The Short Answer
A press kit. Sometimes called an EPK (Electronic Press Kit). It is a curated collection of professional materials that represents you as an artist. Think of it as your resume, portfolio, and pitch deck rolled into a single shareable document. It gives the people who matter. Bookers, press, playlist curators, sync agents. Everything they need to make a decision about you, fast.
Before the internet, press kits were physical folders mailed to radio stations. Stuffed with 8x10 headshots, bio sheets, and CDs. Today, they live online. They load in seconds, play your music directly, and link out to everything else in your world. The medium has changed completely. The purpose has not.
"You do not get a second chance at a first impression. Your press kit is often the first. And sometimes the only. Impression you make."
What Goes Inside a Press Kit
Every effective press kit covers the same core territory. Though the exact presentation will be unique to you. Here is what every kit should contain:
Artist Bio
A concise, compelling narrative about who you are and what you make. Not a Wikipedia timeline. A story. Two to three paragraphs maximum. Written in third person so editors can lift it directly.
Professional Photos
High-resolution images that reflect your brand. At minimum: one clean press shot on a neutral background. And one that captures your live energy or personality. These get used in editorial, posters, and social.
Music Samples
Streamable audio. Not download links. Not SoundCloud embeds that expire. Three tracks is the sweet spot. Lead with your best work. Not your newest. Spotify and Apple Music embeds are the industry standard.
Press & Accolades
Any coverage, reviews, playlist placements, or notable achievements. Even early-career wins belong here. Blog features, local press, festival appearances. Curate carefully. Quality over quantity.
Video
A music video or live performance clip. Venues want to see how you perform in front of an audience. A 90-second clip of a real show is more powerful than a polished studio playthrough.
Contact Details
Management, booking, and press enquiries. Clearly separated. If you handle all three yourself right now, that is fine. A single professional email with a quick response time is all that is required.
Why Most Artist Press Kits Fail
The most common mistake is not a missing photo or an outdated bio. It is friction. A booker receives 40 submissions on a Tuesday afternoon. If your press kit requires them to download a PDF, open a Dropbox folder, or search for your music separately, you are already eliminated. The kit that wins is the one that requires zero effort from the reader.
The second most common mistake is inconsistency. Your press kit, your socials, your streaming profiles, and your live presence should tell the same story about the same artist. When they do not, it signals that you are not in control of your own narrative. Control is exactly what industry gatekeepers want to see from an artist they are about to invest time and money in.
A StarrBase press kit solves both problems. Everything lives on one page. Music plays inline. Photos download in one click. And your contact details are front and centre. No hunting required.
Create your music press kit →Digital vs. Physical. Does It Still Matter?
Physical kits are essentially obsolete at the industry level. The last scenario where a printed kit makes sense is a face-to-face meeting. Leaving something tangible behind has relationship value. For everything else. Radio, press, festivals, sync licensing, venue booking. Digital is not just preferred. It is expected.
Your digital press kit should load instantly on any device. Look immaculate on both desktop and mobile. Require no login, no app, and no password. A URL you can drop into an email and a QR code for in-person situations covers 100% of use cases.
When Do You Actually Need It?
The honest answer. Sooner than you think. Press kit requests come when opportunity arrives. Not when you are ready. Venue bookers, festival coordinators, and music journalists rarely give advance notice. The artists who already have their kit built and live are the ones who can respond within the hour. The ones who say "I will put something together" lose the slot.
Build it before you need it. Update it every time something notable happens. Share the link liberally. In your email signature, in booking enquiries, on your social bios. A press kit that no one can find is the same as not having one at all.