A write-up on the right blog does more than feed your ego. It’s discovery, it’s social proof for your EPK, it’s a backlink that helps your SEO, and it’s data that strengthens your next pitch. Here’s how to actually earn coverage instead of getting ignored.
Why coverage is worth chasing
Beyond the immediate audience, a genuine review or feature gives you quotable credibility (“praised by…”), a link from another site that supports your search visibility, and evidence of momentum you can show curators and supervisors later. A handful of well-targeted placements compounds over time.
Where to submit
There are two main routes:
Submission platforms. Services like SubmitHub, Groover and Playlist Push connect you directly to curators and blogs. You pay for a curator’s time and feedback, not guaranteed placement. As a rough sense of scale, SubmitHub reports platform-wide approval rates in the region of 25–30%, and Groover is built around detailed written feedback (often valued even when a track isn’t placed). Approval varies enormously by genre and by how well you target.
Direct outreach. Pitch blogs, zines, YouTube channels and independent curators that genuinely cover your style. This is slower but builds real relationships.
Find the right targets
Don’t spray and pray. Match by genre and size — a niche blog that covers exactly your sound is worth ten generic ones. Actually read what an outlet publishes before you pitch; if they’ve never covered anything like you, you’re wasting both your time and theirs.
The pitch that works
- Personalise it. Reference something they’ve actually published. “Dear Sir/Madam” and obvious mass-blasts get deleted.
- Lead with the hook. One or two sentences on why this track matters now.
- One clean link. A private streaming link for anything unreleased — never a giant attachment.
- Include your EPK and put the key facts (genre, release date, one-line bio) up top.
- Make their job easy. Everything they need to write the piece, in the first scroll.
- Mind the timing. For premieres, pitch 2–4 weeks (or more) ahead of release; some outlets want an exclusive, so don’t offer the same “exclusive” to five people.
What not to do
- Mass BCC blasts to fifty blogs at once.
- Demanding or entitled tone (“you need to feature this”).
- Huge file attachments that clog inboxes.
- Aggressive follow-ups. One polite nudge is plenty.
After a placement
Say thank you, and share the piece on your channels — that sends the outlet traffic and makes them glad they covered you. Follow the writer or curator, and keep the door open for next time. Coverage is a relationship business; the second placement from someone is far easier than the first.
Manage your expectations
Rejection is the norm, not a verdict on your music — even great songs get passed over for fit, timing or volume of submissions. Treat feedback as a gift, target better next time, and keep showing up. Consistency and good targeting beat a single scattershot blast every time.
