Tom, What do you think about the so-called PR consultants exploiting young musicians?
Well, I find it disgusting. The internet is filled with PR shysters who take your money but accomplish very little for you. I know artists who have invested thousands and thousands in PR services, some of them offered by former industry pros, and have very little to show for their investment. Again, it’s not the artists’ fault. This boils down to paying someone to represent you as opposed to finding someone who loves your music and wants to represent you. Again, these so-called PR agents take on anyone, regardless of quality. As long as you can afford their campaigns, they run their cookie-cutter promo packages for you. And they do it simultaneously for hundreds of other artists. It’s a travesty.
They probably get you reviewed in small blogs or sometimes even in mid-tier blogs but the truth of the matter is that those are all blogs that post reviews and articles nonstop, sometimes dozens a day, if not even more. They do it for profit alone, not because they are into covering new bands. And they cover anyone who pays them, quality once again isn’t a requirement. Even if they give you a good review, the review loses all credibility if it’s next to a praising review of an artist who can barely play or sing. On top of this, these features are usually hastily written with missing words, typos, inaccurate info and give the impression that the writer has not even bothered to listen to the song or the album.
In addition, the few minutes the articles stay on these blogs’ landing pages isn’t enough for anyone to discover them. And what’s more, usually the followers of these blogs aren’t really music enthusiasts looking for new artists to listen to but rather artists that have given the blog a follow at some point. The followers might even be bought. As if that isn’t bad enough, some of the smaller blogs are owned by the shady PR agents or they have a right to publish through them. This is how they can guarantee even the lousiest of releases a half-decent review. The review is then published under an alias of course.
The same thing rings true for the radio and Spotify campaigns these PR agents offer. It’s all make-believe more often than not and also very expensive, I might add. The worst deals that young artists can make with these con artists are the monthly packages they offer. You pay them hundreds of pounds or dollars every month and they supposedly promote you constantly. Anyone who has been a monthly client knows that it doesn’t work. They start with a bang to get you hooked but it’s a little less from them each month. Yet, you still pay the same amount.
Music PR in its current form is a dirty business.
Thanks for the Guest Blog Tom, I'm looking forward to your next contrbution!
In the meantime check out this video from Tom and the Missing Hubcaps, Rainbows and Dead Flowers