The biggest challenge emerging artists face is building a loyal fan base. Nowadays, it ain’t easy to get people to listen to your music in our content-saturated digital reality.
At the same time, there are different strategies and tactics to promote yourself and get your music in front of new potential fans. One of them is pitching to independent music blogs that have their own dedicated following. These bloggers are music lovers who enjoy sharing good music with their readers.
I created a list of 40 active music blogs that, as of 2023, you can submit and pitch your songs for exposure, at little to no cost… but is it really worth your time?
Is Submitting to Blogs Worth It?
This may seem a bit hypocritical. I believe submitting your music to independent music blogs for exposure is not the most cost-effective use of your time and energy. Why write a blog about where to submit if I feel this way? There are a few reasons.
- The problem that independent blogs and smaller publications face is that social media and streaming platforms have basically replaced them as the go-to source for discovery and dialogue around music. We are more likely to learn about new music from our friends and playlists (curated and algorithmic). Music blogs just don’t have the same power and influence they once did over a decade ago with social media taking over our attention online. If music blogs are local mom-and-pop shops, social media is the Wal-Mart or Amazon of attention that just took over your town. It’s what most people check when they wake up, during their work breaks and before sleep.
- Part of it is my DIY mentality where I feel you shouldn’t depend on someone else’s validation and following to get some exposure. Although leveraging someone else’s audience can be an effective way to accelerate the growth of your fanbase, we have many, many tools and platforms to get in front of potential fans directly without an intermediary.
- Blogs can get bombarded with submissions just because there are so many artists looking to get put on and validated. Unfortunately, at the same time, there are way fewer music blogs still operating today. Many of them closed down and are slowly becoming inactive. This makes it a bit less enticing to pursue an independent music blog.
- Although doing a little research and pitching your song doesn’t take too much time individually, it can add up if you’re pitching to a bunch of them for every release. There’s no guarantee that you’ll get accepted, let alone a response, as acceptance rates tend to be very low.
What Value Do Music Blogs Have Today
You might be thinking, why would I compile this list of blogs if I don’t think it’s the best tactic. I believe blogs can still have some value and serve a purpose for newer, developing artists who aren’t ready to invest a lot of money right away.
This isn’t to say independent music blogs are completely dead. After all, breaking into mainstream music publications with more attention and larger audiences is not feasible for most musicians. At least with independent blogs, there’s always going to be niche pockets of readers all over the web that stayed loyal to these blogs all these years. I’m all for starting niche and making your way up to other avenues.
The main point I want to get across is it’s about diversifying your marketing/promotional efforts. Even for more established artists, you shouldn’t just focus on music blogs or getting on playlists.
I’m an advocate for paid options like Instagram and Facebook ads, but I still feel it’s important that musicians have different options because not everyone wants to, or can afford to, invest big money early in their music career. Not only that, running social ads effectively has a learning curve.
Going back to the original question of should you submit to blogs. If you have the time for it, you should definitely include it as a part of your marketing plan, but it should never be the core component.
For developing artists, you should definitely experiment with submitting to blogs. After all, there are only so many options you have to get more exposure with minimal financial risk. If you’re just starting out and don’t have much money, it’s worth a shot.
Lastly, I know it’s easier said than done, but try not to take any feedback or the lack of response as a sign of your worth as an artist. Always remember that what’s considered “good music” is subjective. Not all bloggers are musicians either so their criticisms can only help so much. At the same time, no musician makes great music right away. Be open to feedback and seek constructive criticism as you develop as an artist.
If you are looking for professional feedback for your music, you can try platforms like Crowd Review (AudioKite) and Fluence.
Important Tips About Submitting to Blogs
Before getting into the list, I wanted to go over a few pointers you need to know.
– Don’t just blindly submit to every blog just because you can. You’ll still need to do some research on what are the right blogs for your songs. Make sure your style or type of music makes sense for what they are looking for so you’re not wasting anyone’s time. This will mean you’ll need to listen to some of the songs they cover to see if your music fits.
– Bloggers prefer new or unreleased music. If your best song was released over a year ago, don’t even bother submitting it. You want to use a song released within the first couple of months. The sooner the better. They want what’s new and fresh in order to ride any momentum your song may have.
– Personalize your pitches and keep them short. Instead of just sending a generic greeting, try to include the specific name of the person you are pitching. Most of the time, it will be on the contact or submission page. This shows that you’re not sending out mass emails. Your pitches should only be a few sentences long where you touch on who you are, what you want and about the release. Lastly, be specific in what you’re looking for – getting featured, a review or an interview.
