🎯 Before You Pitch: Understand the Game
Before you pitch your music, contact an agent, or submit your press kit to a blog, pause. There’s one crucial step that most artists and creatives skip:
Deeply understand what you’re selling.
Understand who you’re selling it to.
Understand what they want.
This isn’t just about your music being good. It’s about aligning what you offer with what your audience — whether it’s an A&R, talent buyer, or publicist — is looking for.
💡 Everyone in the industry is looking for something different.
You might think:
“They’re all looking for talent. My band is talented.”
But here’s the truth:
Taste is subjective.
Business is strategic.
Not everyone will like your music, and that’s okay. Your job is to find out what people in the industry are really in the business of doing and tailor your approach.
Who’s Selling What?
Let’s break it down:
• Agents and Talent Buyers
They sell shows.
Pitch your audience, live experience, and your ability to move tickets.
• A&Rs
They sell records and brand synergy.
Pitch your sound, your story, and your brand alignment.
• Publicists
They sell stories.
Pitch your unique journey, your message, and what makes you newsworthy.
• Publishers and Music Supervisors
Publishers sell songs, supervisors sell scenes.
Pitch song quality, mood, lyrics, and synch-friendly material.
• Radio and Streaming Promoters
They sell the right song to the right format.
Pitch genre fit, playlistability, radio-friendliness, and audience reach.
• Managers
They sell everything about you.
Pitch your commitment, work ethic, and partnership potential.
🎤 One Pitch Doesn’t Fit All
Tailor your emails.
Do your research.
Put yourself in their shoes.
Ask:
What are they looking for?
What are they in the business of doing?
When you start with their needs, not just your music, you’re building real relationships. That’s how you stand out.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to focus on making music. It’s harder but smarter to understand the business behind it. Think strategically. Pitch purposefully. And always remember, in this industry:
Relationships are more important than random emails.
