Music Press Pitch Email Templates | TAP
Music Press Pitch Template Library
By TAP Editorial Team
Quick answer
A music press pitch is one short email: a subject line carrying artist, title and date, then a paragraph of facts, then an offer of access. Send it to a named writer whose address you took from the publication's contacts page, masthead or byline footer, and reopen that page on the day you send. Named writers reply at several times the rate of a general news box.
Templates for pitching your own release to music press, written to be sent by you rather than on your behalf. Each one is built for how editorial actually works: a scannable subject line, a paragraph of facts rather than adjectives, and access offered instead of attached. Before any of them are worth sending, you need an address you can stand behind. Music writers and their outlets publish contact routes: a contacts or staff page, a masthead, a byline footer, a link in an X, Bluesky or LinkedIn profile that reaches a personal site. Take the address from one of those pages, and write down the page and the date you read it beside the address. Before you send, reopen that page: confirm the address is still printed there, confirm the page carries a recent date, and confirm the writer still has bylines at that publication. A general news@ or tips@ box is published but read by whoever has a moment, which for one release is usually nobody. What does not work is a bought media list. Those are scraped once and resold for years, so they carry writers who moved on and addresses nobody offered for pitching, and the dead ones cost you deliverability on every later send. Thirty contacts you found on pages you can reopen will outperform three thousand you cannot check.
Asking Who Covers Your Genre
When a publication publishes only a general address and you need the name of the writer or editor who handles your genre before you pitch anything
Subject: Who covers [GENRE] at [PUBLICATION]? Hello, I am an independent artist based in [LOCATION] with a [SINGLE/EP/ALBUM] out on [DATE]. Before I send anything: who is the right person at [PUBLICATION] for [GENRE], and do you take pitches from unsigned artists? Happy to follow whatever your submissions process is. Thanks, [YOUR NAME] [ARTIST NAME] [CONTACT]
Most publications answer this, and the answer is worth more than a guessed address. Ask before the release rather than in release week, and record the name you get back along with the date, so the next record starts from a real contact.
Cold Pitch: New Release Announcement
First approach to a writer who has not covered you before. Send four to six weeks ahead for print, two to three weeks for online.
Subject: [ARTIST NAME] – [RELEASE TITLE] – [RELEASE DATE] [JOURNALIST NAME], My [SINGLE/EP/ALBUM] [RELEASE TITLE] is out on [DATE]. I am a [GENRE] artist based in [LOCATION]. [TWO OR THREE SENTENCES ON THE SOUND AND WHAT THE RECORD IS ABOUT, facts rather than adjectives]. It runs to [NUMBER] tracks and features [COLLABORATORS OR PRODUCTION CREDITS, if any]. Previous coverage: [PUBLICATION], [PUBLICATION]. I can send high-res artwork, a bio, and early streaming access if useful. Would this work for [PUBLICATION]? Best, [YOUR NAME] [CONTACT]
Keep the subject line scannable: artist, title, date. The description paragraph should survive being read aloud without a single adjective. Existing coverage belongs in the pitch because it is checkable. Never attach a press kit, offer it.
Cold Pitch: Interview Opportunity
Offering yourself for interview to a writer who has not covered you before. Three to four weeks for print, one to two for digital.
Subject: Interview: [ARTIST NAME] on [ANGLE] [JOURNALIST NAME], I am available for interview ahead of [RELEASE OR TOUR DATE]. Things I can talk about: [ANGLE 1], [ANGLE 2], [ANGLE 3]. Recent context: [CREDENTIAL OR NEWS: a sold-out headline show, a production credit, an award, a tour]. Availability: [DATE RANGE]. Length: [DURATION]. Format: [IN PERSON, PHONE OR VIDEO]. Interested? Best, [YOUR NAME] [CONTACT]
Lead with the angle, not with availability. Writers decide on story potential rather than access. Three concrete talking points let them picture the piece. Give real dates: vague availability reads as disorganised.
Cold Pitch: Review Request
Asking for a review of a new release. Check the publication's review policy first: print usually needs six to eight weeks, digital two to three.
Subject: Review: [ARTIST NAME] – [RELEASE TITLE] [JOURNALIST NAME], [RELEASE TITLE] is out on [DATE] and available for review now. Genre: [GENRE]. Runtime: [MINUTES]. Released through: [LABEL OR SELF-RELEASED]. Context: [ONE OR TWO SENTENCES: third album, first release since [EVENT], recorded with [PRODUCER]]. Sits near: [THREE OR FOUR ARTISTS]. Previous coverage: [PUBLICATION] reviewed [PREVIOUS RELEASE]. Access: [STREAMING LINK AND PASSWORD], or a physical copy by post. Let me know if [PUBLICATION] wants it. Best, [YOUR NAME] [CONTACT]
Many publications have closed their review doors: check before you send. Release date and genre come first so an editor can scan against the calendar. Comparable artists help a busy editor decide who should hear it. Ask how they prefer to receive music rather than assuming.