– Send direct links to your music. Unless it is requested, DON’T send MP3s or any file attachments that need to be downloaded when submitting your song. You’ll need to upload it on a platform that doesn’t require someone to login or subscribe to a specific service to listen like Spotify or Apple Music. Read carefully on what platform they prefer, but usually, the top option is a public or private SoundCloud link. If you have an EPK (Electronic Press Kit), you may want to include the link to it as well.
– Read the submission directions and guidelines carefully. Each blog may be different in what they expect. Some only want to cover singles while others may want only bigger projects. Some only want new music while others may only cover it if it’s not released yet. You may also have to contact someone very specific and not use their general contact form or email address. Take the time to investigate all of these details, as it will increase your chances of success.
– Follow up once and don’t spam. If you don’t hear back, follow up once and move on. Never spam and keep asking because that’s a recipe to get ignored. Chances are the blogger didn’t see it or they’re not interested. Try again for the next release.
– Watch out for scams. Be really careful about any blogs that ask you to pay to submit your music to a blog and do a review or interview. If they charge, do a bit of digging to make sure they even have a real audience that is going to even see it. Check what’s their social media engagement like. This even applies to the blogs on SubmitHub. It’s very easy to get scammed or pay for something that may look legit but won’t do anything for you. Here’s a good example that you’ll likely want to avoid.
Music Blogs
Here’s the list of blogs I compiled for you in alphabetical order. There’s a well-balanced mix of blogs focusing on different genres and based in geographical locations. I made sure to only include blogs that are active as of November of 2023. If you feel like you have an active blog that belongs here, feel free to contact me.
As you’ll see below, lots of music blogs now use SubmitHub to handle and filter the large volume of submissions they receive. You can always go there directly for more details and stats on these blogs, as well as other blogs to submit your music to. There are two types of submissions, standard (free) and premium (paid). I would not bother with any of the free options (very limited) and would buy credits for premium submissions since it’s inexpensive.
SubmitHub is a legitimate platform but does carry some controversy with their pay-to-review model. Some see it as a form of payola while some question the integrity of bloggers operating in this model. Personally, I think it’s a great concept, but it is definitely not perfect.
Although I have not used them yet, you may want to consider using a submission tool like Groover. From the looks of it, it’s very similar to SubmitHub in pricing and blogs you can reach except they are based in Europe.
2DopeBoyz
2dopeboyz.com
Genres: Hip Hop
Origin Location: Las Vegas, NV / Brooklyn, NY
About: 2DOPEBOYZ is an online hip hop music review, news and criticism website launched in 2007 by Meka Udoh and Joel “Shake” Zela, who were former editors at HipHopDX. In 2012, 2DOPEBOYZ was nominated in the “Best Hip Hop Online Site” category at the 2012 Bet Hip Hop Awards.
How to Submit: https://2dopeboyz.com/contact-us/
A&R Factory
anrfactory.com
Genres: Various
Origin Location: UK
About: Since 2012, we have grown into one of the most respected artist and repertoire (A&R) blogs. We help music industry professionals discover new independent music from across the world. Our readership includes record labels, publishers, management companies, radio stations, PR and sync companies from across the world who use our website as a resource to discover and sign acts.
How to Submit: https://www.anrfactory.com/submit-demo/
Acid Stag
acidstag.com
Genres: Electronic music only (such as electro, disco, house, groove, funk, soul, dance, electro-RnB, vapour-soul, etc.) No indie-pop / rock / folk, etc.
Origin Location: Australia
About: Welcome to Acid Stag, a global music news platform that is dedicated to sharing the music we love. Over the last 10 years we have built a strong reputation for discovering and supporting great new music by established and upcoming artists from all over the world. Whether you’re an artist, manager, label rep or publicist, we look forward to hearing from you, we simply ask that you follow the below guidelines. We are selective but our tastes are diverse!
How to Submit: https://acidstag.com/about-acid-stag/
Aquarium Drunkard
aquariumdrunkard.com
Genres: Psych, jazz, avant-garde, folk, garage, funk
Origin Location: Los Angeles, CA
About: Originating in 2005 and based in Los Angeles, Aquarium Drunkard is an eclectic audio journal focused on daily reviews, interviews, features, podcasts and sessions. Digging globally, AD bridges contemporary sounds with psych, jazz, avant-garde, folk, garage, funk and beyond. For heads, by heads.
