good, and I mean really good for a blogger to go out of his or her way to research you and collect the relevant information for a post, and sometimes not even that is enough; they’ll just send you to the trash bin.

3. You’re a respectable artist.

Now hold your horses because I’m sure you’re thinking BS! right about now. When I say “respectable” artist, I do not mean you are Kanye West. Just because you are not a major artist with a notable fan-base and huge following does not at all mean your music will not get posted. Where would all these sites be if that’s the way they operated? I’m not saying all blogs are this way, because sure, popularity will bring in traffic, therefore those are the artist submissions they look for, but in a world of music blogs galore, many sites will do whatever it takes to get that unique content (that you may provide!).

So, what do I mean by “respectable artist?” You put energy into your music. I don’t mean your songs are club jams, I mean that the quality of recording is there, the quality of mixing and mastering is there and the quality, if it applies, of your visuals is there. If your song sounds like it was recorded in a closet (because it was), then you lose your respectability because you’re not being taken seriously.

Also, a respectable artist will make it a point to be humble. Nothing is more annoying than posting a song to never hear from the artist again. No comments on the post, no thank you from the artist and/or label, no retweeting or sharing of links by those involved…nothing, nada, zip.

As I said in the beginning, there is absolutely no reason why we should have to post your music; we do not owe you anything. In turn, neither does the artist. Now that may justify to you why the artist doesn’t share their post on a particular site, but let me just tell you that those who thank me for posting their music and share the link and comment on the post and show their gratitude…let’s just say the next time I see them in my inbox, they get top priority. Relatively modest gentility goes a long way.

In conclusion…

I hope that you take what I have taught you today into consideration the next time you go to submit music to a website. There are tons of other great sources to find more information on how best to submit music. My personal favorite is Praverb.net. There you’ll find tons of articles dedicated to helping artists achieve blogging-world success.

Be sure to stay tuned and find out more about Words From a Blogger as I will go into a variety of topics and subjects seen from this side of the music-sphere. Also note the “Part 1” in the title, as in “Part 2,” I’ll teach you what NOT to do when it comes to submitting your music.

Please feel free to comment below and pose any ideas, ask questions or just to let me know how you liked this article.

Tags : HelpPostSubmissionsTips
Stone

The author Stone

Stone is a hip-hop enthusiast residing in NJ/PA. As an aspiring hip-hop producer, Stone studies communications and shares his passion for music by letting the world in on the wonderful world of hip-hop.