A music press kit — or EPK (Electronic Press Kit) — is the first thing a booking agent, label A&R, journalist, or sync supervisor asks for when they're interested in your music. It's your resume, your pitch deck, and your brand presentation in one document. Most indie artists don't have one. Of those who do, most have one that's out of date, incomplete, or poorly formatted. Here's exactly how to build a press kit that gets you taken seriously in 2026.
What a press kit actually needs (and doesn't need)
A press kit needs: your artist bio (150 words and 300 words versions), 3–5 high-resolution press photos, your best 3 tracks with streaming links, your key metrics (monthly Spotify listeners, TikTok views, social following), and contact information. That's it for a minimum viable EPK.
What your press kit doesn't need: 10 tracks, a full album discography, a 2-page bio, or a design portfolio. Simplicity signals confidence. A press kit that tries to include everything usually means the artist doesn't know what their strongest material is.
The artist bio — what to write and how long
Write two versions: a 150-word bio for one-paragraph slots (festival programs, playlist descriptions) and a 300-word bio for feature articles and press releases. Start with your most impressive factual claim, not 'I've been making music since I was 7.' Write in third person ('Lucas creates...') not first person.
What makes a bio actually good: one specific, concrete impressive fact in the first sentence. 'Lucas's debut single has 2.3M TikTok views and 400K Spotify streams' beats 'Lucas is a passionate musician from Brooklyn.' Genre description, influences (max 2–3), and a current activity sentence to close.
Press photos — specs and what to get
Minimum 3 photos, minimum 300 DPI, at least 2000px on the short side. You need: one clean white/neutral background headshot, one lifestyle/environment photo that communicates your genre, and one live or action photo. All three should have consistent color grading — they should look like they belong together.
Budget photographers work fine for EPK photos — $150–300 for a session. What you can't do: iPhone photos, blurry shots, heavy filters that remove professionalism. Press outlets often can't use iPhone portrait mode photos because they're too compressed.
Metrics — which numbers to include
In 2026, the metrics that impress people are: Spotify monthly listeners (minimum 1,000 to include, ideally 10K+), TikTok views total or per-clip best performance, Instagram follower count if over 5K, and notable press coverage or sync placements. Don't include metrics that make you look small.
If your numbers are small, focus on growth rate instead of absolute numbers: '10x growth in 60 days' is more impressive than '2,000 monthly listeners' even if the underlying number is the same. You need some numbers — a press kit with no stats looks amateur.
Where to host your EPK
The standard in 2026: a private Notion page, a dedicated EPK link from your website (artist.com/press), or a Google Drive folder shared via link. DO NOT email attachments — large PDF attachments go to spam. Send a clean link.
For design: Canva has free EPK templates that look professional. A simple PDF is fine. A well-designed one-page Notion EPK is better than a 5-page poorly designed PDF. Simpler always wins.
Build your audience before your EPK
Press kits are most effective when you already have numbers to show. Autohype builds your Spotify listener count and TikTok views daily — the metrics that make your EPK impossible to ignore.
Start your free trial →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a press kit before I'm 'big enough'?
You need an EPK as soon as you're pitching anyone — a booking agent for a local show, a festival submission, a sync opportunity. If you're waiting until you're big enough, you're waiting too long. Build it now with what you have and update as you grow.
What if I have no press coverage or notable achievements yet?
Build the EPK with what you have: bio, photos, tracks, streaming links. Leave the press section empty or label it 'coming soon.' Every artist starts from zero. A well-made EPK with no press is better than no EPK at all.
Should I include social media links?
Yes, but selectively. Include links only to platforms where your presence is active and looks professional. A dead Instagram with 150 posts from 2021 and no activity is worse than no Instagram link.