GUIDE BOOK
HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE PRESS RELEASE FOR THE LOST - MUSIC PR & CONSULTING For the Lost is a West Yorkshire based music PR company run by Simon Glacken, who has spent the past decade working with the likes of 65daysofstatic, Anathema, And You Will Know us By the Trail of Dead, Paul Draper (Mansun), Mono, Darkthrone, Paradise Lost, Cradle of Filth, Maybeshewill, Black Moth, Orange Goblin, Bloodbath, Cult of Luna and Tesseract as well as festivals such as Live at Leeds, Best Kept Secret (Netherlands) and Be Prog! My Friend (Barcelona). For more information visit www.forthelost.co.uk
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WHAT ARE YOU ANNOUNCING? You want to make it clear from the very start what the press release is actually informing people on. It could be a new single, an EP, an album, a track stream, a music video or a tour. The title of your press release is the first thing people will read so keep it short and to the point.
who you are so now might be a good time to outline how you formed especially if there’s an interesting tale to tell. Referencing other bands and artists you compare yourself too or you’re influenced by will give people an idea of what you might sound like and if they are a fan of one of those bands then they may take a listen to your stuff.
WHO ARE YOU? It may seem like a really obvious thing to say but unless you’re wanting to come across as all mysterious then as an artist you want to explain who you are, the story of music you play and where you are from. Include a nice promo picture too. If you’re a band then towards the end of the press release you should outline what everyone’s role is with in the band. Often reviewers will want to reference who plays what.
If you’re releasing new music you should talk about where it was recorded, potentially how it was written and generally what it’s about. Are you sharing a politically charged song, is it an album about love or death or did you write a whole EP about your dog?
WHAT’S THE STORY? For more established artists they often have a lot of years experience and history to call upon when their press releases are being put together but if you are a new band putting out your first single or EP then your story is only just beginning. You’ve already explained
QUOTE FROM THE BAND Press releases should be written in the third person but it can add a little extra weight and personality by adding a quote from a band member or two which can express their direct thoughts and opinions on the subject matter the press release is about. ANY INTERESTING FACTS? It can always grab peoples’ interest if there are some interesting facts about the band included in a press 27
release. For example have any of you previously been in bands that had some form of success before? Maybe you have toured around the country before or played festivals such as Leeds and Reading. Is there someone at Radio 1 or 6 Music that has been championing you on their show? PRESS QUOTES If you’ve had any positive reviews in the past especially from a major publication then including 2 or 3 key quotes towards the end will show what other places have said about you. LINKS Always include links to your website and social media as well as where people can listen to your music. If a site wants to write a news piece off the back of your press release then they may want to tag you into a social media post too. UPCOMING SHOWS Always include a list of your upcoming live dates so they can be included in any coverage that is run about you.
Words by Simon Glacken - For The Lost