Exclusive or First Listen
Offering one publication early access. Exclusives carry weight, which is why they should be rare.
Subject: Exclusive: [ARTIST NAME] – [RELEASE TITLE] – first listen [JOURNALIST NAME], [RELEASE TITLE] is available to [PUBLICATION] as an exclusive first listen until [DATE AND TIME]. I am offering it to you because [SPECIFIC REASON: your coverage of [GENRE], the piece you wrote on [ARTIST], your championing of [SCENE]]. Access: [LINK AND PASSWORD]. Embargoed until [DATE AND TIME]. If you want it, tell me and we can sort the angle and format. Best, [YOUR NAME] [CONTACT]
Only offer an exclusive you are actually holding. Be exact about the embargo, ten in the morning on a named day rather than 'Friday'. Say why this publication. Follow up two days before the embargo lifts if you have heard nothing.
Live Show or Festival Announcement
A show, festival appearance or one-off event. Four to six weeks for a feature, one to two for listings and news.
Subject: [ARTIST NAME] – [VENUE OR FESTIVAL] – [DATE] [JOURNALIST NAME], I play [VENUE] on [DATE] / [FESTIVAL] on [DATES]. Why it matters: [ONE SENTENCE: first headline show in [CITY], only UK festival date, last show before [EVENT]]. Tickets: [LINK]. On sale: [DATE]. If [PUBLICATION] wants it as a listing, a news item or something longer, tell me which. Best, [YOUR NAME] [CONTACT]
For listings, one paragraph is the whole job. For anything longer, the 'why it matters' line is what earns the space. Link straight to tickets so a writer can see the venue and the demand for themselves.
Follow-Up After Silence
Resurfacing one pitch after seven to ten days of nothing, without pressure
Subject: RE: [ARTIST NAME] – [RELEASE TITLE] [JOURNALIST NAME], Quick follow-up on the pitch from [DATE]. No problem at all if it is not for [PUBLICATION]. If the timing works, I can send access or arrange an interview. Best, [YOUR NAME]
One follow-up is normal, two is pushing. Wait a week. Change the subject line slightly so it does not read as a duplicate. Never ask whether they saw the first email: assume it was buried. After two unanswered pitches, leave it two or three months and come back with a different angle.
Relationship Note With No Ask
Warming up a writer you want to work with over years rather than this release
Subject: [ARTIST NAME] – context on [TOPIC] [JOURNALIST NAME], Read your piece on [ARTICLE]. [SPECIFIC OBSERVATION FROM IT, in your own words]. I am working in the same area: [WHAT YOU ARE DOING, one sentence, concrete]. [RECENT ACTION: a remix, a collaboration, a residency, a run of shows]. No ask attached. Happy to send links if it is ever useful. Best, [YOUR NAME] [CONTACT]
This only works if you have read the piece. A specific observation lands, generic praise does not. You are planting something, not selling. Keep a note of who you have written to like this, because these are the writers who come back to you months later with their own idea.
Re-Pitch on a New Angle
The release has been out a few weeks with little coverage and something new has happened: a tour, a remix, a sync, a nomination
Subject: [ARTIST NAME] – [NEW ANGLE: announces UK tour, remixed by [ARTIST], featured in [SHOW]] [JOURNALIST NAME], [RELEASE TITLE] now has [NEW DEVELOPMENT], which might be more your thing than the original release was. [TWO OR THREE SENTENCES ON THE NEW ANGLE]. Dates: [LINK]. / Remix out: [DATE]. / Featured in: [CONTEXT]. Worth covering? Best, [YOUR NAME] [CONTACT]
Re-pitch only on real news: a tour, a festival booking, a remix, a sync, a nomination, coverage somewhere significant. Not a new photograph. Reference the original release in a clause and go straight to what changed.
Pitch to a Section Editor
Writing to the editor who decides coverage across a section, such as reviews, features or news
Subject: New music submission – [GENRE] – [RELEASE DATE] Dear [EDITOR NAME OR TITLE], My [SINGLE/EP/ALBUM] [RELEASE TITLE] is out on [DATE] and I am submitting it for [SECTION]. [GENRE]. [LABEL OR SELF-RELEASED]. Based in [LOCATION]. Background: [TWO OR THREE SENTENCES]. Previous coverage: [PUBLICATION], [PUBLICATION]. I can send streaming access, artwork, or interview availability, whichever is useful. Best, [YOUR NAME] [CONTACT]
Editors read in volume, so keep the shape clean and the facts near the top. A plain tone works better than familiarity. If the publication has submission guidelines, follow them exactly, because editors forward good pitches to the right writer and forget the rest.
