If you’re wondering what music blogs to submit to, I got you.
This post includes info on 30 indie music blogs. An intro, their preferred genres, and how you can submit your music.
Let’s go…
Contents
Want to Make Music for a Living?
Understanding the Music Business is important, but no one will take you seriously if your music doesn’t sound professional.
That’s why Musician on a Mission has created this new free workshop for people who want the entire framework for making radio-ready music at home.
Inside are the only 7 steps you need to go through if you want your mixes to sound professional.
So, if you just want a shortcut to pro-quality mixes, watch this free training now:
But if you just want to learn about Music Blogs specifically, keep reading.
How to Submit Music to Blogs
If you haven’t yet read our guide to submitting your music to blogs, you can do that here. I’d suggest reading that before you go through this post.
In that post, there’s an email template you’ll need.
Many of the below music blogs accept submissions via SubmitHub, but many of them don’t. If they don’t, you’ll submit by email.
Music Blogs to Submit to by Genre
The best way to use this blog post is as a library of blogs you can submit to. So bookmark it!
Most blogs prefer a few different genres.
Select the genres that match your music. And you’ll get a list of blogs that cater to your style.
American Songwriter Magazine
They have 1.5 million monthly website visitors. So getting a feature on American Songwriter could be a serious career boost.
They “explore all genres of music” in their bimonthly updates. Including write-ups and Q&As with established and younger artists alike.
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Folk, Hip-Hop, Lo-fi, Pop, R&B/Funk/Soul, Rock, Singer-songwriter
How to submit: visit their contact page and fill out the form, choosing “Music Submissions” from the dropdown box.
Bandcamp Daily
Bandcamp is one of the biggest indie music platforms in the world. And their music review publication, Bandcamp Daily, features their artists.
It’s free to create an account and upload your music.
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Folk, Hip-Hop, Lo-fi, Pop, R&B/Funk/Soul, Rock, Singer-songwriter
How to submit: you have to have a fully completed Bandcamp page (which is free). Then you can Tweet at BD’s contributing writers.
Also, Bandcamp keeps an eye on which artists are buzzing. They base it on stream counts, sales, preorders, and new uploads.
Birp.fm
BIRP.fm is a playlist and blog that features up-and-coming bedroom pop and rock artists. They update their playlist monthly and post the songs on their blog.
Preferred genres: Lo-fi, Pop, Rock
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Consequence of Sound
COS is a well-known music review site. Landing a feature here would also bring you a lot of exposure, as COS has quite a big fanbase.
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Folk, Hip-Hop, Lo-fi, Pop, R&B/Funk/Soul, Rock, Singer-songwriter
How to submit: email music submissions to [email protected].
Dance Charts
Dance-Charts is all about new original dance and EDM songs. They explicitly state they don’t accept mashups (or bootlegs).
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Digital Tour Bus
If DTB wants to feature you, they will ask you to write a guest blog post. Your song or video will be included in the post.
Preferred genres: Pop, Singer-songwriter, Rock, EDM/Electronic
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Earmilk
EARMILK gravitates toward hip-hop, rap, R&B, and funk. But they describe their taste as eclectic and open-minded.
Preferred genres: Hip-Hop, R&B/Funk/Soul
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Ear to the Ground
ETTG Music loves featuring emerging artists you’ve never heard of. Mainly focusing on folk and indie rock.
Preferred genres: Singer-songwriter, Folk, Indie rock
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Elevator
If you’re a rising hip-hop artist, ELEVATOR is an online magazine you have to check out.
Heads up: it costs $3.99 to submit your music in order to pay their dedicated music-reviewing staff.
Preferred genres: Hip-Hop, R&B/Funk/Soul
How to submit: visit their submissions page and fill out your info.
Folk Radio UK
Attention artists who make folk, Americana, and roots music! Folk Radio UK is the online magazine for you.
A couple of things to know:
They only review EPs and albums (not singles). And they have very specific submission guidelines.
Preferred genres: Singer-songwriter, Folk
How to submit: visit their submissions page and follow their guidelines.
Glide Magazine
Glide’s digital magazine focuses on songs with great lyrics, guitar, drums, and keys. They say, “no autotune,” and they prefer new music.
Preferred genres: Rock, Pop
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
HighClouds
Before you submit to HighClouds, make sure you’re submitting unreleased music. That’s the only kind of music they’ll accept.
Preferred genres: Lo-fi, Pop, EDM/Electronic
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Hullabaloo
Hullabaloo loves to focus on the intersection of music and poetry, activism, mental health, community, and feminism.
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Folk, Hip-Hop, Lo-fi, Pop, R&B/Funk/Soul, Rock, Singer-songwriter
How to submit: read their about page, see what they’re looking for, and submit by email. (The address is listed at the bottom of the page.)
Indie Shuffle
Indie Shuffle wants pop and rock, but not commercial pop and classic rock. They like “intricate indie rock and downtempo/house.”
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Pop, Rock, Lo-fi
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
LA on Lock
Before you submit to any of these blogs, your music has to be mixed and mastered and sound professional. But LA on Lock makes a point of mentioning, “MUST BE mixed & mastered.”
