Independent artists are constantly looking for ways to get their music heard.
You may have a great song, professional cover art and a strong story, but sometimes the thing stopping your music from getting played isn’t the music itself.
It’s the way you’re submitting it.
I get a lot of music submissions for MyDetroitHustle Radio and my syndicated hip-hop show, Always Hustlin’ with OG-10. Sitting on the receiving end of those submissions has shown me some common mistakes artists make that can hurt their chances of getting heard.
These aren’t complicated marketing tricks. They’re simple things you can do to make it easier for DJs, radio programmers, show hosts, bloggers and other music platforms to support you.
Here are five things I recommend.
1. Follow the Submission Instructions
This sounds obvious, but it’s one of the biggest mistakes I see.
If a platform gives you submission instructions, follow them.
Those instructions are usually there for a specific reason.
For example, when artists submit music to MyDetroitHustle, I ask for clean and dirty MP3s along with cover art.
Why?
I can play uncut music on Always Hustlin’, so the dirty version works for the show. However, I’m also building my library of clean music because I’ve been presented with opportunities involving college and terrestrial radio.
Having your clean version gives me more opportunities to potentially use your record.
The same thing applies to cover art.
I sometimes promote songs that have been added to rotation by posting their artwork. Cover art can also appear while a song is playing, helping listeners identify the artist and potentially search for the song, stream it, follow the artist or buy their music.
Then there’s the file format.
If the station asks for an MP3, send an MP3.
Artists sometimes send WAV files, MP4s or other formats that require additional work before I can put them into the station’s system.
When I’m going through a large number of submissions, I may not have time to stop and convert somebody’s file.
I can simply move on to the next submission.
Remember:
Submission instructions aren’t designed to make things harder for you. They’re usually designed to give your music the best chance of being used.
Make it easy for people to support you.
2. Send One Song at a Time — Your Best Song
Don’t send your entire album and ask somebody to figure out which song they like.
That’s your job.
Do your research. Get feedback from listeners. Pay attention to which songs people respond to the most.
Then submit your strongest record.
A DJ, radio programmer or curator may not have time to download a 12-song album, listen to everything and decide which record you should be promoting.
That’s closer to a music consultation or professional review service than a basic music submission.
If you want someone to listen to an entire project, help you select singles and give you detailed feedback, paying for that person’s time and expertise is reasonable.
For a regular submission, lead with your best song.
If you have several strong records, you can still submit them — but I recommend submitting them one at a time in separate emails.
Here’s why.
You might send me three songs in one email. I listen to the first song, like it, add it to rotation and move on to the next submission.
I may never return to that email.
Now two good songs are sitting there unheard.
Give every song its own opportunity.
3. Include Your Social Media and Website
If someone likes your music, make it easy for them to find you.
Always include your main social media accounts and, if you have one, your website.
There have been times when I’ve wanted to tag an artist to let them know their music was added to rotation, but finding the correct social media account became another task.
That can also happen if I want to review your music, talk about you on the show, share your content or learn more about what you’re doing.
The person receiving your submission shouldn’t have to become a detective.
If they have another 20, 50 or 100 submissions waiting, they may simply move on.
At minimum, include your primary social media account.
Even better, have a central website where people can find your music, videos, social media, merchandise and other information.
If you’re asking someone to give you exposure, make it easy for them to expose you.
4. Support the Platforms That Support You
This is one of the most important things independent artists need to understand.
The music business is a relationship business.
Before submitting to a platform, take a few minutes to learn about it.
If you’re submitting to a radio show, listen to the show.
If they accept artist drops, record one.
If MyDetroitHustle Radio adds your song to rotation and you make a drop saying:
“This is [Artist Name], and you’re listening to MyDetroitHustle Radio.”
You’ve contributed something valuable to the station.
It shows that you’re interested in building a relationship instead of simply asking, “What can you do for me?”
The same principle applies when a platform supports your music.
If they post your cover art, share the post.
If they play your song, tell your followers where they can hear it.
If they interview you, promote the interview.
If they post your video, send people to the page.
Ask yourself:
Why wouldn’t you want a platform that supports you to grow?
Artists dream about getting played on major radio stations, appearing on huge websites and being interviewed by major media outlets because exposure from large platforms has value.
But platforms become valuable because people support them.
When smaller independent platforms support your career, helping those platforms grow can ultimately make their support more valuable to you.
There’s also something strange about expecting somebody to listen to your music every week when you’re unwilling to spend any time listening to their show.
Support should work both ways.
Build relationships instead of simply collecting placements.
5. Be Courteous — Don’t Spam
There’s nothing wrong with following up.
There’s also nothing wrong with persistence.
But there’s a difference between following up and spamming somebody.
If you submitted a record a month ago and haven’t heard anything, sending a professional follow-up is reasonable.
Maybe the person missed it.
Maybe the inbox was overloaded.
Maybe they intended to listen and forgot.
That’s persistence.
Sending the exact same email five times in two days is different.
Repeatedly flooding somebody’s inbox isn’t going to force them to listen to your music.
It may accomplish the exact opposite.
Eventually, the person receiving the submissions starts recognizing your name for the wrong reason.
You don’t want someone to see your name and immediately think:
Delete.
Give people reasonable time to respond, follow up professionally and respect the fact that they may be receiving submissions from many other artists.
You want people to be happy when they see your name in their inbox — not irritated.
The Biggest Lesson: Make It Easy for People to Support You
All five tips really come down to one principle:
Remove unnecessary obstacles between your music and the opportunity.
DJs are busy.
Radio programmers are busy.
Bloggers are busy.
Playlist curators are busy.
Show hosts are busy.
The easier you make their job, the better chance you give your music of actually being heard.
So before sending your next music submission, remember:
- Follow the submission instructions.
- Submit your best song one song at a time.
- Include your social media and website.
- Support the platforms that support you.
- Follow up professionally without spamming.
Your music still has to be good.
But don’t let a bad submission prevent a good song from ever getting a chance.
Looking for Somewhere to Submit Your Music?
MyDetroitHustle is accepting music submissions from independent and underground hip-hop artists.
We’re building MyDetroitHustle Radio, Always Hustlin’ with OG-10 and the larger MyDetroitHustle platform as places where independent artists can get their music heard, their stories told and their work discovered.
If you’re submitting, follow the instructions, send your best record and make it easy for us to find you.
Visit MyDetroitHustle.com to connect with the platform, listen to the station and learn more.
We’re not just talking about helping independent artists get heard.
We’re building the platform where they can get heard.
— OG-10
Always Hustlin’ / MyDetroitHustle
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