The Perfect Pitch: Nailing Music PR

Articles

5 Feb

Knowing what to include in a press release and where to send it is one thing, but what actually makes a good pitch, and what can you do to improve your pitches?

Example of one of our actual PR pitches at the bottom of this article!

Every artist wants to be heard, and for independent artists with no top ties to the industry, this is where you’re on quite a level playing field. For a music blog or label, every review, mention or share starts as a message in their email inbox. There are little to no ways to boost yourself to the top of the queue or highlight your submission amongst others, so your actual email message needs to be seriously good to get them to consider listening.

As a journalist that also offers PR services, I’ve been on both sides of the pitching game, and I find that there’s a lot more ways to make a bad pitch than a good one, and I’m not sure if this is unfortunate or fortunate. Nevertheless, here are a few tips to up your pitching game, or teach you about how to pitch, if you’re new to releasing music!

Be polite and use proper grammar. Seriously.

This might seem like a no-brainer, but I have received dozens of pitches via email and social media that read: “Hey, listen to my new song” or “Hey I wanna send u my track, here’s the link”. If a pitch like that receives a response let alone a feature, then the receiver was probably feeling particularly generous that day. In the same way you would be polite to a person in customer service or a stranger, keep this same manner when sending a virtual message. If you don’t know the receiver’s name (make sure to check the contact page), simply say “Dear/Hi [name of blog/journalist,etc]. For example, “Hi Cobra Promotions, I hope you’re having a lovely week”, is a perfect, friendly introduction. A poor introduction or comically casual pitch gets an instant delete.

2. Keep all details brief in the email message

You might want to launch right in and spill all the details of your release, but remember that all of this information should already be in your press release. Keep the body of the email message brief, highlighting only the name of the release, the release date, a one to two line biography of the artist and maybe a bonus fact if it’s an interesting one and will peak the receiver’s curiosity! This is the main body of your message, and it’s everything you need. Make them feel invited to listen, guide them to listen, and then let the music speak for itself.

3. Understand who you’re pitching to

It’s very important to have an understanding of what the receiver offers. Are they a blog? A journalist? A radio station? A podcast producer? You will need to adjust your pitch accordingly. If you ask a blog to “play” your track or consider it for airplay, this shows that you didn’t do your research, and you’re not up to building a rapport with the outlet. Outlets that cover your release are like fans - if they like your music, they will be happy to support you in the future, and you should definitely build a relationship with them from the start. Find out the call-to-action: If it’s a blog, check if they do reviews and/or interviews, or if they have playlists. If it’s a radio show, ask if they would consider spinning the track or considering it for a premiere. Bonus points if you research what show your song would fit best.

4. Provide all of the correct information you mention

If in the email message, you mention a music video for the track but don’t have it included in the press release, this shows some poor organization. Make navigating your assets as easy as you can for the receiver, and make sure you have all of the standard assets included. If you’re wondering what to include in the press release itself, check out this article on what you need in a press release.

5. Don’t go overboard with follow-ups, but don’t be afraid to follow up either

Sending a friendly follow up shows your commitment to your campaign and your passion for your release, and it can make you stand out as not all artists do it. It depends on the preferences of the outlet, but I would recommend to send a maximum of two follow ups - one exactly one week to your release (providing you have gotten in touch at least two weeks before, or ideally three) and then one on release day, to let them know that the song is now out. However, be sure to check their submission guidelines if any, because some strictly request no follow-ups. If there’s no mention of it, there is no harm in sending one, because your release may have gotten lost in a sea of submissions.

Irish roots and blues rock band, Cascando — ***Example of our Cascando pitch below!***

Example of a music PR pitch:

This is an official pitch I sent out to promote Cascando’s new single, “Jimmy Boy”. This was tailored to blogs and journalists only, and there was a similar but separate pitch for radio and podcast hosts. It’s a simple pitch, but to prove it’s impact, I secured coverage on:

Hotpress
The Irish Times (the band were named a top 20 act to check out in 2024)
RTÉ Entertainment
Rock ‘N’ Load Magazine
Grateful Web
Headbangers News
Info Music France
Metal Rose Media
Drop Rocket
& more.

Dear []

I hope this finds you well! Delighted to be sending over the upcoming release from fantastic rising Limerick band Cascando, who sound as if they’ve emerged straight from the 60s.

The band are releasing their new single, “Jimmy Boy” on November 29th, and it’s a fabulous potpourri of blues, rock and folk.

We would love it if you checked out the single and considered it for coverage. You can access the press release and all assets at the link below, or beneath this message.

[link to press release]

Happy listening!

Kindest regards,

Rhí

Also interestingly, Cascando’s campaign and my last campaign included my most to-the-point pitches, and proved to be the most successful of my career so far. Simple truly is best, and being nice goes a long long way.