How to Submit: https://aquariumdrunkard.com/contact/
Atwood Magazine
atwoodmagazine.com
Genres: Indie, Singer-Songwriter
Origin Location: N/A
About: Atwood Magazine is an independent music journal dedicated to providing authentic writing, engaging, insightful editorials, and unique perspectives on music. We seek out fresh voices from all over the globe with the goal of promoting the arts. We strive to create a collective of artistic visionaries, fostering a venue for collaboration and innovation with the aim to showcase not only incredible creation, but also the stories behind them.
How to Submit: https://atwoodmagazine.com/pitching-us/
Audiotox (CLOSED)
audiotox.com
Genres: Various (Pop, Indie, Hip Hop, Electronic, EDM, Singer-Songwriter, Rock, Alternative)
Origin Location: UK
About: Audiotox is a music blog run by a dedicated team of writers covering various genres. We focus on up and coming acts and our goal is to inject our readers’ audio stash with that good stuff.
How to Submit: http://www.audiotox.com/submissions/
BIRP.fm
Genres: Indie / Bedroom Pop / Dream Pop / Lofi / Surf Rock
Origin Location: Paris, Texas
About: Hi, I’m Josh! I started BIRP.fm (Originally as Blalock’s Indie/Rock Playlist) in February of 2009 as a way to share my music discoveries. BIRP is a monthly compilation of +100 tracks that are free to stream/download. They’re also available on a number of other services like Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Music, YouTube, Deezer, etc. On top of the monthly playlist, I also run an in-site blog devoted to new music as well as act as a hub for a growing community of people that love to share and talk about music. It’s my way of helping to promote all the independent bands I know and love and to give the listener a chance to get to hear something new.
How to Submit: http://www.birp.fm/about or SubmitHub (Premium Credits)
Bolting Bits
boltingbits.com
Genres: Broken Beat, Deep House, Techno, Acid, World Music, Funk, Disco, Minimal, Garage, House, Jazz, Ambient, Breakbeat
Origin Location: Montreal, Canada
About: Bolting Bits is a Montreal-based online musical magazine, born from the desire to promote music in all of its forms, extending the experience by organizing monthly events in various Montreal venues. Exploring many musical genres, the webzine invites local and international artists to share their vision of music and innovation.
How to Submit: Email contact@boltingbits.com
Casablanca Sunset
Genres: Indie, Electric, Alt / Rock, Pop, Synth, Nu Disco, Dance
Origin Location: Los Angeles, CA
About: Casablanca Sunset is a Los Angeles based music blog and record label imprint. Founded by Eric Vogt in 2013, Casablanca Sunset began as a way to share new music he was listening to with friends. The blog is frequently updated with a variety of new songs spanning multiple genres, and is primarily sourced from hundreds of music submissions received each week. Much of the music submitted to the blog is also syndicated into Casablanca Sunset playlists on Spotify and seasonal mixtapes on Soundcloud.
How to Submit: https://www.submithub.com/blog/casablanca-sunset
Cut The Pause (CLOSED)
cutthepause.com
Genres: Various (Alternative, Electronic, Rock, Hip Hop, Pop)
Origin Location: N/A
About: If you like your music eclectic and underground, you’re in the right place. We love to find and shout about the best tracks you haven’t heard yet.
How to Submit: http://cutthepause.com/submit-music/
EarMilk
earmilk.com
Genres: Various (Hip Hop, Electric, Indie, Neo-Soul, Contemporary R&B, Folk, Dance, Rock)
Origin Location: United States
About: EARMILK is an online music publication based out of the United States & Canada which has an international appeal with its top cities being major metropolitan areas all over the world; topping that list – New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, London, Sydney, Chicago, Calgary, Paris, Vancouver and San Francisco. We use our experience as journalists, musicians and fanatics to share our musical taste on the latest hits and underground discoveries across all musical genres. EARMILK is a growing team of contributors from North America to Europe & Asia. Together we leverage the collective’s diverse skill set to produce quality curated music news, an iconic brand, and business interests in key lifestyle markets including events, apparel, and art.
How to Submit: https://www.submithub.com/blog/earmilk
FACT Magazine
factmag.com
Genres: Electronic, Hip Hop
Origin Location: London
About: FACT has been at the forefront of music and culture since its launch as a print magazine in 2003. It was developed into a digital platform in 2009 and has remained a vital voice in a crowded conversation by prioritizing unique artists in its original video content and visual storytelling.
