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How To Pitch Music Editors in 2022

How To Pitch Music Editors

Successfully selling story ideas to music editors is difficult, especially in 2022, but we can help make your next pitch the best one yet.

The only thing worse than the state of streaming royalties in 2022 is the state of music journalism. Each year for the last half-decade, dozens of music blogs have shuttered as audiences shrink and the demand for content continues to boom. Most writers are creating solely to chase their passion. The amount of money earned by the average music critic is well below the poverty line, and even those who manage to find full-time work are constantly waiting for the next shoe drop.

We wish we had a solution to the way things are, but that’s not how entertainment works. You can only do so much to convince people to try a new blog, podcast, or YouTube channel. Your content either shines brighter than the stars or ends up overlooked alongside a million other well-intentioned articles that never found an audience.

But there is hope for the talented. Dozens of major publications are still operating with a budget for freelance submissions. The competition for this money is fierce, but with the right story and well-worded pitch, you can stake your claim at the cash.

To help you better understand what makes a great pitch, we are resharing a submission from bestselling author and former Noisey editor Dan Ozzi. Enjoy:

Make Sure You Have a Fully Formed Idea and Aren’t Just Talking Out of Your Ass

You don’t need to have your whole article written, but you should have a clear idea of what the topic is and what points you will cover. I get a lot of pitches along the lines of: “How about a piece about how Michael Jackson was like, the original Drake or something?” These emails tend to come in after midnight and smell like Adult Swim commercials and Doritos if you know what I’m saying. Then I will send a response saying, “Cool, can you further explain WTF you’re talking about plz?” And surprise, surprise, the explanation is usually: “Like… Because they both wore red jackets and stuff. I don’t know, it might be stupid.” Cool, I’m glad we bonded over the shared experience of wasting our time together. Never forget.

Condense Your Piece Down to One Sentence

Instead of writing out five long-winded paragraphs explaining what you want to write about, give me a summary in one sentence. Or even a proposed headline. Have you ever heard of an elevator pitch? Sure you have. It’s how you would describe a larger project to a person if you had only a brief elevator ride with them. So imagine this: You are in an elevator with me. I am quietly sobbing because I suffer from severe vertigo and crippling phobia of smelling farts in enclosed spaces. How do you make me interested? Go! Sell me this pen!

Know the Outlet You’re Pitching

If you are pitching a site that is both #cool and #hip and sometimes even #edgy, you should craft your pitch to reflect that. Know their voice and also their audience. Do they mostly cater to people under 25? Do their readers use phrases like “on fleek” and “trill?” Is their audience primarily interested in cool vape tricks on Vine? Know all of this stuff and when pitching, don’t come across like you’re trying to write for some academia blog. Conversely, if you are pitching an academia blog, you probably don’t want to use phrases like “on fleek” and “trill.”

Know the Editor You’re Pitching

If you’re introducing yourself to an editor, start with a quick, personal opening line like, “Hey Dan, I really liked your last thinkpiece about how stingrays are the most punk fish in the aquatic kingdom. Good stuff.” This does two things: One, it lets me know that you are a real person who is catering to me, a fellow real person, and that you are familiar with what genres/beats I cover. And two, it kisses my ass just a tiny bit which I need because I am a music writer and require constant stroking of my ego in order to survive.

“Pitch” Is Not a Good Subject Line

That’s it, really. You won’t even get your email opened, let alone answered, if the subject is “pitch.” Put the basic idea of the article in the subject.

Here’s a good subject line: “This Venezuelan Hardcore Band Holds the World Record for Most Consecutive Hours Spent Masturbating”

Here’s a bad subject line: “pitch for you”

Check to See if It’s Already Been Done

Here’s a good use of two seconds that will save everyone involved a bunch of time: Before you pitch an idea, go to the site you’re pitching, enter the topic in the little search box, and hit “enter.” If this topic—or a similar topic—has already been covered, take your business elsewhere.

Be Timely

Different pitches have different lifespans. A long, well-researched investigative piece has the potential to live on forever and ever in the ethers of the interwebs. But something quick and dumb about the Left Shark or escaped llamas has a shelf-life of a day, if that. Send a pitch about a day-old meme and prepare to have your email printed out and passed around the Secret Society of Editors to be mocked while you are forever branded as that freelancer who wanted to write something about the IKEA monkey.

Pitch Ideas, Not Bands

This is probably the single most important piece of advice and I guess I should have put it at the top but am too lazy to change it now. As a music editor, roughly 8,000% of the pitches I get are just interviews with bands the writer likes. “Hey Dan, I want to interview this band The Shitty Pitches. They rule.” Well for starters, tell me something interesting about The Shitty Pitches or what you plan to interview them about. Is there something special about them? Did they grow up on a remote island and not hear music until they were in their thirties? Do they play on instruments they hand-made from their parents’ checks to their liberal arts colleges? TELL ME. Otherwise I’ll just assume it’d be a generic interview that asks my least favorite questions and will pass.

