Help me find a an effective, affordable music publicist

January 2, 2015 6:56 AM

I'm financing a record by a roots/Americana singer-songwriter. His first record got very strong reviews, but without a strong PR push its exposure was limited. A well-known agency was engaged to do promotion, but mainly provided contacts rather than doing outreach. For his sophomore release, we're looking for an agency/publicist that specializes in music and will take a hands-on approach to promotion.

• Pros: Solid reviews of first record, mostly on a regional level but with some national recognition. Showcase performances at a couple of high-profile festivals. Second record will feature two A-list musicians; one brings a celebrity factor and the other is a veteran of some of the biggest bands of the past 20 years.
• Cons: Limited budget, so we're looking for maximum bang for buck. Young and hungry might be preferable to established and expensive.

Any recommendations or thoughts? NYC area is a plus. Feel free to mail me as well and I can provide more detail.

Thanks everyone!

posted by bassomatic to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

I've worked with John at GreenHouse Publicity, although on a different type of project. The man knows and loves music... and is DEEPLY connected to the music scene in NYC. He has a pretty robust PR network, and has repped a number of major venues in addition to individual artists. I have no idea about whether your budget and his services will align, but I was pretty pleased with the value of his services.
posted by kimdog at 7:41 AM on January 2, 2015

In no particular order, but mighty swell folks, each and every one of them...
The Syndicate
Michelle Roche Media Relations
Pete Knapp
Al Moss Promotion

Only one of the above is in the NYC area, but really -- roots/americana? You want someone from the south. Or at least the midwest.
posted by spilon at 9:09 AM on January 2, 2015

Yeah you want a Nashville shop, not an NYC shop. But your best bet would be to ask someone at a smaller AAA label, since this is traditionally the label's job.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 11:35 AM on January 2, 2015

What kind of festivals, what kind of exposure? Like, my gut reaction is really similar to Potomac's: If he's roots/Americana, getting in on the roots/Americana market out of Nashville makes a lot of sense — like, if he's really looking to sell songs instead of just playing his own stuff, he needs a rep down there. But if he's closer to say, Mac Demarco, then a NYC or LA agency is probably the best idea.

Since you say you're financing the record, what's the strategy to recoup? I assume there's no label. Are you going make the money on record sales and concert tickets? Or are you going to look for licensing? Or sell publishing to other artists? Those sort of questions will change the advice you're given on what kind of publicist is a good fit.

If you're just looking for general recommendations: I have a pal at Terrorbird who might be worth talking to, and Motormouth stands out for successful editorial placement with a friend of mine's projects. I can give more recs if you like that might fit your needs better, but those guys are solid.
posted by klangklangston at 12:27 PM on January 2, 2015

Response by poster: Thanks guys, this is really helpful so far! Especially the recommendations to focus outside of NYC. All the shops above look spot-on, and I've already reached out to a couple.

klangklangston, hope you don't mind if I MeMail you directly in a bit.
posted by bassomatic at 12:47 PM on January 2, 2015

Not at all, man. Happy to help.
posted by klangklangston at 1:03 PM on January 2, 2015