With staff in the UK, the US, and Europe, FACT has a collective mentality and heralds music from across the underground. With a team of writers, videographers, and other collaborators from around the world, FACT takes the cultural temperature from the front lines through video, features, playlists, curated news, in-depth coverage of music technology and our venerated FACT mix franchise.
How to Submit: Email – promos@factmag.com
Gems & Secret
gemsandsecrets.com
Genres: Various (Pop, Alternative, EDM, Electronic, Indie, Rock, Hip Hop, R&B, Soul, Acoustic)
Origin Location: Los Angeles, CA
About: Discovering the undiscovered, a platform dedicated to creative people and interesting places.
How to Submit: https://www.submithub.com/blog/gems-and-secrets
Gig Goer
giggoer.com
Genres: Pop-Punk, Emo, Rock, Indie Pop, Electro-Pop, and Alt-Pop
Origin Location: United Kingdom
About: Online music magazine bringing you the latest from the music world. Discover new music and your next favourite band. We’re probably at a gig.
How to Submit: https://www.submithub.com/blog/gig-goer
Grimy Goods
https://www.grimygoods.com/
Genres: Various
Origin Location: Los Angeles, CA
About: Grimy Goods is Los Angeles’ premier music lifestyle blog. Featuring the best giveaways, handpicked show & event calendars, photo galleries, original features & interviews, fashion, new music recommendations, and more — Grimy Goods is a key source of information for those of us who live a music lifestyle. From the clothes we wear, to the bars and restaurants we frequent, and the pop culture we love to critique — music is relevant through just about every facet of our lives. Grimy Goods is here to provide an open platform for readers to celebrate that music lifestyle, connect, and keep our L.A. music community alive and well. However, we do like to get out of our comfort bubbles once in a while.
How to Submit: https://www.grimygoods.com/best-new-indie-underground-songs-of-month/
High Clouds
highclouds.org
Genres: Various
Origin Location: Brussels, Belgium
About: HighClouds is a Brussels-based, Hype Machine-listed music blog
– the result of a team of music lovers uniting to spread the new sounds that need to be heard. We began as a web radio in March of 2015, but have since evolved into blogging, with no genre limits. If a lot of the artists we cover don’t ring a bell to you, it’s pretty normal: we like to introduce the world to up and coming talents, the ones-to-watch who are about to become your future next obsessions. As a blog, we also strive to provide visibility and support to LGBTQ+ and feminist artists. In fact, we’re so dedicated to this, that we even created a specific section named Homocore.
How to Submit: https://highclouds.org/music-submissions/ or SubmitHub (Premium Credits)
Homoground
homoground.com
Genres: Various, but must be Queer / LGBTQIA artist LGBTQIA
Origin Location: Brooklyn, NY
About: Homoground promotes queer visibility through music, videos, podcasts, events & other creative forms of multimedia. Homoground’s queer music podcast focuses on bands, events and organizations that often get overlooked by mainstream publications and platforms. Run by Lynn Casper, and based out of Brooklyn, the podcast’s first episode aired in January 2011 and has over 250 episodes featuring hundreds of independent queer bands in it’s catalog.
How to Submit: https://homoground.com/submissions/
Hot New Hip Hop
hotnewhiphop.com
Genres: Hip Hop only
Origin Location: United States
About: HotNewHipHop.com empowers artists by letting them showcase their music to real hip hop fans. Meanwhile, our members enjoy the latest and hottest in hip hop singles, mixtapes, videos and news. At HNHH, we pride ourselves in delivering hot and new content daily. We are quickly becoming the premium destination for hip hop music and a promotional powerhouse for established artists and rising stars. We have one of the largest communities of hip hop aficionados on the web and serve as a direct link between artists and fans alike. HNHH attracts over 8 million unique users monthly… and we’re growing steadily.
How to Submit: https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/submit-your-music/
Indie88
indie88.com
Genres: Indie Music
Origin Location: Toronto
About: Indie88 (CIND-FM) is Toronto’s New Alternative. Launched on August 3rd, 2013, as Canada’s first indie music station, Indie88 provides a platform for emerging artists while paying homage to the classics that inspired them. Indie88 is where new music belongs. It’s also a multi-media hub for news, local lifestyle, and pop-culture content focused on unique and engaging stories.