Do Not Pitch to Ask if You Can Pitch

I get this one a lot and it never stops confusing me. Someone will email me and all it will say is “Hey Dan, I wanted to send you a pitch about a band. Would that be cool?” No one has time to lure a timid writer squirrel out of its hole. Pitch or get off the pot.

Do Not Send Generic Garbage Pitches for Garbage People

This is another one that seems like common sense yet happens all the time. Someone will send me something like “I want to write about the current state of punk.” This is kind of like pitching a Hollywood producer a movie about love. Narrow it down.

Do Not Rattle Off Any Old Whatever the Fuck from Your Phone

When you send me a one-line email with “sent from my iPhone” at the bottom, what that basically tells me is that a thought ran across your brain and instead of thinking it out, you just fired it off to me while waiting on line at Cinnabon.

Don’t Pitch Out of Your League

If you pitch an editor with “I want to interview Kanye West,” you damn sure better know Ye personally and had him sign a blood oath saying he’d be down for an interview. There is nothing more obnoxious than someone requesting to interview a celebrity and then asking the editor to put them in touch with that celebrity. We don’t have giant rolodexes of famous people here. (Just kidding, we totally do. But don’t assume that.)

And Lastly, Here’s a Good Sample Pitch Email

Subject: Bands and their grandmas

Hi Dan, [Hey, you used my name! Now I know you are a real person and not a Pitch-Bot 5000. Cool.]

Nice piece last week on how peanut butter is the punkest food. Thought it was pretty… nutty. Was that terrible? [Woah, you have a sense of humor and are maybe a person I could stand working with on a regular basis? Sweet.]

My name is John Q. Writer and I am a freelance writer who has written for CoolBlog dot com and OtherCoolBlog dot com. [Include a link here to your online resume or blog or something where I can get a feel for your style. DO NOT go into your life story—where you went to college, what you studied, the first time you did hand stuff under the bleachers. I do not care.]

As you probably know [assuming that I am on the pulse of culture, nice nice…], a lot of bands are taking their grandmas on tour these days [maybe include a link to something on this on the very, very small off-shot that I, a person “in the know,” am not glued into this particular important cultural trend]. I wanted to write a piece called “Get in the Van, Nanna” exploring this idea. Why do bands do this? What benefits are there to touring with your grandma? I want to talk to Band Number One, Band Number Two, and Band Number Three who have all done this and also speak with their grandmas. [Woah, all of this info is helpful and interesting and I could totally see my readers digging this and sharing it on TweetBook.]

Let me know if you’re interested. [I am.]

Many thanks,

John

[This is the blank space where you’ll notice it does not say “sent from my iPhone.”]

Sound good? Cool.

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How to write compelling concert reviews

Reviews are a dime a dozen these days, but a great live review by an engaging author can still make the difference between a tour’s success or failure.

Ah, the concert review. It has been a staple of entertainment journalism longer than almost any other feature, appearing long before recorded music was even thought possible, and it will most likely outlast us all. Why? For starters, the financial risk in seeing virtually any show is much higher than consuming a single song, album, or movie. Most people will risk $10 on a new release, but far fewer people are willing to spend $30 (or in many cases, much more) to see a performance whose quality is uncertain.

Then there’s the YouTube problem. Just last week, I saw Kelly Clarkson tell a crowd of thousands at Van Andel Arena how much she appreciated their attendance by admitting, “I don’t know if I like anyone enough to leave my house. You could have watched this whole thing on YouTube from your couch, but you’re here, and that means something.”

There are thousands of hours of concert videos on YouTube. In the time it takes to read this article there will likely be hundreds, if not thousands more than when you started. A lot of the clips feature muddy sound and poor video quality, but there remains more than enough decent uploads to sustain those unwilling or unable to purchase tickets for themselves. Just look at this video from the latest Panic! At The Disco tour, which is currently making its way across North America:

The clip above may not duplicate the live experience, but for many, it’s good enough.

These reasons, as well as many others, explain why creating quality live reviews is so important in entertainment today. A compelling live review can determine whether or not a ticket is bought, which plays a role in whether or not artists can support themselves and continue to create.

The importance of criticism in regards to concerts is as much about the performers on stage as it is the production, the crowd, and the overall vibe of the event. Journalists can speak to all these elements on a technical level, but what really grabs today’s easily distracted reader is the critic’s own journey. The consumer of your material may never make it to the show in question themselves, and the reasons for that are numerous (schedule, cost, etc.). What they can do, however, is live vicariously through you.