Correction After Coverage
A publication has covered you and something material is wrong: a date, a spelling, a credit
Subject: Small correction – [ARTICLE TITLE] [JOURNALIST NAME], Thanks for the piece, it is much appreciated. One small thing: the release date is [CORRECT DATE] rather than [INCORRECT DATE]. / My name is spelled [CORRECT SPELLING]. / The collaboration is with [CORRECT NAME]. No problem if it is already live, just flagging it in case it is useful. Best, [YOUR NAME]
Only for material errors: a date, a name, a credit. Correcting tone or opinion reads as difficult and ends the relationship. Keep it light and assume the mistake was accidental. Never take it to social media.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a music journalist's email address to send these to?
Take it from a page the publication or the writer published: a contacts or staff page, a masthead, the footer of a byline page, or the link in their X, Bluesky or LinkedIn profile. Save the address with the page it came from and the date you read it, then reopen that page before you send. If a publication hides its staff, ask the general address who covers your genre, which is what the first template above is for.
Should I buy a music media contact list?
No. Bought and scraped lists are compiled once and resold for years, so they mix writers who moved on with addresses nobody offered for pitching, and the dead ones damage your deliverability on every send after. TAP keeps a shared contact pool tagged by genre where every contact carries the page it came from and the date that page was checked, so you can open the source and see the same address. The first release is free.
How much lead time should I allow before pitching a release?
Print publications typically need 6–8 weeks for features, 4–6 weeks for reviews, and 2–3 weeks for news briefs. Online publications move faster: 2–3 weeks for features, 2 weeks for reviews, and 3–5 days for news coverage. Always check a publication's stated guidelines first: many websites list submission windows. If you're pitching to both print and online simultaneously, use the longer timeline and let online publications know they can publish earlier if they choose.
Should I personalise every pitch or use a template?
Use templates as a structure, but personalise the core details every time: journalist name, publication, release title, and date. Reference a recent piece they've written if possible: even one sentence ('Saw your piece on [TOPIC]: this feels relevant') significantly increases response rates. Generic pitches to multiple journalists usually get deleted. The balance is efficiency without laziness: 30 seconds of personalisation per pitch makes a measurable difference.
How do I find the right journalist at a publication?
Read recent articles in your genre on that site and note who wrote them, then find that writer on the masthead or staff page and take the contact route printed there. If the publication lists no writers, search bylines on the site, or check which of their writers are active on social and follow the link in the profile. Where you find nothing, write to the general address and ask who covers your genre. Named writers reply at several times the rate of a general box, so the research is the pitch.
When should I attach a press kit versus offering to send it?
Never attach unsolicited press kits to initial pitches: they get marked as spam or sent straight to trash. Keep the pitch email clean and brief, then offer to send links (preferred: Dropbox, Google Drive, or a password-protected download page) or physical materials on request. Many journalists now work digital-only, so ask their preference. High-res artwork and a one-page bio are usually all they need anyway.
What's the right length for a press pitch?
Aim for 75–150 words for initial outreach. One clear paragraph is best: scannable in 30 seconds. Journalists receive 50+ pitches daily; the longer your email, the lower your chance of a response. That said, don't be so terse you leave out key info (artist name, release date, genre). If you need space, it's usually because you're overselling; cut adjectives and stick to facts.
Should I pitch exclusives to multiple publications?
No. An exclusive is exclusive: it goes to one publication, and you hold it. If you're offering it, be clear about embargo time (e.g., 'available exclusively until 10am Thursday'). Once that window closes, you can pitch the same music to others as a general release. Offering the same 'exclusive' to multiple outlets destroys credibility; journalists will find out, and you'll burn bridges. If you have limited early access, choose one publication strategically and offer others a different angle or a later window.
How many times should I follow up on a pitch?
One follow-up after 7–10 days is standard and professional. A second follow-up after another 10 days is acceptable if there's new information (tour date, award nomination) or an approaching deadline. Three follow-ups reads as harassment. If someone doesn't respond twice, they're not interested: move on. You can circle back in 2–3 months with a new angle or story, but constant pestering damages relationships. Most successful PR is about reading the room and respecting journalists' time.
What's the best subject line for a pitch?
Include artist name, release title, and release date (or the main news hook). Examples: '[ARTIST NAME] – [RELEASE TITLE] – [DATE]' or '[ARTIST NAME] – Interview Opportunity'. Avoid clickbait, ALL CAPS, or emojis. A clear subject line is scanned in 1 second: it needs to signal exactly what you're offering. 'New Music' or 'PR Pitch' is too vague. Journalists filter by subject line; make it specific and searchable so they can find your email later if they need it.