How to Submit: https://indie88.com/submit-your-music/
Indie Music Filter
indiemusicfilter.com
Genres: Indie Music
Origin Location: Toronto
About: Toronto-based music blog showcasing the best new indie music. To the point track features, videos, reviews and streaming playlists.
How to Submit: https://indiemusicfilter.com/contact-info-for-indie-music-filter
IndiePulse Music
indiepulsemusic.com
Genres: Various
Origin Location: Santa Maria, CA
About: IndiePulse Music Zine is a journalistic and music news magazine with great reviews and interviews. We cover stories about indie music artists that are doing what they want and pursuing their destiny while hoping not to have to work minimum wage jobs into their 80s. The Indie Label scene itself has been rejuvenated and there are more homespun record labels starting every day, some failing, some with the staying power to make it.
How to Submit: https://indiepulsemusic.com/contact/
Indie Shuffle
indieshuffle.com
Genres: Various
Origin Location: Cape Town, San Francisco, London, Sydney
About: At Indie Shuffle, we believe humans are better than robots when it comes to music discovery. Think about it. How many of your favorite bands were recommended to you by a friend? That’s why we’ve assembled a team of international writers to bring you the best music, including indie rock, hip hop, electronic, and everything in between.
How to Submit: https://www.submithub.com/ – SubmitHub was started in late-2015 by music blogger Jason Grishkoff (Indie Shuffle)
Kings of A&R
kingsofar.com
Genres: Various
Origin Location: New Jersey
About: Kings of A&R is well-known for setting tastes in music and discovering unknown talent. We highlight rising artists, write perspective pieces, commentaries, and opinion articles. With mentions in popular news sources including CNN, UK’s Financial Times, Billboard Mag, & Spin Mag, Kings of A&R first gained its popularity in 1999 with its first-in-kind entertainment industry newsletter
How to Submit: Via Email – details on https://kingsofar.com/contact/
L.A. Record (CLOSED)
larecord.com
Genres: Various
Origin Location: Los Angeles, CA
About: Los Angeles’ Biggest Music Publication! L.A. RECORD is an independent community magazine covering music, film, art and culture across the greater Los Angeles area! (Don’t submit unless you are in this area.)
How to Submit: https://larecord.com/contact-la-record
Louder Than War
louderthanwar.com
Genres: Punk, Rock, Garage, Alternative
Origin Location: Manchester, U.K.
About: Louder Than War is a music, culture and media publication headed by The Membranes & Goldblade frontman John Robb. Online since 2010 it is one of the fastest-growing and most respected music-related publications on the net. We are always looking for the new noise, the next buzz. We have no borders, no boundaries – all the musical skree of the 21st century is ours to celebrate. We still believe in the power of music and we still believe in the counterculture. We are punk!
How to Submit: https://louderthanwar.com/contact/
Mix It All Up
mixitallup.com
Genres: Various
Origin Location: Portsmouth, U.K.
About: Mix It All Up is an independent, Portsmouth (UK) music blog (est. 2016) transcending the mundane by bringing you only the best in upcoming, new music. We are your go-to source for everything alternative, post-punk, indie-rock, post-rock, dream-pop, ambient, experimental and even instrumental music from around the world. Mix It All Up prides itself in being the most dedicated blog to the current Portsmouth music scene.
How to Submit: https://mixitallup.com/contact/
Music Crowns
musiccrowns.org
Genres: Various
Origin Location: London, UK
About: Music Crowns is the global music artist discovery platform, the go-to brand for the world’s best unsigned, independent and newly-signed music artists. We are an incredibly artist-focused brand – without artists we do not exist. Our aim is to give you the best exposure possible, to a worldwide audience via your own user generated content and, now, via our own created content: MC Live Sessions & Interviews. Since 2010 we have been organically growing an engaged music loving audience working with the cream of unsigned and independent talent, which has seen us amass 3 million social media followers and over 1 billion views on Facebook alone with the content we have published through our distribution channels. In that time over 15,000 music artists have worked with us and many dedicate their big break to Music Crowns.
How to Submit: https://www.musiccrowns.org/submit-your-music/
New Sick Music
newsickmusic.com
Genres: Various (Electronic, Hip Hop, Folk, Alternative Rock, Blues, Pop, Dance, Metal)
Origin Location: United States
About: Coming at you with the latest in music and news, New Sick Music is an international and informed community that celebrates up-to-the-minute music from new and established artists. The New Sick Music family are committed to including everyone in the latest music trends by incorporating an array of musical genres and cultural perspectives. Our atmosphere is one of do-it-yourself celebration and straight-up love for a good song. We strive to bring people together in the name of one thing: the best in contemporary sounds. This is a site for those who love music and want to find the next big thing, as well as those simply looking for a new favorite jam.
