Hiring help for a release is a big decision. Plenty of companies look similar on a homepage. The differences show up when you ask the same questions of each one and write the answers down side by side.
Build a shortlist, not a pile
Start with three to five companies that work with your kind of release. "Your kind" means genre range, territory, budget band and the channels you care about. Skip anyone who promises guaranteed chart positions, guaranteed playlist adds or a fixed number of "streams." Honest teams talk about process and range, not guarantees.
Questions that reveal how they work
Ask every shortlisted company the same set:
- Which channels are included in this package, and which are optional add-ons?
- Who does the day-to-day work, and who is my point of contact?
- How often will I get a report, and what will it contain?
- What do you need from me before week one: assets, credits, links, story?
- What is not included, and what usually costs extra?
- Can you describe a recent campaign that looks like mine, without inventing numbers?
Write the answers in a table. Gaps and vague replies are as useful as strong ones.
Red flags worth walking away from
- Pressure to pay today or lose a "slot."
- Refusal to put deliverables in writing.
- Claims that paid playlist placement is the same as editorial pitching.
- No clear ownership of your assets or mailing list after the campaign.
Green flags that matter more than slogans
- A written scope with start and end dates.
- A realistic view of what your current audience can support.
- Willingness to say which channels are a poor fit for this release.
- Clear rules on what they will and will not claim in outreach.
MusicPromoToday publishes a longer guide on how to choose a music promotion company that expands on comparison criteria, contracts and timing. Use it as a checklist while you interview, not as a substitute for talking to people.