In today’s entertainment writing culture, the key to crafting a great live review lies in learning how to tell a good story — your story. You should consider yourself, your feelings, and everything that goes into a night out on assignment as a vessel for others. Capture as many moments as possible, especially the tiny moments that others in the crowd might miss, and use them to make your story more engaging for the reader. Here are some questions to get you started:

  • What is the weather like?
  • Is it hot or cold inside the venue?
  • Do people look happy to be there?
  • When did the venue staff notice people lining up? (Don’t be afraid to ask!)
  • What are people in the crowd talking about?
  • What are people in the crowd wearing?
  • How much time between sets?
  • Did the performers engage the audience? If so, how?
  • What moments from this show will you remember in six months?
  • What would you change, if anything, to improve the night?
  • How did you feel during the show?
  • Were your expectations met?
  • Where were your expectations?

2019 is shaping up to be a banner year for live entertainment. Legendary acts are returning to the stage for a final run, new artists are trying to fill large venues, and there appear to be more festivals than ever before. Everyone who is anyone is trying to get a piece of consumers’ live entertainment budget. The reality is, only a few will succeed, and critics can play an active role in determining who comes out on top.

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The Essential HaulixDaily Content from 2018

2019 is upon us. As the music business slowly returns to normal, we wanted to take a few moments to reflect. The past year has been a busy one for us. From traveling the country to appear at conferences and colleges, to creating a wide array of content covering our changing industry and the best ways to navigate it, we did our best to bring you a little bit of everything.

Everyone knows music professionals are busy so we wouldn’t blame you for being unable to keep up with our every post or activity. Instead, we decided to compile our favorite posts from the past twelve months and present it here for easy access.

Use the links below to catch up and prepare for the year ahead.

Inside Music Podcast:

Industry Advice and Insight:

Writing Advice:

Advice For Musicians:

Piracy Reports And Stories:

Editorials:

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A cure for writer’s block

If there is one thing that unites musicians and the people who write about them it is the constant struggle to maintain their creativity. It does not matter if you are a blogger or fronting the world’s biggest band, there will be times in this life when you are not able to create at a level you feel is good enough. Call it writer’s block or some mental hurdle; the name doesn’t matter nearly as much as the recognition this resistance is both real and universal. Everyone who attempts to create anything faces these struggles, but that understanding doesn’t make your ability to complete your work any easier.

On a recent episode of his podcast, comedian Joey ‘Coco’ Diaz was speaking with fellow comic Tom Segura about longevity in stand up. Both Joey and Segura are headliners in comedy today, but it took years of hard work and thousands of jokes to reach that level. Still, both men constantly find themselves at a creative impasse. While talking about this on air, Diaz mentioned advice he once received from legendary comedian Paul Mooney when discussing his creative hurdles. Mooney’s advice was summaries in three simple words: get entertained.

I know what some of you are thinking: Get entertained? But I have deadlines! People are counting on me to finish this thing, and it needs to be something great, and it needs to be done now!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you’re so stuck that you’re reading articles like this about overcoming mental blocks, then the chance of your work being completed to the best of your abilities in the next hour or so is highly unlikely. You have thought about the thoughts you are trying to think too much, which is to say you’ve begun to work yourself in circles. You’re chasing ghosts of ideas you thought you might have at a time other than right now and no amount of searching is going to make them miraculously appear.

Your brain, like your biceps or any other muscle, can only work so much before it needs to rest. To work more efficiently your mind needs exercise, which in the case of creative people includes inspiration in the form of experiences. You are the total of everything you have experienced up to this point, and those experiences have now become both your source of inspiration and – hopefully – income. To continue feeling inspired to create you need to keep taking in new experiences. I say this not just for your work, but for your sanity. You can drive yourself crazy starring at an empty canvas, or you can go out, see or hear or touch or taste or smell something that moves you, then immediately feel the need to create once more purposefully.

That may read like common sense to some readers, but the up and comers still trying to get their foot in the door will think it’s crazy because they’ve been taught this industry does not allow for breaks. Who has time to watch a television show, let alone a two-hour feature film, when emails are flowing like water at all hours of the day? Add to this the need to maintain social channels, which can require posting up to (if not more than) ten separate feeds on any given day, and we haven’t even addressed the actual work any creative is trying to accomplish. Writing songs or stories takes time, but so does finding inspiration, and far too often we forget that fact.

You are only human, and your brain is just a muscle. To perform at your best, you have to rest and exercise, but physically and mentally, on a daily basis. It’s both that simple and that hard, but like any other meaningful routine in life, it is worth the effort.

So the next time you find yourself banging your head against a wall while trying to create your next masterpiece try taking a step back for an hour, night, or even a couple of days. See a movie, go on a hike, or just put on your favorite records. Spend time remembering why you love the thing you do so you can then share that love with the world at large. We’ll be here, ready and waiting to experience what you decide to share.

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Journalism Tips: Coverage Confirmations 101

If the first goal of every young music writer is to gain access to albums from their favorite artists before those records arrive in stores, then the second goal is usually to see those artists in concert without paying the cover charge. Yes, free admission to concerts and festivals is one of the perks of writing about music, but just like advance access to music, it’s a perk that doesn’t necessarily have to be extended to you.