How to Submit: https://www.submithub.com/blog/newsickmusic
Pigeons & Planes (NEW)
complex.com/pigeons-and-planes
Genres: Open to all genres, but leans towards Hip Hop, Pop, Rock
Origin Location: New York, United States
About: Pigeons and Planes is a popular music discovery site, brought to you by Complex. It’s where you can keep up with new music, across all genres and from all corners of the globe. They put you on to good music made by good artists, whether they’re established stars or rising newcomers.
How to Submit: They use to take submissions via email but that became too overwhelming. As of November of 2023, they launched a Google submission form to receive – https://t.co/YNtcKsTSsf
Popjustice
popjustice.com
Genres: Pop
Origin Location: UK
About: Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 by UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for NME, The Guardian, Attitude and many others. It is composed of the work of editor Robinson, features editor Michael Cragg, and a host of contributors.
How to Submit: https://www.popjustice.com/p/sendmusic/
Run the Trap
runthetrap.com
Genres: Trap, Hip Hop, Bass, Club Music
Origin Location: Chicago, IL
About: Run The Trap was created in July 2012 to bring underground trap music, Hip Hop, Club Music and other related genres to the forefront. We at Run The Trap are very selective of the music we post, and make sure to only share the utmost quality works on our website. We hope you don’t only get your Trap Music fix from our site, but you allow us to help you diverge into various other related underground bass music genres; as well as expose you to some of the culture, style and fashion that exists amongst these communities.
How to Submit: https://runthetrap.com/contact-us/
Sidekick Music
sidekick-music.com
Genres: Electronic, House
Origin Location: France
About: Sidekick Music is an independent and creative brand launched in late 2016. We’re a full on, Electronic Music dedicated Blog & Record Label.
How to Submit: https://sidekick-music.com/playlist-submission/
SoulBounce
soulbounce.com
Genres: R&B, Soul, Jazz
Origin Location: United States
About: SoulBounce.com is the premiere global soul music website that recognizes, respects and represents the past, present and future of soul music. The site was started in August 2007 and has received a 2010 Soul Train Award, is the winner of three Black Weblog Awards and was named to the 2011 Ebony Magazine Power 100. SoulBounce has been featured on CNN.com, USAToday.com, MSNBC.com, VH1.com, The Root and in the Washington Post Express.
How to Submit: http://www.soulbounce.com/contact-soulbounce/
SoulTracks
soultracks.com
Genres: R&B, Soul, Jazz
Origin Location: United States
About: SoulTracks is the leading online resource dedicated to classic and modern Soul Music. From its inception in 2003, SoulTracks has been designed to provide useful information and updates on the greatest Classic Soul artists and to introduce readers to the next generation of Soul Music singers. SoulTracks includes artist biographies, music news and reviews, and First Listens to some of the newest music available, as well as regular CD giveaways, free song downloads and special offers. SoulTracks is currently the most popular soul music website in America.
How to Submit: https://www.soultracks.com/about
Spinning Platters
spinningplatters.com
Genres: Various
Origin Location: San Francisco, CA
About: A community of Bay Area music nerds who talk about music, shows and films.
How to Submit: http://spinningplatters.com/about/
The Alternative
getalternative.com
Genres: Various
Origin Location: New York City
About: The Alternative was created to be the music site that we wanted to exist. A site with impeccable taste, quality content, and intelligent stances on important issues. The Alternative staff pledges itself to providing you (our readers) with only the best music and art. Our taste is our resume. While our staff may frequently disagree on specific albums and artists, no member of our staff has poor taste, and we will never dishonestly promote music we do not believe in. Our goal is to promote the best music possible and that has been the foundational principle of The Alternative from the very beginning.
How to Submit: Email – TheAltSubmissions@gmail.com
The Bay Bridged (CLOSED)
thebaybridged.com
Genres: Various (Indie, R&B)
Origin Location: San Francisco, CA
About: Founded in 2006, the San Francisco-based nonprofit project The Bay Bridged has become recognized nationwide as the leading source for San Francisco Bay Area independent music through our award-winning music blog and podcast series, as well as a series of acclaimed music festival events.