Should I pitch via email or use a press release distribution service?
Email directly to a named journalist is more effective than bulk distribution services: response rates are higher, and relationships matter. Use distribution services (like Pitchbox or a standard email to a publication's submissions address) only if you can't find a named contact. Direct email to the right person almost always outperforms automated mass sends. However, for very broad reach (announcing a tour across multiple regions), a combination approach works: direct email to key contacts + distribution service for broader reach.
How do I keep track of who I have pitched and who covered me?
A spreadsheet does it: writer, publication, the address, the page it came from, the date you checked that page, the date you pitched, and what came back. Update it after every send whether or not it landed. Google Alerts on your artist name catches coverage you were not told about. The point is to know at a glance who you have already approached, so you never pitch the same person twice and can reference the last conversation in the next one.
What publications accept unsolicited pitches, and which require relationships?
Most online publications (blogs, digital music magazines) accept unsolicited pitches to a general music email or named section editor. Major print publications (The Guardian, NME, Uncut) typically require either existing relationships or submission to a formal reviews editor/submissions address. Check each publication's website for submission guidelines: many state this directly. If no guidelines exist, assume you need a relationship or a strong story angle. Smaller publications are more open to cold pitches, but even major outlets will respond to well-targeted, personalised outreach about good music.
Is it better to pitch the same artist to multiple journalists at one publication?
No. Research the right journalist (genre fit, recent coverage) and send one pitch to them. If they don't respond and you have a new angle, try a different journalist at that publication. Pitching the same news to multiple people at one publication risks them duplicating work or creates internal confusion about who owns the story. Most publications have workflows where editors assign coverage based on the initial pitch, so a targeted approach is more efficient for everyone.
What should I do if a journalist publishes a piece with errors about you?
If the error is material (wrong release date, misspelled name, factual inaccuracy), send a brief, polite correction email. Keep it short, assume the error wasn't intentional, and frame it as helpful. Don't correct tone, opinion, or minor details. Most journalists appreciate professionals who flag errors without ego: it builds goodwill for future pitches. If the error is very public or misleading, a quick phone call might be better than email. Never go public or complain on social media; it burns bridges and damages your reputation in the industry.
Should I include links in my pitch or ask journalists to request them?
Include one or two key links (streaming, artist website, Bandcamp) if they're directly relevant to the pitch. Don't overload with links: it looks spammy. For music access, offer it ('streaming access available, link on request') rather than pasting a long Spotify link; that lets the journalist decide their preference (streaming, download, physical). For press kits or high-res files, definitely say 'available on request' rather than attaching or linking: it keeps the email clean and shows the journalist you're responsive.
What's the worst mistake in a music press pitch?
Sending the same generic template to everyone without personalisation. Journalists can spot a copy-paste pitch instantly, and it tanks your response rate. Second worst: missing the release date, genre, or artist name in the subject line: forces them to open the email to understand what you're pitching. Third: using hype language ('stunning', 'revolutionary', 'unmissable'). Facts beat adjectives. Finally, pitching to the wrong publication or journalist: it signals you didn't research, and it wastes everyone's time. Five minutes of research per pitch increases your success rate dramatically.
From the field
Proof points
- Named contact reply rate vs studio@: 5x higher (Liberty Music PR campaign data, 2024-2026)
- Best UK send window: Tue/Wed 09:00-10:00 UK (Across 60+ campaigns)
- Specialist shows beat playlist pitches: Named producers respond, playlist-only emails get dropped (Liberty 2024-2026)
- Genre-fit miss rate: ~30% of pitches hit outlets misaligned with the actual sound (Self-audit of 2024 sends)
What actually happened
Eyes Glued, BBC Radio 6 Music: 153 plays across 6 weeks, accelerating in week 4. Track-led pitch with a single playable line. (March 2025)
Music press writers reply to named pitches that fit their column or section. They do not reply to generic submissions to news@ or tips@. I read the writer's last three pieces before sending anything. The pitch fits the writer's beat in two sentences or it does not get sent. Trade press, consumer press, and online-only outlets all run on the same logic: named contacts beat generic inboxes by five to one.
Chris Schofield, Radio plugger, Liberty Music PR
Related resources
Further reading
- TAP Blog — In-depth guides, comparisons and advice for independent artists running their own promotion.
- UK Music — The voice of the UK music industry, representing labels, publishers, and collecting societies.
- Music Week — Industry news, charts, and analysis for music professionals.
- The Music Network — Global music business intelligence and networking.
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