No show or event is truly free to writers. Your currency in these exchanges is your voice and whatever audience (aka reach) you have through the outlet that shares your work. Upon receiving confirmation that you have been added to the list of any event you are entering into an agreement that you both will attend the said event and that you will write about that event in a timely manner. For example, if you attend Van’s Warped Tour on Monday after promising a review to PR then it should not take a week or more to post that review online. If it does you will risk straining your relationship with the PR that granted you access in the first place. More importantly, you will develop a reputation that extends beyond that one relationship and follows you where you go in music. The industry may seem large to outsiders, but it’s actually quite small, and everyone who knows anyone will come to learn of your lack of follow through.

This is about good business as much as it is respect. People will get upset if publicists do not reply to their requests in a timely manner, but see no problem dragging their feet to complete content that was promised in advance of receiving a coverage confirmation. Those who respect others and their time/work will, in turn, receive the same respect.

Rey Roldan, the founder of Reybee Inc., recently wrote the following on coverage requests and confirmations from the perspective of a publicist:

If you request music or tickets from a publicist and promise or confirm coverage, it’s your duty to make good on it… and if for some reason or another, you can’t keep your side of the deal, it’s only respectful to let the publicist know. Don’t ghost them.

It’s understandable if you hated the show or the music and you don’t want to cover it because of that reason. But let the publicist know, so they don’t constantly hound you for the link.

If you confirm an interview date and time but something comes up and you can’t make it, let the publicist know ASAP. Don’t wait for the time of your interview to tell them that it’s a no-go. It only makes the publicist look bad and could create tension in your relationship moving forward.

If you get confirmation of guest list or photo passes to a show (especially the bigger, higher profile shows) and can’t make it, let the publicist know as soon as you can. There’s a chance that the publicist can use your spot to give to another writer/photographer who was cut from the list. We, publicists, do sometimes check guest lists after the show to see who showed up and who didn’t.

If you are requesting tickets to a show with multiple artists, either send one email with all the publicists on copy or make sure if you get confirmed on one list to let the other publicists know you’re all set. If you are on multiple lists for the same show, it can prevent other writers/photographers from covering that show. Or if we publicists cross-check our lists and see you on it more than once (or worse yet, see multiple names for the same outlet on different lists), it looks bad for you and/or your outlet.

Making relationships in this industry can be difficult. Maintaining them is easy. Just don’t fuck them up.

Respect and follow-through are everything in this business. Do your best to follow the golden rule (treat others as you want to be treated) and you’ll do just fine.

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A simple trick for improving your relationships with publicists

Do you know what I hate? My inbox. Every single day for the last decade my inbox has been flooded with press releases, pitches, and promotional messaging from thousands of contacts around the world. A few artists and artist reps talk to me regularly, a few even daily, but the vast majority only make meaningful contact when they need something.

If you’re a music writer, you can probably relate to this struggle. You want to be someone people turn to with opportunities, but you also want to live life away from your inbox. The tug of war between your personal and professional life blurs the more you work to be diligent with responses, but ultimately you lay in bed at night and wonder whether or not your time is wisely spent.

Now if you think that is bad — imagine how publicists feel. A publicist goes through all the same struggles outlined above; only their experience is 10x worse. They know, nine times out of ten, that an email in their inbox is a request. They don’t know what the person wants or needs, but they know it is something that will add to the list of things they need to accomplish. Even if all they can do is to decline, there is still work to do, and that work never ends.

I tell you this because a surprising number of writers do not appreciate how fortunate they are to receive any response at all from most artists and publicists. Unless you a contributing to one of the top tier entertainment publications the chances your one post is going to make a significant impact on the trajectory of someone’s career in 2018 – without them publicizing it heavily themselves – is minimal. Today’s talent needs a lot of quality coverage, not to mention a lot of different types coverage, from numerous sources. There has to be a strategy to the chaos of promotion, and implementing that strategy requires someone who oversees the madness that is attempting to make people care about someone’s creative output. That responsibility almost always falls on the publicist (or, in their absence, the artist), and it is up to them to figure out how and where and when to push content.

And you know how they keep these jobs? Results. The person responsible for promotion is judged on the results of their work. Did they secure a lot of news coverage? Did the interviews go to sites who had significant influence and/or strong writing talent? Where did the exclusives premiere and why? Were there any opportunities left on the table? If so, why?

To answer the questions above publicists create reports that are regularly updated, which only adds to the workload of these already busy professionals.

This is where you come in.

Every time you write about an artist you need to send the artist’s press contact a link to the published post. Tagging the artist on Twitter or other social media platforms is not enough. Some artists receive hundreds, even thousands of notifications throughout the day. If you want your name and site to get ahead, you need to ensure your work is being seen by the right people, starting with the artist and their representation.

News post? Email.

Review? Email.

Editorial? Email.

