How to find music blogs and playlists to submit to
Getting write-ups from established music blogs and magazines is akin to building your portfolio or résumé.
When you’re doing outreach to industry professionals, it can help to have a few reviews under your belt. Every quote is an addition to your press kit.
It also serves to tap into an existing audience whilst impressing your current followers.
In this article, I share with you some of my favourite ways to find bloggers, influencers, and playlisters who are looking for new music.
You can also download a FREE PDF version of this guide so you always have it to hand!
Table of Contents
- Hype Machine
- The Indie Bible
- Submithub
- Musosoup
- Groover.co
- MySphera
- Instagram / Twitter
- Feedspot
- Best Practices
Hype Machine
Hype Machine indexes music blogs and curators around the world.
If you manage to get a feature on a blog that’s indexed by HM, your track will make it on its database.
The more blogs that write about your song, the higher it can land on their chart.
Hype Machine aggregates all the articles that feature each song and organises them into a single entry in its database.
You can check out the sites they index here: https://hypem.com/sites
If you're using Submithub, you can filter the choice of blogs to ones that are “Listed On Hype Machine”.
I would couple this with their 'premiere' option, which means that whichever blog says yes first, gets to be the first to share.
Any other blog after that can still choose to feature it, but only after the premiere has been and gone.
The Indie Bible
The Indie Bible is a great resource for artists and managers.
It gives you access to a huge database of curators who want new music.
The package includes guides on how to approach them alongside lots of handy music industry advice.
Submithub
Submithub is a platform that connects you to music curators and social media influencers.
The site was developed and founded by Jason Grishoff.
The app allows you to submit to reviewers that might like to feature you on their blog, playlist, or channel.
Submithub’s standard credits are free to use. They give you 2 every 4 hours.
Premium credits come with a guarantee of a listen and allow you to submit to more people.
The curators there are more incentivised to listen to premium submissions.
This is how they make their money.
Submithub also has a cool feature where you can earn premium credits. Check out Hot Or Not.
In the process of selecting the outlets you would like to submit to, you have the option to filter down to blogs that are listed in Hype Machine, and that are part of Submithub's 'Really Good Bloggers' program.
More recently, Submithub allows you to submit to Instagram and TikTok influencers.
Here are Submithub's recommended strategies for social media coverage.
You can even make special requests so that your music is the focal point of their posts!
Above all, Submithub makes it very easy to discover and narrow down the outlets that are a good fir for you and your music.
Musosoup
I started using Musosoup recently and it has proven useful for getting the music to people who are keen to promote it.
The process is that you upload your music, and then anyone interested will make an offer.
Their model is different to Submithub and worth consideration.
A major difference here is that your money only goes to those who promote it.
Whereas with Submithub you are paying for consideration.
Groover.co
If you're looking to get feedback on an unreleased track or trying to promote an existing release, Groover.co is well worth consideration.
According to Groover, more than 1 million pieces of feedback have been given by more than 1,500 active music curators and pros, 200k+ shares (reviews, playlist adds etc.) and 500+ records signed.
MySphera
MySphera is yet another platform for artists to send music to influencers.
I recently started a campaign and got in a couple of playlists out the gate.
This platform is a great place to share and discuss music, but you don't go in there spamming.
Reddit etiquette (aka reddiquette) is a thing.
Follow a bunch of cool music subreddits and only post in a way that’s compliant with the sub.
Reddit groups (subs) tend to have their own rules. So be respectful, otherwise, you’ll get banned on your posts will get deleted.
Here is a list of music subreddits to get started.
Instagram / Twitter
I’ve approached many curators on Instagram and Twitter.
I do this by using the search tool.
Searching keywords such as “indie” or “alternative rock”, adding the accounts that show up, and sending a soft DM like below.
"Hello, are you accepting submissions at this time? I have some new music that might be a good fit for you. Thank you.”
Sometimes they will feature an email address on their bio or a link to their website and submission form.
Be sure to keep an eye out for all of this info!
This social media platform (by design) is a great way to expand your professional network and promote your content.
You can, for example, search people by their job title (e.g. Music Journalist), and connect with them that way.
What I advise is that you go for quality connections and open a dialogue if you can.
Similar advice as above with IG and Twitter, be polite, ask permission, and don’t spam.
LinkedIn is also great for sharing Youtube videos. They embed themselves in the feed!
Feedspot
Feedspot aggregates popular blogs and websites.
For example, here is a list of the Top 200 Music Blogs ranked by popularity.
Best Practices
Now before you get started…
Do not go in for the kill on the first message!
Focus on building relationships.
Think long term over the short term.
Be concise.
Don’t spam.
Ask permission.
Be considerate.
And above all, be authentic.
Happy submitting!
Photo by rupixen.com on Unsplash
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