A guide to submitting singles for review

We’ve talked on this blog before about doing your own digital PR, getting music out to blogs and websites for reviews and features. Yesterday Wendy Roby, who writes the ace singles review section for Drowned In Sound, posted on her tumblr a guide to submitting your music to her for review.

I highly recommend reading it even if you haven’t thought of sending a single to Drowned In Sound before http://wendyroby.tumblr.com/Singles

The general take-aways from the blog are as follows:

Only send music to websites/blogs who cover the music that you make. If you play in an awesome crossover metal band send your music to Thrash Hits, not Drowned In Sound or resident advisor (electronic music). It’s a waste of both your time and that of the person you’ve sent it too.

Make sure your email is easy to understand and also to search for in an inbox. Include release dates, label name and a short description of the band.

Include an mp3 if it’s a single review, both as a download/attachment that the reviewer can put on their mp3 player but also as a YouTube video or in a Soundcloud player so they can embed it as part of a review or news item.

Check out the article and drop any comments you have on successes and failures you’ve had with doing ‘PR’ in the past below.