Top 10 best hair moments? Email.

Publicists spend a significant amount of time scrolling through Google notifications, and RSS feeds in search of content relevant to their clients. The names and sites that appear through those efforts are hurried into spreadsheets so that another name can be added to the list. You don’t want to be just another name on a list. You want to be known as a writer who gives a damn, and that begins with making sure people know your work exists.

REMEBER: Relationships are everything in music, and you can further yours by helping those around you do their jobs more efficiently. In writing, that means sharing your content with the people who shared that information with you in the first place.

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Journalism Tips: Make More Memes

Let’s face it: There is too much content. Try as we writers might to believe our work the best, there is no denying the seemingly endless entertainment options vying the finite amount of time people have in the day to day lives. Watching a video or listening to a podcast may take longer than reading an article, but some consumers see it as being better because both videos and podcasts allow for multi-tasking. It is not hard to listen to a conversation and work at the same time, but reading three-thousand words on an artist who will likely appear on a podcast or release new music soon is another story. Reading requires focused attention, and that is in increasingly limited supply in 2018.

Great up and coming artists are a dime a dozen, but great up and coming artists who can attract and hold consumers’ attention long enough to click a link, let alone read an article are far rarer. Even rarer still are publishers who see coverage of smaller acts as something worthy of their time or funding. There is a discussion to be had as to why this is bad for everyone, including the publisher, but for now, let’s focus on the conversation at hand.

In writing about an up and coming artist, you are hoping to reach two audiences: Established fans and curious consumers. The former will likely share your story, but they’re not as likely to click unless promised something exclusive or otherwise new. The latter will most likely only click if the name sounds familiar or something about the post itself stands out. The trick is in being unique while simultaneously following the lead of what is already popular in culture. For example, memes.

You cannot guarantee how many times the publisher will share your content, but you can tweet all you want through your account. Before sharing your story, take some time to craft clever and original memes inspired by the artist from your article. Do not mention the story, but instead stick to the established joke format used by every other person on the internet. Whenever possible, mention the artist, but only if it makes sense in the context of the meme. If it does not, you can always tag the artist as being in the associated photo.

Taking memes seriously as marketing tools may seem silly or foolish, but in the world of social media memes are a cultural currency that holds immense power, especially among young consumers. A great meme will attract shares and retweets, which in turn promote the artist and your identity as creator. You will receive followers, which may or may not abandon you later, as well as some brief fact time with countless people familiar with the band you are strategically promoting through meme creation.

With a little bit of luck, the memes you create will go viral amongst the artist’s already established fanbase. That may mean ten shares or ten-thousand, but know that every single one counts. The engagement generated by your original content will help to integrate you and your work as being a part of the fan community and not something produced by an outsider hoping to inspire a quick spike in traffic. That familiarity is priceless because it is what will ultimately drive clicks and shares of your story. Every artist community may be different, but the golden rules amongst them all is that fans support fans. Be one, and the rest will have your back.

Here’s an example:

Two weeks before covering up and coming pop-punk group Hot Mulligan I began drafting ideas for memes and similarly shareable content related to the band and their upcoming album, Pilot. It was around this time that two new memes started to circulate online, including what is now known as ‘Savage Patrick.’ The meme, which uses a photo of Patrick Star from Spongebob Squarepants, is used to express a ‘savage’ comment or behavior. In reviewing the lyrics to Hot Mulligan’s then-current single, “All You Wanted By Michelle Branch,” I discovered a line that seemed to fit this idea perfectly. The resulting creation was this:

A few days later, I created another meme, this one borrowing from a viral 2-image series known as the “Sleep On” meme. That meme performed even better than the one before it. It looks like this:

Both Hot Mulligan and their label shared each tweet, as well as several band members through their accounts. Fans soon followed suit.

When my article was published a days later, I returned to those two memes and added links to my story through threaded tweets. As the shares continued, so did exposure to my article. Additionally, several accounts that had followed me in the wake of the memes engaged with tweets about the post without needing to see the threads. The fan community recognized my posts as being from someone they knew to be familiar with the group they loved, and they didn’t think twice to help a fellow fan spread the word.

If all this wasn’t enough, it’s worth noting that both Hot Mulligan and their label appreciated the extra content I created. As silly as it sounds, a meme can often reach more people than a video or a song link, and a great meme shared by passionate fans can do more to encourage engagement with unfamiliar talent than all the well-written words in unread articles ever could.

Journalism is here to stay. Memes, for better or worse, are here to stay as well. Embrace them, master them, and then use them to further your readership. Even if you fail to create a significant surge in traffic you will undoubtedly attract more followers and, in time, those connections will help to grow your audience as a whole. It’s all part of the evolution of this industry. Adaptation is not an option, but a requirement. Don’t wait — create.

