A journalist at a music site gets dozens of messages a week. A good press release for a new single saves them time: it gives the facts in a form they can quote, check and turn into a short news item without chasing you for details. It is not your bio, not a personal pitch and not a poster. It is a short news document about one event, your release.
Press release, EPK or pitch email
These three are often mixed up, so it helps to separate them.
- Press release. One page of news about a specific event: a single, an album, a tour. Written so that it can be published almost as it is.
- Press kit (EPK). An overview of you as an artist: bio, photos, best tracks, highlights. It does not age as fast.
- Pitch email. A short personal note to one person, explaining why this release might interest them. The press release is usually attached or pasted below it.
The structure that works
Most press releases follow the same order, because editors know where to look:
- Headline. Who released what. Factual, one line.
- Opening paragraph. The essentials in two or three sentences: artist, title, release date, where to listen and what makes it news.
- The story. One or two paragraphs about the song: what it is about, how it came about, who worked on it.
- A quote. Two or three sentences from the artist, and perhaps one from a producer or collaborator.
- Release details. Title, date, genre, label if there is one, key credits.
- Short bio. Three or four sentences about the artist. The same block can sit unchanged at the end of every release you send.
- Contacts and materials. Who to contact, and where to find the audio, photos and cover.
At the top, add the date and either "for immediate release" or an embargo date if the news should not appear before release day.
Headline and first paragraph
The headline should work even if nobody reads further. Compare two versions:
- Weak: A new chapter begins for a rising star
- Better: Lalə Nova releases "Yay gecəsi", her first single recorded with a string quartet
The second one says who, what and why it is interesting. It also contains the names people will search for. Avoid words like "sensational", "unique" or "long-awaited", and let the facts do the work.
The first paragraph repeats and expands the headline. A busy editor may copy only this paragraph, so it has to make sense on its own.
Quotes that sound like a person
"I am very happy to share this song with my fans" could be said by anyone about anything. A good quote adds something only you can say: a detail about why you wrote the song, a moment from the session, a decision you made.
For example: "We recorded the strings in one take at two in the morning. You can hear a chair creak before the last chorus, and we decided to keep it." A journalist can build a headline around a line like that.
Keep quotes short, and make sure they sound the way you speak, not like an advertisement.
Length, format and materials
- Length. One page, often less. If it does not fit, cut the story, not the facts.
- Format. Paste the text into the body of the email as well as attaching a PDF. Many editors will not open attachments from people they do not know.
- Language. Write in the language of the outlet. A Russian-language site should get a version properly written in Russian, not a machine translation.
- Materials. Two or three high-resolution press photos, horizontal and vertical, with the photographer's name; the cover art; and a private listening link if the song is not out yet. In the document itself, say where each item can be found.
Do not attach large audio files, and do not send unfinished mixes.
Who should receive it
Think small and relevant rather than wide:
- music news sites and the culture sections of local media in countries where you have listeners;
- music editors at radio stations that play your genre;
- bloggers and Telegram channels that write about new releases;
- the media in your own city, which often cover local people.
Send it one to two weeks before release, so there is time to prepare a piece, and follow up once around release day. Address each person by name and add one line on why this release fits what they cover. A well-written release that reaches ten right people does more than a generic one sent to two hundred.
When an outlet does publish something, thank the person who wrote it and share the piece on your own channels, tagging the outlet. Keep a simple list of who wrote about you and when. Next time, those are the first people you write to, and they already know your name.