How to Submit Your Music to Blogs
For Artists
Submit your music to blogs by finding publications that cover your genre, sending a short personalized email 2-3 weeks before release, and including a private streaming link, a one-paragraph bio, high-resolution press photos, and a clear hook that explains why the song matters now. Target 15-25 blogs per release. Expect a response rate of 10-20% from well-targeted pitches.
Blog coverage is not what it was in 2012. Blogs no longer break careers the way they once did. But they still matter for three specific reasons: they create a press trail that builds credibility, they give you content to share and reference in future pitches, and they produce backlinks that help your SEO. A feature on even a small genre blog is more valuable than 10,000 passive streams because it is a third-party endorsement that compounds over time.
The full promotional framework is in How to Promote Your Music. This guide covers the specific process of finding, pitching, and landing blog coverage for your releases.
Find Blogs That Actually Cover Your Sound
The biggest mistake artists make is pitching blogs that do not cover their genre. A hip-hop blog will not review your ambient folk album no matter how good the pitch is.
Start with artists in your lane. Find 5-10 artists at a similar career stage in your genre. Google their names plus "premiere," "review," "interview," or "feature." The blogs that come up are your target list. These publications already cover artists like you.
Use Hype Machine. If your genre appears on Hype Machine, the blogs aggregated there are actively posting about independent music. Browse by genre and note which blogs post frequently and have engaged readerships.
Check SubmitHub and similar platforms. SubmitHub, Musosoup, and Groover let you filter curators and blogs by genre. Even if you do not submit through the platform, use the directory to discover blogs you would not find otherwise. For a deeper look at submission platforms, see SubmitHub and Music Submission Platforms.
Build a spreadsheet. Track every blog you target: publication name, editor or writer name, email address, genres they cover, submission guidelines link, and the status of your pitch. This becomes your press database. You will reuse it for every release.
Pitch via Submission Platforms vs. Direct Email
Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
SubmitHub (premium) | Guaranteed listen, fast response, curator feedback | Costs $1-$3 per credit, high rejection rate, impersonal |
SubmitHub (free) | No cost | Lower priority, slower response, very high rejection rate |
Musosoup/Groover | Guaranteed response, broader blog network | $2-$5 per submission, similar rejection dynamics |
Direct email | Free, more personal, room for relationship building | Lower response rate if no prior relationship, requires research |
The most effective approach uses both. Submit through platforms for discovery (reaching blogs you have no relationship with) and pitch via direct email to blogs where you can personalize the message or have an existing connection. For pitch templates and structure, see Music Press Pitch Template.
Write a Pitch That Gets Opened
Blog editors scan email subject lines for 2 seconds. Your pitch needs to pass that scan.
Subject line format: "[Genre] Premiere/Review Opportunity: [Your Name] - [Song Title]"
The word "premiere" gets attention because it implies exclusivity. If you are offering a premiere (giving one blog the first public play of your song), say so in the subject line. Premieres have significantly higher placement rates than review requests because the blog gets to be first.
Pitch body (keep it under 150 words):
Paragraph 1: One sentence about who you are, your genre, and one credibility signal (a notable previous placement, a streaming milestone, a notable support slot, or a sync placement). If you have no credibility signals yet, skip this and lead with the song.
Paragraph 2: What the song is about and why it matters right now. This is your hook. Connect the song to a moment, a feeling, or a trend that gives the editor a story to tell. "A breakup song" is not a hook. "A song written the night after a three-year relationship ended, recorded in one take" is.
Paragraph 3: The logistics. Release date, private streaming link (SoundCloud private link or Dropbox, not Spotify if unreleased), link to press photos and assets, your website or EPK.
Close with your name, one social link, and a thank you. No signature block with 15 links.
Timing Your Submissions
2-3 weeks before release for reviews and features. Blogs need time to listen, decide, write, and schedule the post.
3-4 weeks before release for premieres. Premieres require coordination on timing, and the blog needs lead time to prepare.
Day of release or after for round-ups and playlist features. Some blogs run weekly or monthly round-ups of new releases. These accept submissions after the song is live.
Do not pitch a song that comes out tomorrow. By the time the editor opens your email, the release window has passed. Early pitching is a sign of professionalism that editors notice. For more on outreach timing and strategy, see Music Blog Outreach Guide.
Follow Up and Build Relationships
Follow up once after 7-10 days. A short email: "Following up on my pitch for [Song Title]. Happy to answer any questions. Release date is [date]." If no response after the follow-up, move on.
Thank editors who cover you. A quick email after a feature publishes goes a long way. Share the post on your social channels and tag the blog. Editors remember artists who amplify their work.
Keep pitching. One feature does not make a press strategy. Pitch every release to your target list. The blog that ignored your first single may feature your third. Consistency builds familiarity, and familiarity builds relationships.
Track your results. Log which blogs responded, which featured you, and what type of coverage you received. Over time, your database shows which publications are worth pitching and which consistently ignore your genre. That data saves you time on every future release.
Artists building a promotional system on their own terms treat blog outreach as one channel in a larger strategy, not the entire strategy. For the full picture of getting your music reviewed, see How to Get Your Music Reviewed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many blogs should I pitch per release?
15-25 well-targeted blogs. More is not better if the targeting is poor. Ten personalized pitches to blogs that cover your genre outperform 100 generic emails to blogs that do not.
Is blog coverage still worth pursuing?
Yes, for credibility, SEO, and compounding press history. A blog feature is a permanent reference you can include in future pitches to larger outlets, venues, labels, and sync supervisors.
Should I pay a publicist instead of pitching myself?
If your release justifies the investment ($1,000-$5,000 for an indie publicist campaign), a publicist brings relationships and reach you do not have. For most early-career artists, self-pitching is the right starting point. You learn the process, build your own relationships, and save the publicist budget for a release that warrants it.
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Coordinate the Full Campaign:
Orphiq helps you plan releases and promotion so blog pitches, social media, and playlisting all work together instead of in isolation.