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Blog Tips: Language matters when covering assault

Often in music journalism it feels as though every step forward is immediately followed by half a step back. A rather harmless example of this would be people learning that diversity in content offerings often breeds better engagement, but then they spread themselves too thin trying to cover too much and the quality of their content begins to slide. This is a minor setback that is easy to fix, but not all things are this easy to change.

Over the last few years music journalism as a whole has increasingly taken notice of wrongdoing within the music industry as it relates to assault, unwanted advances, and related problems. The attention paid to these cases has helped make more people aware of the issues being faced in our global music community, but all too often the language used does not correctly describe the events that happened. The most recent example of this involves Molly Rankin, vocalist for the band Alvvays, who was nearly assaulted mid-performance by a male concert goer in Belgium. The man rushed the stage in the middle of a song and tried to surprise Rankin with a kiss, but she moved out of the way before he could have his way with her. You can view the incident in question below (it begins at the 3:35 mark).

No one in the music community has condoned this man’s behavior. What they have done, however, is underplayed the seriousness of his actions by using the wrong language in their story. Here are a few examples:

So a common thread here? All these sites promote the story as a man ‘trying to kiss’ a woman he never met who does not know who he is and certainly did not ask for his affection. That is not an attempted kiss. That is an attempted assault.

Assault, more specifically sexual assault, is defined as a sexual act in which a person is coerced or physically forced to engage against their will, or non-consensual sexual touching of a person. You may not personally believe kissing count as a sexual act, but for many it does, and insisting someone kiss you against their will is an act of sexual violence.

When writers use the wrong language to cover instances of assault or other crimes they are (perhaps inadvertently) normalizing the behavior. They are downplaying the seriousness of the allegations, or in this case the actual events, with language that infers the situation has some quality of lightness. Rankin may have been able to laugh off this bizarre instance, but that is no reason to think she’s okay with the fact it happened. It’s never okay, and as journalists reporting on the events specificity is key in helping audiences understand what makes such actions inappropriate.

Women in music – or anywhere else – owe men nothing, yet again and again we read stories like this where guys take their shot because they don’t see the harm in taking a chance. As influencers on this culture it is the responsibility of every writer to take action against wrongdoing and urge their readers to do the same. 

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How to handle ‘leaked’ news

Want to know what I think the worst part of my job is? The easy answer is a day when I get a bunch of personal and hateful things heaved at me anonymously. But that’s more of a byproduct of the job, not actually a part of it. The worst part of my job is when I am sitting online looking at any one of my aggregation feeds and I see something that I know is a “leak” of pertinent band information. Sometimes it’ll be Amazon or iTunes that has prematurely posted album information, sometimes it’ll be a tweet about a new song title from a small market DJ, or even, worst of all in my opinion, an actual song leak. I’ve talked about these tough circumstances before, most recently on episode 42 of the AP.net Podcast; however, I think that it’s worth expanding upon even more.

A large portion of this matter comes down to how I see my job. What is it that I do? Am I just a way to put out press releases when a band or label declares them ready for dissemination? Am I a “journalist”? Am I a blogger? By and large I view myself as a news aggregator and occasional columnist; someone offering an opinion on a variety of topics. I fear that if our website turns into just another place to post press releases we will have lost a part of what makes us special and loved. We will have lost what I believe is valuable to labels and bands in the first place: the very fact that people read our website. Some publications choose to value the bands’ or publicists’ wish and will at all costs. I understand that position and respect it — as I believe it is theirs individually to make. I, however, have to make the choice as a writer where I value our readers in this equation. I know that I don’t have full trust in certain publications because I can’t be sure that they’re writing for and respecting me, the reader, when they post. If I think a publication would pull an unflattering story or relevant information — I can’t trust them. And with that, I wouldn’t trust their opinion on music or their reporting on news stories. And, therefore, I use myself as a yardstick for the kind of reader I believe reads our site. What would I want to read, what would I expect, what standard do I hold the writers I follow to? These are the questions I ask myself every day.

I am well aware you may have different thoughts on how you would write online, I want to make it clear that I respect that as well — I’m not trying to say my way is the only way, or the right way, or even the best way. I’m simply trying to elucidate my reasoning and where I’ve landed at this stage in my career. I revisit my logic frequently, especially if I know it has bummed out a band I greatly respect.

Let’s look at it this way: If our core readers visit Twitter, or Facebook, or Tumblr, or another website similar to ours, and they have already seen some information by the time it’s “officially announced” — it has become “old news” to that audience. Giving people old news they’ve already read is antithetical to my mission statement. On the internet, yesterday’s news is virtually synonymous with nonexistence. However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t put a pit in my stomach sometimes when we have to make a tough call. At the time when this information spreads to an official “source” like iTunes, I get stressed out. Did the band plan for it to just come out like this? Was there supposed to be an announcement? Why wasn’t this coordinated? What happened? And in a few minutes I have to start confirming information, preparing a post, and making the call for if it goes up or not. In this case, we posted it. Then I sit there and watch my email hoping that I don’t get one from the label asking us to pull the post down (or worse something directly from a band member). I hate those emails. I know it comes with the territory and I don’t hide from it. I really do believe the label is doing their job and I respect that. I always try and let everyone involved in one of those email chains know our policy, where the information is from, where it’s sourced from, that deleting it makes it worse, and that I will update the post with any information or statement from the band they’d like. Still, it’s a very stressful scenario (and as of this writing no such email has come in this particular case).

