Music publicists: How to help them help you
Hiring a great music publicist can change the trajectory of your entire career, but only if you’re ready for them.
A guest post by James Shotwell of Haulix.
We’ve spent over a decade helping record labels, independent artists, and publicists worldwide share new music with influencers. We cannot tell you how many campaigns we’ve witnessed, but enough have come and gone that we feel confident in saying that we’ve seen nearly every variation of an album/single/tour rollout imaginable. If we have learned anything from this time, no two campaigns are alike, and most have no idea what they’re doing.
But we understand that the cause of this problem involves us. Like many other blogs and voices in music, we have spent decades telling artists to go independent. Many have listened to us, and quite a few have found success. Others, however, have tried to go it alone and wound up worse off than before. Why? The answer varies, but one thing is always true: The person behind the promotional campaign wasn’t up to the challenge of promoting new music/tour dates in the current industry landscape.
We believe in independent artists. We believe everyone should make the music that fulfills them, and we urge musicians to release music themselves whenever it makes sense.
That said, we also believe in asking for the help you need. Adding a publicist or manager to your team at the right time can make all the difference in your career. But how do you know when you’re ready for something like that? Well, today we have an answer.
In the latest Music Biz update, host James Shotwell breaks down the key things every publicist is looking for when considering whether or not to work with a new client. These answers are pulled from conversations with music PR from the worlds of rock, pop, metal, and hip-hop. Their responses may not shock you, but they will ensure you are prepared to make a big impact with your next campaign. Check it out:
Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
James Shotwell is the Director of Customer Engagement at Haulix and host of the company’s podcast, Inside Music. He is also a public speaker known for promoting careers in the entertainment industry, as well as an entertainment journalist with over a decade of experience. His bylines include Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Substream Magazine, Nu Sound, and Under The Gun Review, among other popular outlets.
