Music Promotion Services

What legitimate music promotion includes

Music promotion gigs vary a lot, so check exactly what is being sold. A legitimate package states:

• Method: curator pitching, ads, blogs, radio or social campaigns.
• Platforms covered.
• Targeting: genres, countries and audiences.
• Duration of the campaign.
• Reporting: where results came from.
• No guaranteed streams or follower numbers.

Ask how the listeners are reached. A clear answer, such as pitching to named types of curators or running ads to fans of similar artists, is a good sign. A vague answer about a private network is a warning.

How to brief a music promoter

1. The song: final version and release date.
2. Genre and similar artists, to find the right audience.
3. Your artist profile and links.
4. Goals: new listeners, followers, ticket sales.
5. Budget, including any ad spend.
6. Assets: cover art, photos, short video clips.

Plan promotion around the release. Pitching before release day gives curators time to listen. Ads and social posts usually work best in the weeks after release.

Start small. Test a modest campaign, check the quality of listeners in your dashboard, and increase spending only on what brings real engagement.

Check your artist dashboard before and after any campaign. Real promotion usually brings listeners who save songs, follow you and come back to other tracks. If streams rise but saves and follows do not, ask the promoter where the listeners came from. Unusual patterns, such as many streams from one city or country you have no connection to, are a warning sign.

What drives the price

• campaign length and number of platforms
• ad spend, paid separately
• number of curators, blogs or stations pitched
• content creation such as clips and ads
• reporting depth
• the promoter's track record in your genre

Treat ad spend separately from the promoter's fee, and keep ad accounts in your own name if possible, so you can see exactly where the money goes.

Red flags

• Guaranteed streams, plays or followers.
• Very large numbers for a very low price.
• Guaranteed placements on playlists.
• No explanation of where listeners come from.
• Sudden spikes of streams from unexpected countries after a campaign.

If you see suspicious activity, stop the campaign and contact your distributor. Protecting your account is more important than any short-term number.

Make sure the music is ready first; see our mixing and mastering guide. For visuals, read our album cover guide and music video guide.

Build what you own alongside promotion: an email list, a simple website and regular posts where your fans already are. Playlists and ads come and go, but fans who follow you directly will hear every new release. Ask the promoter to point new listeners toward your profile and your list, not only toward a single song.

Quick pre-order checklist

• The service explains how real listeners are reached.
• There are no guaranteed stream or follower numbers.
• My song, cover art and profile are ready.
• Ad spend is separate and visible.
• I will check listener quality before spending more.