Preferred genres: Hip-Hop, EDM/Electronic
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Largehearted Boy
This small blog is run by “a music-loving guy” who explores the intersection of music and literature.
Preferred genres: Singer-songwriter, Folk, Pop, EDM/Electronic
How to submit: learn more about Largehearted Boy on the about page, then submit music to [email protected].
Mugatunes
They are the winner of Tunemonk’s Best Indie Music Blog of 2017 and the “Home of #NoShittyMusic.” So Mugatunes isn’t messing around.
They want great music and only great music.
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Hip-Hop, Pop, Singer-songwriter
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Music Bloggers Network
MBN is a collection of music bloggers who are “building an independent blogger and influencer community.”
They have a wide collection of bloggers with different tastes. So you can get featured on their site regardless of your genre.
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Folk, Hip-Hop, Lo-fi, Pop, R&B/Funk/Soul, Rock, Singer-songwriter
How to submit: visit their submissions page and fill out the form.
Obscure Sound
Obscure Sound is looking for “inventive tracks with engaging atmospheres and/or melodic hooks.” So if that sounds like your music, submit!
Preferred genres: Rock, Lo-fi, Pop
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Pitchfork
We all know Pitchfork. It’s probably the most well-known indie music blog out there.
So if they feature you, you’ll get a ton of exposure and bragging rights.
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Folk, Hip-Hop, Lo-fi, Pop, R&B/Funk/Soul, Rock, Singer-songwriter
How to submit: according to their contact page, you can send press releases to [email protected].
PopMatters
PopMatters looks for “forward-looking music of many genres.”
Despite the insinuation of their name, they specifically don’t want mainstream pop. Just indie music.
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Pop, Rock
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
The Revue
The Revue wants something unique, not the “repetitive, cookie-cutter approach.” They mention Ed Sheeran as an artist they don’t like.
Preferred genres: Rock, Pop, Lo-fi
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
RockDafuqOut
They prefer indie electronic, lo-fi pop, and singer-songwriter. But they say, “If it’s DOPE, we want to hear it.”
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Lo-fi, Pop, Singer-songwriter
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Songwriting Magazine
A team of songwriters, publishers, designers, and music lovers runs Songwriting Magazine. If your track highlights your songwriting abilities, send it here!
Preferred genres: Folk, Hip-Hop, Lo-fi, Pop, R&B/Funk/Soul, Rock, Singer-songwriter
How to submit: according to their contact page, you can send press releases to [email protected].
Stereofox
Stereofox doesn’t want any extremes in the genres of commercial pop, EDM, or hardcore trap.
Preferred genres: Lo-fi, Hip-Hop
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Stereogum
Stereogum is another well-known indie music blog. They don’t have clear submission guidelines on their site, but they don’t say you can’t submit music.
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Folk, Hip-Hop, Lo-fi, Pop, R&B/Funk/Soul, Rock, Singer-songwriter
How to submit: you can try contacting the senior news editor, Chris DeVille, at [email protected] and CC [email protected].
Tonspion
Tonspion will share your music as a blog post or on a playlist. And they typically share pretty quickly after approval.
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
When the Horn Blows
WTHB explicitly says no remixes or covers. Only original music.
Preferred genres: Pop, Rock, Folk, Singer-songwriter
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Wolf in a Suit
WIAS shares approved music in a blog post.
As is the case with most SubmitHub blogs, they respond to 100% of premium submissions. But they also respond to 85% of standard submissions.
Preferred genres: Pop, EDM/Electronic, Rock
How to submit: they only accept submissions via SubmitHub.
Your Music Radar
YMR is not just about sharing great music. They’re all about “championing artists, bands and DJs who we want to help get a leg up and get noticed…”
They seem to like dance-pop, remixes, and mashups.
Preferred genres: EDM/Electronic, Pop
How to submit: visit their submissions page and see which contact option is right for you. (Playlist inclusion, music review, interview request.)
Conclusion
Bookmark this post and use it when you’re ready to submit your music.
Remember, make sure your music is great, sounds professional, and is new or unreleased.
Here’s the thing… Understanding music business is important, but you won’t get anywhere if your music doesn’t sound good. You could end up with music that sounds amateur if you’re missing a crucial step. There is SO MUCH that goes into a good song and a professional mix. It’s actually pretty overwhelming. But what if I told you that you don’t have to be an expert (with years of experience) to make radio-ready music at home? Well… That’s the truth. It’s likely that you’ve already wasted time, money and effort on the wrong things. Most of us do. We waste years focusing on the wrong things. So, what should you focus on if you want fast results? Inside this new free training, you’ll learn the secret to making radio-ready music at home. With this new approach, you’ll know exactly where to spend your time and energy. You’ll no longer feel confused and overwhelmed by the recording and mixing process. So, if you want to learn the *exact* steps that will take your mixes to a professional standard in under a year… Watch this free workshop now:7 Steps to Pro Mixes at Home
Caleb J. Murphy is a singer-songwriter and music producer based in Austin, Tx. He’s also the founder of Musician With A Day Job, a blog that helps part-time musicians succeed.