If there is one sure-fire way to get the news out about a singer, a musician, a band, or a concert, it would have to be press releases. Sometimes called news releases, a press release is a document with all the pertinent information needed to publicize an event or a product that is provided to the media to assist in publicity efforts.

In general, anyone can send out a press release, but it is very often the music promoters and marketing agencies that will employ this method of publicity. The average musician or band may not have the time or the ability to create effective press releases, but a professional publicist knows they are an excellent foundation for music marketing.

In music, a press release is an essential part of a press kit, along with biographies of the performing artists, past press coverage (such as music reviews), photographs or headshots of the performer(s), and a CD or DVD of the artists' repertoire. The release should contain all the elements that would make up a comprehensive story, including the 'who-what-where-when-why-and how' about the subject.

The media is constantly on the lookout for press releases, as they contain helpful information for writing accurate music articles. Press releases also offer in-depth information about the performer or the venue to assist reporters in writing music reviews.

There is a specific format expected by the media when they receive a music press release. It must contain a headline (what) and dateline (where), as well as contact information (who). The first paragraph (introduction) will usually encapsulate the story into approximately thirty seconds of information, with further details coming later in the body of the content. You can find plenty of information on the Internet about the proper way to compose a press release, but the media probably won't complain about your formatting as long as you include answers to the basic questions and a contact person in case of further questions.

Everyone in the music business should consider the press release to be the very best way to "get the word out," and no one should hesitate to utilize this marketing method. And remember, press release can be particularly effective when sent to targeted media outlets, such as radio stations, television stations, and music industry trade publications.

If you would like to contribute a story or article about press releases or any music-related topics, feel free to do so at Media Positive Radio today.