How to Submit: http://thebaybridged.com/submissions/
The Music Ninja
themusicninja.com
Genres: Various (Hip Hop, Trap, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, Electronic, Acoustic, Folk, R&B, House, Pop)
Origin Location: Denver, CO
About: The Music Ninja is a multi-genre music discovery site based out of the deep, dark and melodic shadows of the internet. With one simple goal, to only feature the best music we come across, we have swiftly infiltrated the ears and minds of Ke$ha fans and permanently set them on the path to better, more fulfilling music. Discovering music has evolved. Radio committed suicide for repeating the same hits over and over, print magazines are at the brink of extinction and the tubes of the internet are getting clogged with so much bad music, it is nearly impossible to filter through it all. Fortunately, we have been trained in the secret arts of auto-tune detection and mediocre bass lines to bring you digestible daily updates of genuine up and coming artists across all genres whose music truly deserves to be shared. And along the way a couple of fun remixes and mashups… lets not take ourselves too seriously now!
How to Submit: http://www.themusicninja.com/contact/
The Owl Magazine
theowlmag.com
Genres: Various
Origin Location: N/A
About: A handcrafted music blog established way back in 2005, we’ve been unearthing diamonds and amassing credibility in the music world ever since. Use us for genius music reviews, brilliant ticket giveaways, water cooler dialogue, or break-time browsing. Spend some time with us. We know we’ll get along famously. Some say we’re a bronze medal music publication and gold medal drinkers.
How to Submit: http://www.theowlmag.com/about/
This Song is Sick
thissongissick.com
Genres: Electronic, Hip-Hop, Indie and Alternative Music
Origin Location: Denver, Colorado
About: Since 2010, we’ve established ourselves as one of the only places you can go to and be able to discover new music worth listening to. While we love to continue to cover select artists that have gone on and seen radio success and big label deals, our bread and butter is discovering the artists that haven’t quite broke and giving them that push they deserve.
How to Submit: https://publishing.typeform.com/to/amgZ9x or email submission@thissongissick.com
Trackstarz
trackstarz.com
Genres: Christian Hip Hop
Origin Location: Atlanta, GA
About: Trackstarz is a Christian media company determined to bring high-quality Godly content to the mainstream. We have a heart for training young creatives to improve their craft and character in order to prepare them for Marketplace influence. We also provide our Trackstarz Universe of supporters and fans with engaging content and witnessing tools through our Radio show, TV show, Music Group, Events, and Publications. We also strive to help creatives improve the quality of their end product and provide them with the resources to get their message heard through our Design, Engineering, and Distribution services.
How to Submit: https://trackstarz.com/music-submission/
Twangville
twangville.com
Genres: Alt-Country, Americana, Indie, Rock, Folk and Blues
Origin Location: New York
About: A music blog featuring Alt-Country, Americana, Indie, Rock, Folk & Blues. Est. 2005. Twangville began in early 2005 by humble means as a place to post playlists for our friends. It wasn’t long before we expanded to covering releases, reviews, downloads, links and more. Ultimately, we just want to help spread the word about some of our favorite musicians who often don’t get the credit they deserve. In search of twang, we typically look beyond traditional and mainstream country into genres like americana, alt-country, indie, rock, folk and blues … or just about anything that features a guitar. You’ll find that we tend to emphasize the alternative side of alt-country.
How to Submit: Via email – https://twangville.com/requests/
Upstream Indie
upstreamindie.com
Genres: Various
Origin Location: United States
About: Upstream Indie is an online music blog highlighting the latest from up-and-coming independent artists and creators across genres. Our platform allows people to explore, discover, and connect. We also offer services such as smartlinks and a directory to help creators promote and network.
How to Submit: https://upstreamindie.com/contact/
Various Small Flames
varioussmallflames.co.uk
Genres: Alt-Country, Americana, Indie, Rock, Folk and Blues
Origin Location: New York
About: At Various Small Flames, we believe that music and writing have the power to connect people and help them better understand themselves and each other. We are dedicated to sharing music from independent artists, especially home recordings and DIY labels, that we feel do this particularly well.
How to Submit: https://www.submithub.com/blog/various-small-flames
This is so very informative and love the way you explained things in details. Thanks
I would love to include both https://countrymusicnewsblog.com/ and https://countrymusicontour.com
Both are independent country music blogs run by me that focus on different areas of the country music industry. We are always looking for new music to review and share with our readers, and new live shows to see and tell our audience about!