Open letter to labels / bands: Do improve your communication

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This open letter, written by Bernard Van Isacker and Stephane Froidcoeur, aims to help improve your efforts and streamline our collaboration, saving time and effort for both sides. Let’s support each other for mutual success!

Dear labels and artists,

First of all, your dedication to creating music is truly admirable, and we (Stephane and I) are committed to supporting your efforts by sharing your work with our readers. Ultimately, we share the same goal: bringing your bands and music to a broader audience, and we all know we can’t rely on social media to do the job for you.

However… certain communication challenges do impede this collaboration, or at least cost us a lot of time to find out what you really want with and from us. This is due to unclear communication, minimal communication, etc..

Stephane and I have often sent mails to labels and artists in order to make them understand what works better. A lot of you have indeed since then made big steps to improve your communication, but we still see too many emails entering our mailbox which are basically useless if we don’t put extra work in it. Due to the huge amount of emails we get, it’s sometimes a reflex to ignore those mails which are problematic while they could hide a gem.

And in case you doubt, we also make mistakes sometimes when we make press releases, but we try to follow the below rules.

So, to ‘enhance our partnership,’ a touch of eloquence never hurts. We’ve put together a list of recommendations for you to consider in your future emails to us (and to other magazines, for that matter).

How to send press communications

1. Provide comprehensive information

Ensure your press releases include:

Specific genre identification: Clearly define your music genre to help us accurately categorize your work on the spot. For example, specify “synth-pop” instead of a broad term like “alternative”.
Detailed band biography: Offer a concise yet informative bio that explains your journey, influences, and achievements.
Release details: Clearly state release dates, formats (digital, vinyl, etc.), and distribution platforms.
Contextual background: Share the inspiration and themes behind your music to engage our audience, if you want this can be in quote format.

2. Avoid promotional language

While we appreciate some enthusiasm, excessive self-praise is counterproductive, and we are honestly often inclined to ditch such press releases immediately.

Phrases like “the next big thing”, “you have never heard this before”, “a real masterpiece (especially if you’re presenting a band we never heard of) without substantiation will diminish the credibility of the press release, there is no doubt about that.

Instead, focus on factual information and let the quality of your music speak for itself. Keep in mind that your press release could serve both the news editor and the review editor, so make sure to keep the news editor happy as well.

3. Include high-quality visuals

Visual content enhances engagement. Period. So provide the following:

High-resolution images: Supply professional photos of the band and album artwork. Don’t send small images, we will not always use paying software to bloat it.
Media kits: Compile bios, photos, and relevant materials into an accessible package.

4. Share accessible music links

Facilitate easy access to your music by including:

Streaming links: Direct links to platforms like Spotify, Bandcamp (preferred), or SoundCloud.
Exclusive previews: Make sure to already provide the exclusive embed code so we don’t have to remind you to send it to us.
Private previews: Secure links for unreleased tracks, if applicable.
Downloadable files: Ensure availability in common formats such as MP3 or WAV.

5. Structure your Communication clearly

Organize your emails for readability:

Subject line: Clearly state the artist’s name and purpose, e.g., “New Album Release: [Artist] – [Album Name] – [Genre].”
Opening paragraph: Summarize the release, genre, and significance.
Body content: Elaborate on themes and unique aspects concisely. Don’t send us a ‘book’, we will need to trim it anyhow and then you risk that we trim too much.

6. Provide accurate contact information

Include:

Your name and role: Specify your position, whether manager, PR agent, or band member.
Contact details: Email address and phone number.
(Social media links: Direct links to your official profiles might be helpful, but are not really needed.)

7. Respect submission timelines

There is a difference between news and review requests when it comes to deadlines.

For reviews you really best send the material at least two to four weeks before the release date to allow for adequate review and scheduling.

Important as well, Side-Line basically works on album reviews and no longer on EP reviews, there are just too many. If you have an EP to promote then send it as a news item a day before release or on the day of release.

For news, the best is to send it maximum two days in advance. We usually work with a two day maximum timeframe so we have a good idea what goes online when and it gives you time enough to also create pre-orders which we can embed, hence why we prefer Bandcamp for this.

