If you’re an artist looking for reviews for your press kit, website, or quotes for your new album, how do you find the right people to review your music?

I am a music reviewer. When I started, I had to do something to build my reputation. I focused on acquiring music I enjoyed and sought out labels and artists that represented my interests. A lot of research and testing of the waters was involved. The same applies for the independent artist that does not have representation, nor can afford it. As an independent, you must do everything from promoting your music, running a website, and one of the most important pieces of the puzzle, getting some good reviews to attract attention to your product.
Whenever I would contact an artist or label, they requested a sample of my work. I would tell them that my website was my resume, and asked them to check it out. I designed, maintained, and uploaded all the content for my site, and that included all the reviews and interviews I had done. It was an effective combination that brought me to where I am today. I am all over the Internet. Do a search on Google under MuzikMan, you will get hundreds of hits.

As an artist, similar success is obtainable if you target your market. Find reviewers that cover your genre. Read their reviews and become familiar with their style of writing to see if you are comfortable with it. The one thing that artists do all the time, that has me shaking my head, is that they will send me e-mails such as ?Where do I send a CD for review?? or ?Check out this song?. Okay, first of all you are not telling me who you are, what kind of music you have created, where you are from, and if you have read any of my previous reviews. You are basically telling me you did zilch for research and are just sending out as many e-mails as you can to see what kind of response you will get.
That?s a crap shoot, and a huge waste of my time and yours. Once again, target your market. In a broader sense, target your audience, the potential reviewers, and the publications that they write for. Do your homework. Such an e-mail is liable to get no response, or something like ?I?m sorry, I am not accepting reviews at this time.?

The same thing goes when you send off your CD without contacting the reviewer. Don?t do it! I don?t have time to ask all of these questions to someone that wants me to do all the work; and then I have to pamper them to give them some direction and information that they should already have before approaching me for my free services.
You are asking for a professional review for no charge - something that is going to help you to promote your product and make money? Where else is this done? Think about that for a moment. It?s a sweet deal for the artists. Just send your CD out and a review comes back no strings attached. Not a bad deal. I have piles upon piles of CDs in front of me at all times. What I have to do is eventually sit down and go through them all track by track to initiate a process of elimination. Can I afford to be selective? Your damned right I can. And once that?s done, I discard at least 50% of what was sent to me, because it?s something I simply do not like or it just isn?t that good.

Most reviewers are just like you, they work day jobs, have families to support and they do all of their work at night while everyone else is winding down. Respect and treat others as you would like to be treated yourself.
Do you think if you ?make it? and hit it big you will have time to answer e-mails and promote yourself? I doubt it. There will be somebody else doing that for you. Respect the time it takes the media to get back to you.

I am in the position I always wanted to be in, which is to have access to the music I want to hear and enjoy. It took me a few years to get to that point, but I paid my dues like everyone else to position myself. Keep in mind, with success you will have a busy and tight schedule, and you only can do so much in a day. There are tons of sites out their designed specifically for the Indie artist. There is also a lot of free information to educate yourself on the right way to market your music.
You spend time and money to send out all those CDs and press kits - don?t you want your music to end up in the right hands? Don?t you want people that are into your kind of musicto hear it and write about it? It makes sense.

Most artists do not have clue how to market themselves. I can?t tell you how many CDs I get that fall into genres I won?t, and never have covered. I have received blank CDs with no tracks listed on them, no information to follow up with an artist, burned CDs with atrocious artwork and quality, CDs that skip all the way through. You name it and I have got it one time or another.
On the flip side I have people that send me binders of information, and the music is just not my cup of tea. Online press kits are the way to go. If a reviewer accepts your invitation to listen to your music send back a link to your press kit. If they want more information on you they will get online and read it. Save yourself some time and money!

This is the life of a reviewer. This is reality. All of this is only my personal viewpoint and opinion…other reviewers may not agree. For a popular reviewer that is in demand, time is critical. If you are a good reviewer, you take your time and really listen to the music, and give it your best with every review. I do, and that?s why the process is longer for me, and the CDs continue to pile up. A lot of reviewers just flip through a few tracks and write a paragraph. Anyone can do that. Believe me, it?s always an honor to hear someone?s work. The reward is the response you get from the artist after sending them a glowing review. For me the words that make it all worth it are ?Thanks for the great review, I think you really got it.? This means I understood their message and their music. For me that?s what it?s all about.
So an ?atta boy? never hurts. We have egos to you know. Just a quick e-mail to say thanks and acknowledge the work on your behalf is a nice gesture. To not acknowledge someone is rude and unacceptable. As hard as you work at putting that music together, a reviewer is out there that knows that, and expects nothing less from themselves. They will give back to the artists and their fans the same kind of effort with a fair, and well thought out review.

I do 30 to 40 reviews a month, including interviews and the occasional article when requested (like this one). I do it because I love it, period. I don?t expect a pat on the back or kudos, I expect professionalism and respect from the person that wants my attention and a write-up.

Make sure you know who you are sending your requests to. What publications do they write for? Are they accepting submissions? If they are, how long before a review would be forthcoming? Do not bug the reviewer with e-mails asking if they have listened to the music yet; they will contact you when a review is ready. If you don?t hear back in a reasonable amount of time, then contact them to ask if they plan on reviewing your music. You will get a yes or no, at least you would from me.

So, that?s my viewpoint as the guy at the keyboard pounding out all the words. Don?t forget now, I started reviewing my own music from my own personal collection before I wrote for all the publications I do now. I also had no formal journalism experience or education. When I look back at the reviews I wrote in 1998, I cringe. They were awful. I could look at any review I ever wrote and make changes to improve it, just as musicians do with their music. What?s my point with all of this? Some kind folks with experience helped me, and gave me a chance to get to where I am today. I know how that feels. That is why I support Indie artists. In a sense I am one too.

I will never forget from whence I came, but I refuse to deal with arrogance, laziness and unmotivated people. Those are my choices as an individual that insists upon high standards. That?s what it?s all about for me today as a reviewer and music lover. I want to give my best because I know each and every artist out there does the same when they record their music, whether I like it or not. We are all in the same boat traveling on the same sea. I hope all of this helps you before you decide to start promoting your music without thinking about how you are going to do it.

About the Author:
Keith ‘MuzikMan’ Hannaleck is an independent music reviewer.
Keith writes reviews for over a dozen music sites on the Internet, including Music Dish and ProgressiveWorld.net, have a squiz some time…

This entry was posted by Will Dayble on Monday, August 28th, 2006 at 9:56 pm and is filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.