How to Submit Music to Blogs: Finding the Right Writers and Writing a Pitch They Open
A step-by-step way to submit music to blogs: build a list of writers who cover your sound, write a short pitch with a real angle, follow up once and track what lands.
Submitting music to blogs is mostly a research job with a short writing job at the end. The writing matters, but the biggest reason pitches fail is that they go to people who never cover that kind of music.
This is the process to follow when you're pitching a single yourself, or helping an artist you promote. It works for blogs, online magazines and newsletter writers alike.
Step 1: build a list of writers, not websites
Start from the music, not from a list of big sites. Look up five to ten artists who sound close to yours and are a little further along. Search their names plus "review", "premiere" or "interview" and note who wrote about them in the last year.
| Column | Example entry | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Outlet | A regional indie blog | Where the piece appears |
| Writer | First and last name | People open mail addressed to them |
| What they covered | Two similar artists | Proof the fit is real |
| How they want pitches | Email, form or submission platform | Ignoring this gets you deleted |
| Status | Pitched / replied / covered | So nobody gets mailed twice |
Twenty well-matched writers beat two hundred random ones. A simple sheet is enough; tracking promotion in a spreadsheet has a layout you can copy.
Step 2: read each outlet's submission rules
Many blogs say exactly how they want music: a form, a specific email address, or a submission platform where the artist pays a small fee for a guaranteed listen. Follow the route they ask for. Some writers also say they only cover certain genres or only take premieres.
- If they ask for a streaming link, don't attach an MP3.
- If they say no follow-ups, don't follow up.
- If submission platforms charge per pitch, pay only for outlets that match the genre. A paid listen is not paid coverage.
Step 3: write a pitch that fits on one phone screen
Writers often decide in the first lines. Keep the email short enough to read without scrolling on a phone.
- 1Subject line: the angle plus the artist. "Song written in a hospital car park: new single from [artist]".
- 2First line: why you're writing to this person. Mention a piece they wrote.
- 3Two or three lines on the song and the story. One comparison to a known artist is enough.
- 4The link to a private stream, and the release date.
- 5One line offering what you can: a premiere, an interview, exclusive photos.
- 6Sign-off with a link to the press kit.
Step 4: time it and follow up once
Pitch three to five weeks before the release date. Premiere pitches go out first, to one outlet at a time; if they pass, move to the next. The wider pitch follows a week later.
| When | What to send | To whom |
|---|---|---|
| 4–5 weeks before | Premiere offer | One best-fit outlet at a time |
| 3–4 weeks before | Main pitch | The rest of the list |
| Around release | One short follow-up | People who didn't reply |
| After release | Thank-you and sharing the piece | Writers who covered it |
Step 5: use what you get
Coverage is only half the value; the other half is how you use it. Share every piece on the artist's channels, tag the writer, add the best quotes to the press kit and to playlist pitches. Use a tagged link when you share it so you know which pieces actually sent listeners.
Keep the list. Writers who covered one release are the first people to tell about the next. Over a few releases, that list becomes the artist's most useful press asset, which is the same thing a good publicist sells; see music PR basics. If you work with an AMZA Wingman, share the list in your weekly review so outreach and short video run on the same dates.
FAQ
How do I find music blogs that accept submissions?+
Search for artists similar to yours and note who covered them recently. Then check each outlet's contact or submissions page for how they want music sent.
Should I pay to submit music to blogs?+
A small fee for a guaranteed listen can be reasonable on known submission platforms. Never pay for guaranteed positive coverage, and only pitch outlets that cover your genre.
How long should a music pitch email be?+
Short enough to read on one phone screen: the angle, a few lines on the song, the link and the release date.
How many times should I follow up?+
Once, around the release date, unless the outlet asks for no follow-ups at all.
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