8. Follow up appropriately

If you haven’t received a response within a week from us on your news press release, then something is probably wrong. Either it ended up in spam, we mislabeled it or something else. Refrain from sending multiple follow-ups in quick succession, just one will do and ask if we could check.

9. Proofread your press release copy

Make sure that all communications are free from grammatical errors and broken links. We will always get back to you if a link doesn’t work, many won’t. So don’t just count on us only for being friendly.

10. Align with our editorial focus

Familiarize yourself with our magazine’s genre and content to ensure your submission aligns with our audience’s interests. Sometimes there are indeed releases that overlap our scene and other scenes, which is fine with us.

But again, rap, rnb, heavy metal, rock, etc. are not for our ears unless there is really an industrial touch to it. In that case clearly explain that at the start of your email.

11. Utilize AI responsibly (and don’t make a fool of yourself)

And last but not least, while AI tools can enhance certain aspects of your promotional efforts (such as spelling, grammar, and structure), it’s crucial to maintain control over their output. Tools like ChatGPT and similar platforms can generate a lot of content that may lack factual accuracy or relevance.

Here’s a helpful tip: Input your data into the AI tool first and ask it to structure it as a press release. Then, thoroughly review and edit the output to remove any unnecessary fluff or generic language that might diminish its impact.

A valuable exercise is to ensure you collect enough accurate and relevant data to craft a complete and informative press release. Remember, if we notice that you haven’t put effort into creating a meaningful and well-structured press release, you can be sure that your email has a high risk of being deleted immediately.

Examples of Ineffective Communication

To illustrate all of the above, here are common examples to avoid (all of the examples below come from press releases we received in the past few weeks):

Vague subject lines: Emails titled “Check This Out!” or “Big News!” without context will be overlooked. We are kinda allergic to it to be frank. Instead, use specific and informative subject lines, such as “New Single Release: [Band Name] – [Song Title] – [Genre].”
Lack of essential information: Press releases missing critical details like release dates, streaming links, or the platforms where the music is available create unnecessary back-and-forth. For instance, submitting a press release that simply says “Our album is out now!” without providing where to find it is really just not very helpful. Don’t risk your press release being deleted or overlooked because you didn’t put any effort in it.
Overuse of jargon: Excessive industry terminology alienates readers and obscures your message. For example, writing “Our latest track is a sonic exploration of ambient modalities juxtaposed with electro-acoustic vibrations” is confusing and that part will 100% not make the article. Instead, say, “Our latest track blends ambient soundscapes with electronic elements.”
Poorly written press releases: Messages riddled with grammatical errors, typos, or unprofessional language are a red flag and a sign that you don’t really take things seriously. A press release that says, “Hey u guys, we just dropd our new song, pls check it out!!!” will not be considered.
No media assets: Sending an email without high-quality photos, album artwork, or media kits leaves us with nothing to feature alongside the story. For example, if you mention a striking album cover but fail to attach or link to it, it’s a missed opportunity.

To a lesser degree we also ask you to pay attention to these aspects:

(Generic mass emails: While this does not really annoy us, it might be a good idea to personalize your emails. But again, not really a problem for us.)
Incomplete information: Forgetting to include links to the music, or official websites makes it harder for us to provide comprehensive coverage. For instance, a submission that says “Find us on Spotify” without providing the exact link implies we will do the work for you, alas we might not have the time to do.
Late news submissions might be a problem for some magazines, not for us: Sending press releases on or after the release date leaves indeed little to no time for extra coverage. Just make sure your press release is correct, ping us and we’ll do what we can to add it online. Just don’t expect all other magazines to do so.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

All the best,

Bernard Van Isacker
Side-Line editor in chief

Stephane Froidcoeur
Review editor

Bernard - Side-Line Staff Chief editor

Bernard Van Isacker is the Chief Editor of Side-Line Magazine. With a career spanning more than two decades, Van Isacker has established himself as a respected figure in the darkwave scene.

See Full Bio

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