[This post was written by guest contributor brian botkiller.]
I don’t know about you, but when I was first starting trying to get my music reviewed, I thought I knew all the right media outlets. But as time has gone on, the places I look to get those reviews have changed — immensely. I’m going to give you some ideas on what you how you can get your music reviewed on the internet.
Find blogs that will review your music
I’m not going to lie to you; getting blogs to pay attention to your music is quite hard, because there are so many of them, and because the editors of those blogs can have very specific tastes, but it’s proven that music blogs serve a very important role in the new music industry. Why? Because the editors do not report (on average) to a corporate sponsor; they do not have advertisers they must report to, and they are independent. This means they can talk about and review what they want to.
How do you find those blogs?
There are resources. I would suggest taking a look at Hypemachine first. They aggregate music posted on music blogs, and also list blogs which post music. You can search this list, and then contact those blog owners to ask for a review of your music. NPR also knows a lot about the media world, so their blog list is worth exploring.
Remember to have your electronic press kit ready, with pictures, and a good, easy (did I mention EASY?) way to listen to your music. If your music isn’t in a quick, easy to listen to format, it won’t get listened to.
You can also spend some time searching the web for blogs that specialize in your genre of music, and this will also lead you to Internet Radio stations which do the same, as well as other reviewers. Make sure to use search operators which utilize quotation marks for your search terms – so if you wanted to find electronic music blogs, try searching for that phrase in quotes – this will give you better, more accurate search results.
Find the companies that make your instruments and interact with their artist representatives
I wrote awhile back about how you could work to be in touch with those who make your instruments and endorse them, and I would like you to reference this practice again.
If you can make contact with the companies that make your instruments, you might find one that is willing to feature you on their blog, newsletter, Facebook, and beyond. I know this works because I have made it work for bands I’ve been in. After chasing down the Artist Relations manager for Digitech guitar effects, I was able to get an offer from Digitech to do a video for one of their effect boxes which featured my band’s song. This video made it all around Digitech’s social media outlets, and helped to increase our recognition.
Take your time finding these folks, and when you do, slowly introduce yourself to them. They might just feature your music and showcase it to potentially millions of people into what you do.
Network with other bands
It really can’t be said enough; networking with other bands is key to finding great ways to get your music reviewed and featured. Why? Because other bands have done much of the footwork that you may not have done. Network with those bands that are like you, and see if you can share connections between your entities. This was how I was able to get my music featured on television; I knew a band who had done a lot of footwork, and I politely asked them for some input. They didn’t do all the work for me, mind you – I had lots to do myself, but they helped me find the way!
Dig local
You should never underestimate your local media, including the local paper and blogs, forums, and other local resources. Take some time to get to know the editors of these outlets, and find (if they still exist where you live), the music stores around you, and get to know the folks in charge of featuring music in-store. Your hard work could lead to one of many local outlets featuring you because you are part of the local artistic economy, and because you’ve taken the time to show why you’re worth featuring.
Closing notes
There’s no one simple answer to getting featured on any media outlet, but spending the time seeking those that are close to your genre or style, along with having a good press kit ready can pay off. Remember to not be too pushy, but don’t be afraid to send follow-up emails. Take the time to search and communicate, and you can spread your music globally in no time!
brian botkiller is an electronic musician and drummer who endorses DDRUM, Ahead Drumsticks, and Presonus Audio Electronics. He trains musicians on music-making at OBEDIA and can be found at brianbotkiller.com