Let’s look at the other example of the day: I’ve known the guys in Yellowcard longer than many real life friends at this point. The people I went to my first Yellowcard show with I now know as those people I sometimes see on Facebook when they post pictures with their kids. Yet, even with this history, I believe in acting in accordance to our policy and not shifting it based upon the band in question. If we’ve been told not to post something under an embargo (more details about this special case below), I absolutely will not post it. Yet, if something is out on the internet and we are not the source for it — I do believe it is my job to post about it. If that causes harm in the relationship I have with a band, I totally understand that. It’s painful to me on a personal level but my other option is to bend my policy and give special favors for certain bands and therefore censor the news that I think that our audience would like to know (in turn they would be right to seek the information elsewhere and lose trust in me). Extrapolating that to its logical conclusion, we become a website that isn’t known for having the best information about all the bands readers want — and I feel as though I have failed at my job.

I’m not unlike most people: I don’t particularly enjoy bands, or labels, or publicists, or managers, or friends being mad at me. I don’t relish the idea of someone I respect being upset with me. It’s a dance between press and “journalist” (bleh) and one that I wish I had better solutions to after years of waltzing. My lighthouse is to continually come back to the question: Who am I writing for? I’m writing for the others like me that are looking for all the latest information on bands they love — and I feel duty bound to report on the information that’s available. All in all, this leaves me with a variety of options and a set of guidelines:

Option 1

I don’t post anything at all. The information is now elsewhere on the internet and I just wait until it is “supposed” to be released. It spreads around on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and other websites. The “place” to talk about these stories is no longer AP.net — we, in turn, become more of a press release echo-chamber. The pro is that bands and labels probably like us more and the con is that our readers like us a whole lot less.

Option 2

I go rogue and post everything and anything. I post anything I hear, even if it’s embargoed or off the record. I post links to full album leaks and thumb my nose at legal. I lose respect for myself, hate my job, and quickly burn every bridge I’ve spent years building.

I see nothing good that comes from this option. I do see some sites that try and run with the full rebel/pirate mode and they seem to have a boost in popularity in the short term but few last very long. I’ve been doing this over a decade and don’t plan to quit anytime soon.

Option 3

I post the news and then remove it when asked by the band or publicist. This plays out very similar to option 1, only it also adds the wrinkle that our readers now know we are censoring newsworthy stories to some degree and that we can’t be trusted to give them the latest information about the bands they follow.

Option 4

I try to follow a set of guidelines (outlined above and below) and keep the dialogue open with bands and publicists and readers and other staff-members to make sure we are communicating every step of the way. This adds a level of transparency and hopefully trust with the reader — it lets everyone know where we stand and why. And, it keeps the conversation open for options we haven’t thought of or technology that hasn’t been invented yet. To pretend I have all the answers right now and can just follow a formula forever seems misguided at best. Mostly, I just want those that read my words to know where I’m coming from. I want them to trust me when I write something and know that I’m speaking from a position that places honesty paramount.

Album Leak Guidelines

One of the things I touched on in that podcast episode is that I will not post links to album leaks on our homepage. If a singular song leaks, I will, however, link to where it can be found. I will also immediately update that post to point toward where the song can be legally streamed or purchased the moment it’s available. This, to me, is probably the toughest call of all. I’m not specifically fond of linking to where someone can hear music if the band doesn’t want that music heard yet. At the same time, as I mentioned above, I do believe in my duty to inform our readers that a song is available to hear. I know that the band or label can normally have the sound file removed from somewhere like YouTube or Tumblr, but I am also aware that it’s sort of passing the buck. When this happens with a band I have a really great relationship with I can feel my hands get clammy and my stomach tie up in knots. This is where I have to try and be objective and realize that if I would post about the YouTube song “leak” of a band I didn’t like or consider friends, I need to be consistent in how I handle the situation with those I do.

Information About An Album / Tour Guidelines

These situations feel easier for me because it’s information and not music that is leaking. I understand a band, label, or publicist’s desire to control the information that comes out around certain big press announcements. I can empathize with all parties when they talk about how they get bummed out when information comes out before they’re ready.1This goes double when the band has had something special planned for the announcement or if they wanted to maximize the hype around information to coincide with a pre-sale or similar endeavor. I still struggle because I understand that without the bands making music, or going on tour, or being interesting to fans, we obviously don’t have a website; they are the lifeblood to the content that we cover. However, I am also cognizant of my duty to our readers: to present them with accurate and up to the minute reporting on things they are interested in reading. This is where all I’ve talked about above comes into play: I have to trust myself and my decision to write as though I’m our website’s number one fan.

