Why Your Music Would Never Get Published & How A Press Release Kit Can Change That

Why Your Music Would Never Get Published

I once came across a post that said: “Get your shit in front of as many people as possible”. I’ve been living by that for a while now, to be honest. It gets really tiring putting in so many hours creating content only to have it remain the dark. And with all music out there, it’s not easy staying ahead of renowned acts whose contents get sourced easily.

I’ve only been blogging for little over a year, but I am equally a huge fan of self-growth. The type that constantly pushes you out of one comfort zone to another; gets your shy self to a show where you know nobody and you have to introduce yourself without a sign of lacking confidence. Yeah, that kind of self-growth. I once met TuFace at a function and as open-minded as the discussions were, I had no intentions of bringing up the newly formed project that was Urban Effect.

Blame my mousiness, yes! But also blame the lack of preparedness on the project’s documentation as at then. I really bit myself at one point. Dwelling on the opportunity that had been missed. But I got to realize that a mere discussion could only go so far without proper planning and presentation. Yeah, there was a site, but what model was in place to aid in its function. A one-man army wouldn’t cut it.

Nonetheless, my desire for self-growth has brought me here, and one thing that has helped is getting word out to as many people as possible. And not just some over-hyped discussion in an inessential meeting, but a fully fledged documentation that goes beyond a proof of concept. In other words, talk about yourself in a format that can be shared and forwarded easily, over WhatsApp, email or Facebook; as informative as possible, or at least a summary that suggests what you want the readers to know.

As an independent artist or content publisher, you are entitled to a documented presentation of sufficient detailing, from an introduction to a proposition, of what you and your content stand for. A press release is a vital tool – the workforce of any personal promotion, or organization’s public relations program. Used properly, it can raise your visibility in the public eye, help create a positive image, and assist you in marketing your image.

You should learn to write releases in a journalistic style, answering who, what, when, where, why and how. Present the information in the order from the most important to least important, from the central idea to specific facts. Imagine that an editor will take a pair of scissors and clip from the bottom of your release. To keep the essential facts in place, include all critical information in the first paragraph – the first sentence if possible.

As an example, one artist whose releases I look forward to is the talented miss, Davina. Her releases come with an almost explicit address to the editorial team – you can hear her say with affirmation, “here’s who I am, and here’s what I do“

The press release should be objective, clear and easy to read, and it should not include extra words or superlatives (We’ll be the judge of that 😒). Make sure relevant links are provided for purchase and download. And if any photos are used, they should be carefully identified as attached; same goes for audio (mp3 files), or if you are addressing an album/EP, make sure you provide access to the compressed/zipped folder.

Below are links to some press release templates that I would recommend.

• Press Template
• Template.net