How to write a great music press release
Image Credit: Bank Phrom 10 tips for writing a press release as a band or solo artist.
Have you got exciting news about your music that you can’t wait to share with the world? Then you need to get the information out there, and that means sending a music press release to journalists, music bloggers and broadcasters to persuade them to write about you. If you’re a DIY artist promoting your music for free, making a career in the music industry without a PR team, you’re going to have to work the system.
Feeling overwhelmed? Here’s a guide to writing a music press release. Get to the point
Think to yourself: ‘Is it newsworthy?’ Make sure your press release actually contains brand new information.
The whole point of a press release is to make it unbelievably easy for the journalist to immediately understand the key point of what you’re announcing. They’re going to use it as a jumping off point to write around, so you need to make it easy for them to write lovely things about your music.
Say it in three or four short paragraphs, including a very brief bio about the artist. Aim for 800 words maximum, and never more than two sides of A4. Make it clear what the story is about
The journalist is not going to get back in touch to ask what you actually want them to write about, so you need to make it blindingly obvious. Format it properly, look online for band press release examples, and use headlines that describe the story of the press release.
Don’t try to be too clever – if you’ve thought of a witty line, use the standfirst (the second line that summarises the story). If you’re announcing new music, don’t bury it at the bottom of the text, put the link at the top. If the track isn’t out yet, maybe send a private SoundCloud or unlisted YouTube link. Put the important stuff first
Use the ‘Inverted Pyramid’ writing layout. The idea is that the press release could be cut from the bottom without losing the main story. Put the most important information at the top – your hook. First paragraph: ‘W’ questions about the news in your music press release – who, what, when, where, why?
Subsequent paragraphs: Information in descending order of importance. Why the news deserves to be promoted – specifics about your new tour , for example. The third or fourth paragraphs are often quotes or artist biography.
Include extra information at the bottom – contact info, social profiles link, press pack.
Be professional
Press releases are a place to clearly broadcast your news, not your love for Comic Sans. Make the press release the best it can be from the beginning, bearing in mind some music bloggers just copy and paste from press releases if they can’t be bothered to rewrite them. (Tip for music bloggers – please don’t do this.) Don’t exaggerate – journalists can’t […]