Embargoes

When it comes to information that’s been embargoed, that is, given to us to post at a specific time but not before — I honor these completely. For example, I had the Yellowcard track listing before it was leaked today. Now, when something is embargoed that means I absolutely won’t be the source of the information, and I personally will not confirm something even if I know it to be true. I will present the information as “alleged” or “reported by” — and make it clear that I’m not confirming or denying the embargoed news. I am very careful about my words when I make a post on the website. If the information surfaces via another blog, or Amazon, or something that is not from us, then I will post about what has happened. This can create a weird scenario because, obviously, I wouldn’t post flat out false information. For example, I obviously knew the track listing being posted today was correct. I had not, however, seen the album artwork for Lift a Sail and made sure to note where the information was coming from, where I saw it, and that nothing was confirmed. It’s important to read how I word things because I always try to be as honest and upfront as possible about where information is coming from and what we currently know. I pick my words carefully. These situations, where information has hit the internet and I know the (embargoed) truth, are always complicated.

Off the Record

If someone tells me something off the record: I’m the only person that will ever know it. I don’t tell other staff, friends, or family. I usually will ask if this is information that can’t be attributed to the source and can be used as “background” or if it’s flat out never to be reported information. If it’s just for “background” — I’ll wait until I have multiple sources to run anything but without source attribution. I won’t give up a source, so you can either believe me or not in those situations, but my track record is pretty damn good.

When I cracked open my writing app and a beer tonight, I didn’t expect to write as much as I just did. But it feels good to have put it all down. These are the things that sit in my head and I have very few people I can discuss them with in any detail, let alone actually talk the theory behind them with. Thanks for reading if you made it this far — I venture the next long post will be about actual music.

This post was contributed to the Haulix blog by Jason Tate, founder of Chorus.fm.

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News


Someone wrote about your music online…Now what?

Gaining the attention of blogs and their readers is no easy feat, especially for unsigned talent with little-to-no history. You can write the best songs and have the nicest videos, but if you do not know how to network and pitch yourselves no one will ever learn about your talent. Once they do however, there will only be a small window of time for you to capitalize on having won a moment of their attention, and this afternoon we’re going to learn what you should do in the hours after first receiving media attention.

1. Take time to celebrate, but realize there is still a lot left to accomplish.

I was never in a band that became popular enough to appear on sites like Absolutepunk or the like, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t spend many nights wishing one of the influential tastemakers of the scene mentioned my efforts in their publication. If your music/video/album gets mentioned, celebrate! You’ve taken yet another step towards your goal of a career in music, and while it’s certainly not enough to pay the bills it does serve as a strong reminder other people in the world care about your art. Don’t take that for granted.

2. Tell everyone in the world about the news (and ask them to share it).

This one probably goes without saying, but the unwritten rule of exposure on music outlets is that the band featured will publicly share and/or promote the publication’s content once its live. Don’t just share link to stories with fans, but ask them to share it as well, and don’t be afraid to request they comment on the post if time allows. Sites that see a bump in traffic or discussions from coverage of your band are likely to cover your band again in the future because they believe there is a value to your content that other unsigned acts cannot provide. In order to show them that value you will need the help of your fans, and its up to you to sell them on sharing your work.

3. Engage the comments section, but don’t antagonize them.

If the reason you’re reading this post is because the first article about your music just went live, you need to understand the response in the comments section may be very slow at first. As much as sites love to help expose young talent, people are not always quick to comment (especially in a positive sense) about something they are unfamiliar with. A great way to combat this is to actively participate in discussions taking place in the comments section of articles about your band. Answer questions for people, offer insight into your creative process, and generally speaking do whatever you can to be a decent human being that is open to criticism. It’s not that difficult, but it can make a world of difference in how quickly people become engaged with your art.

4. Say “thank you” and/or support the publication that wrote about you.

You would not believe the power the phrases “please” and “thank you” have in the music industry. From labels, to bands, publicists, and everyone in between you would be hard pressed to find anyone who thinks they hear either of those phrases too often. People tend to do as they please and take what they want without giving much though to the process behind it all, but you can stand out from the countless unsigned artists of the world by voicing your appreciation to the sites that give you space on their front page. It does not have to be anything formal, but it should be sincere. People remember those who are kind to them, and they’re far more likely to want to work with you again in the future as a result.

5. Don’t be afraid to begin teasing your next announcement.

Once people learn about your art it’s very likely they will want to know everything they can about your current efforts. Using social media and the comments sections on posts about your work, take a moment to tell people about everything else you have going on while your name is still fresh on their minds. They might not buy the album or see the tour you’re trying to promote, but at least they’ll know of it and will have the ability to share that information with others if such opportunities present themselves.

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