Band press kits have long served an important role for bands, booking agents, managers, record labels, and media outlets. Essentially, musicians are best presented to the public when they maintain a degree of control over the way their look, sound, and style are discussed by others. The primary objective of a press pack is to clearly demonstrate these characteristics in a simple, easy-to-follow way.
Respecting Tradition
Prior to the internet, narrow protocols dominated the creation of a band's press materials. Most bands included a black-and-white photograph, a one-page written bio at around a 500 word count, and a CD copy of a 3-song demo or recent album release.
The photographs usually included a white border at the bottom with contact, label, and management information. However, these customs are less important in the Information Age as labels, media representatives, and concert promoters are likely to rely on services like Google to find out further information.
Choosing the Right Group Photo for Your Band
The photograph will probably be the first item in your press pack to get pored over by the recipient. Music industry professionals put serious consideration into the looks of the artists with whatever they work. This is an unfortunately wonderful reality. It is wise to spend some money and hire a professional photographer. If the funds are not there to do this, you can always get a friend with a nice camera to take some shots. Witty or quirky photos are acceptable, as they help your band stand out among the many submissions professionals typically receive. However, take care to ensure that each band member can be seen clearly in the shot as the primary purpose of the photo is to demonstrate their appearance.
Writing a Bio
You may choose to write your own bio or to pay a professional writer to do so on your behalf. Either option is acceptable provided that the results are of sufficient quality. A traditional bio is written in the third person. It is probably a good idea to keep your bio at or around 500 words in length. Anything longer risks going unread, and anything shorter claims that the band does not have much history. The tone should express a band's attitude in a fun and readable way while also demonstrating key career benchmarks. If you play over 200 shows a year, have a music video, or have an album out on a prominent label, these pieces of information should appear in the bio. These specific details are what artist reps at musical equipment companies look for when determining who should be offered free equipment in exchange for an endorsement.
Choosing Songs for Your Demo
Bands often have lots of different songs with different sounds. It can be hard to choose the ones that best represent your sound. The most effective choices are those that your audience enjoys the most. Choose songs that have a clean, crisp recording; poorly recorded demos might dim some of the excitement in a band's sound. Songs that feature exciting parts in the beginning are especially useful as many music industry executives skim through the first seconds of each track when evaluating the styles of bands.
For labels, management companies, and booking agencies, online statistics are often more important metrics to consider when judging the commercial liability of bands. As a result, press kits are becoming less critical when interacting with these types of professionals. Electronic press kits are an alternative that might be more compelling to music industry execs. However, music news websites and magazines prefer physical press kits as many reviewers enjoy collecting CDs and materials from bands. Build a great press kit and introduce yourself to the music industry in your own unique style!