One of the toughest things to do in the music industry (other than make a living) is to get your music heard by the most successful, most influential writers at well-known and highly-trafficked websites and magazines.
These people are inundated with music coming at them from every angle, and because of the internet, now there is no filter. Many writers (myself included) are delivered tunes that are totally inappropriate for many reasons, and there is no way to stop it all from coming.
So, what is a smaller act to do to one day be featured in a powerful media outlet? Well, as is the case with most things in the music world, nothing is a given and nothing is promised. I wish I could give everybody a surefire way to get their music heard by those Journalists in a position of power, but this is simply not the world we live in. Instead, here are a handful of tips I know have worked before; you may want to consider them if you’re looking to become a new musical media darling.
Go for Smaller Publications
It’s every musician’s dream to see their name on the cover (or at least somewhere inside) of Rolling Stone, but it’s probably not in the cards for most of you. Don’t be too disheartened! It’s not all about the publications at the top of the food chain, but if those are in your sights, you’re going to have to start at the bottom and work your way up.
Use Social Media
As somebody trying to sell themselves (in addition to your art), you should be using social media anyway, but not just to project to your growing fan base what’s happening in your world. Social media in many forms can be a great way to start to create connections with anybody and everybody, from your most ardent supporters to those at venues and record labels, to Journalists, who are known to be big users of a number of social apps.
Recent estimates reveal that there’s around 12 hours of content uploaded to Soundcloud every minute (in other words, approximately 9000 songs every hour). With so many new tracks appearing online it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd and find the right ears for your music, and this is where music blogs enter the equation. From niche tastemaker operations to major music news platforms, the digital press plays a vital part in establishing new artists and developing a story beyond the music.
Twitter is perhaps the best option when it comes to starting up conversations and forging new friendships with strangers. The platform allows you to follow anybody—-which they often notice—-and stay on top of what they are doing and saying. Don’t be afraid to chime in and comment on something these writers post from time to time, asking them a question or being funny or snarky with a quip. This is what Twitter is for, after all! Instagram is the same, and while it can be a bit tougher to really get a conversation going, if you are active enough, somebody is sure to at least remember your name, if not also click on your profile and perhaps even give your music a listen.
Hire a PR Team
While it might be costly and nothing is guaranteed, hiring a Publicist can be one of the best ways to get your name out there and your music in front of people at the biggest media outlets in the world, though don’t get too excited—-it’s not a perfect route to recognition.
Send Something That Grabs Them
The offices of big-name publications are flooded with music every day, and I hate to tell you, but most of it winds up in the trash. Thousands of artists, record labels, and Publicists send CDs every month, and there are only so many people with only so much time…and most of them are discovering music online anyhow. If you’re going to continue with emails and sending Spotify and SoundCloud links, keep to it (unless someone would like a CD, of course), but if you’re going to mail something physical, make it stand out.
Have Another Story
Everybody wants the story about their music to be that it’s life-changing, the most honest, or simply the best new thing nobody has heard yet. This is fine, but it’s extremely rare for an artist and their wares to be so wonderful they don’t need anything else to help capture the attention of Bloggers and writers at the biggest outlets. If this hasn’t worked for you yet, or if you can admit perhaps you just aren’t this person to begin with, come up with something else which makes you, and your music, interesting.
Maybe you self-financed an album by taking the worst job in the world. Perhaps your album was inspired by a story-worthy life event, such as a baby, a marriage, or a death? Are you known for something else, and you’re just now making a push into creating music? There are a million different stories to at least help you get your foot in the door, and you shouldn’t feel bad about having to discuss something other than just your music.
