SubmitHub Connects Musicians and Curators, Hitting 10 Million Submission Mark
SubmitHub connects musicians and curators, giving them agency over the way music is shared. The platform recently reached 10 million submissions with the site filtering over 20,000 daily submissions to over 1,000 curators resulting in more than 1,000 songs shared per day.
Most recently, the platform has expanded into new territory by connecting artists with social media influencers to submit music to be featured in posts on Instagram, TikTok, and the like.
We recently sat down with SubmitHub and its founder, Jason Grishkoff to talk about the evolution of the site how it’s been able to help solve a problem for both bloggers and artists alike. We discuss new features, the COVID-19 pandemic and more. Check out our conversation below!
What are some of the newer features you’ve integrated into the platform and how have you seen things change since the site’s inception?
When I started SubmitHub our focus was blogging only. Today we feature curators from Spotify, YouTube, SoundCloud, Twitch, Instagram, and now TikTok. The diversity of platforms that people use to discover new music seems to be growing every year, and we’re keen to keep up with that 🙂
In that vein, we have launched a brand new “influencer submission” method. It’s an exciting space to be in!
How are you finding the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way people approach promoting their music?
Over the last decade, it’s become more and more essential for the average musician to make sure that their “online game” is at its best. COVID-19 has accelerated that shift, forcing musicians who normally relied on in-person growth and marketing to reconsider their options. We’ve seen our overall submission volume close to double vs. pre-COVID numbers, and I don’t think we’re alone in seeing that trend.
What is the most valuable aspect of SubmitHub to musicians?
It really varies from person to person. I like to “pitch” SubmitHub as a really efficient and transparent communication tool for artists to ensure that their music is being listened to and considered for coverage by curators. To that point, for some artists “coverage” is the ultimate outcome. Others find the feedback they receive from curators to be quite valuable. And many walk away wondering what the heck they just wasted their money on.
The reality is that the music industry is tough, and SubmitHub’s “model” is centered around the question: “Do you like my song enough to share it?” Unfortunately, the answer is often “no thanks.” As an artist, you’re going to face plenty of rejection no matter what. Where SubmitHub adds value is by helping you find your audience — the ones who *don’t* say “it’s not for us.”
How has it improved the experience of the bloggers?
Oh geez, it’s a night and day thing. I myself am a blogger, and I was receiving 300+ emails per day of various shapes and sizes (Dropbox links, file attachments, a million streaming platforms). Having it all come through in a single stream – with the opportunity to earn money for my time invested – has breathed new life into my blog. And I think many other curators on SubmitHub feel the same way.
Are there any areas of promo that you think indie artists should place more focus on?
I like this saying: “You should throw spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks.” There are a myriad of ways that artists can try to promote their music these days, and it’s not one-size-fits-all. So rather than say “you should focus on these areas,” I’ll give this advice: You should *never* pay someone who offers guaranteed placement / followers / plays in exchange for a fixed sum of money. That’s a scam, and at the end of the day, the only one you’re fooling is yourself.
What advice do you have for artists releasing music this fall?
I guess I’d say that it’s important to set realistic expectations. Spotify claims there are 40,000+ songs uploaded today: the competition is absolutely mental. You’re better off making music because you love it; don’t do it because you want to become rich and famous.
How is SubmitHub continuing to adapt to meet the needs of bloggers and artists?
I guess my first answer really hit the nail on this one. We’re keen to follow the listeners.
Do you see the role of influencers expanding in the future?
Definitely. Especially TikTok. I think it’s really cool to see a person record a video and interact with a song “in the flesh” so to speak. For an artist, being able to open up TikTok and see a feed of videos for their song is a dope experience. And we want to help facilitate that as best we can 🙂
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