Please please please

[Julibee]

someone tell me I'm not utter shit.  After 17 weeks of waiting, Pandora has just denied me. I'm shocked at how upset I am. Fuck.

[Purpleb]

That sucks!!!!
Ur not utter shit!

Did they give a Reason y?

[Last Alternative]

Your music is really good. I'm shocked because I've heard some really crappy songs on there. What does it take to qualify anyway? Is it a who you know kinda deal?
Sorry to hear that. Try iTunes and Spotify and everything else. Sadly in this biz it's mostly disappointments.

[Julibee]

No. No reason stated. Here's what the email looks like:



Yeah, I am in Spotify and iTunes and Amazon and Bandcamp and GooglePlay.... But I was REALLY hoping Pandora would give me some exposure, given their algorithms... This really hurts.

Thanks for the thoughts.  Pretty upset at the moment. Stupid, but true.

[Last Alternative]

I'd be upset too. After working so hard on your dream which is better than all the pop shit combined.. what does it say when you click on 'here'?
It's pretty cold they wouldn't just tell you the truth. One would think even if it's hard to swallow that at least they can give a musician ideas to work on.. that is if they really support musicians. But it's all about the money to them.
Pandora is definitely great exposure. I've discovered a lot of good stuff on there. Have you tried getting into XM radio?

[Julibee]

That link goes to a Help Article that states "We curate music that works for personalized radio listening, and that we expect will connect with an audience."

I dont know if XM takes submissions-- I'd be surprised if they do.

In full:

"Home › Artist Support › Why did my music or comedy not get approved to play on Pandora?
Why did my music or comedy not get approved to play on Pandora?


We have a deep respect for artists and their work, and we take the responsibility of curating Pandora’s collection very seriously to give our listeners music and comedy that enhances their personalized listening experience.

This decision has been made purely on the basis of what is best for Pandora’s collection. We curate music that works for personalized radio listening, and that we expect will connect with an audience.

Pandora takes this responsibility very seriously, and we aspire to be as consistent and accurate as we can when reviewing submissions. Each submission is reviewed carefully by one of our curators, independent from bias. We proudly invest many hours every week reviewing each submission and we are committed to doing this even with our ever-growing volume. We do not reconsider submissions once an initial decision has been made. That said, suggestions from listeners and ongoing external research help guide future music and comedy inclusions.
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[raymondh]

Hi Julianna

It's a reflection on Pandora not you. Their loss.

Just like Decca back in the day

“We don’t like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out.”
—Decca Recording Company executive, turning down the Beatles, 1962

[Purpleb]

Can you appeal or do anything else? or at least get a legit reason.
Could it have been something small & stupid, like a misspelling or mislabeling?

[zeebot]

I wouldn't get too bummed about it jules, looking at that criteria none of the music I make would pass and bear in mind its an audience according to their opinion. Your music has market and audience appeal you just have to find the outlet that caters best to target that audience. It does not mean your music and therefore you are shit.
Many many musicians have had many many knockbacks and disappointments, just look at the Beatles! 
Dust yourself off and get back on the merry go round, you will find alternatives

[Benedict]

Hi

This happens. They play what they think their (paying) audience wants to hear. Not necessarily what they like. Sure the knock back hurts but go your own way and use the energy to make great YouTube videos that draw people. Look at that Boy In a Band cat who is getting lots of views. YouTube is the best arena for getting an audience in music. 

Chin up and all that.

[PSoames]

If it helps, I've never heard of Pandora, but I have heard of you.

[Ecopro]

Sorry about that Jules, but it's their loss really. Pandora is nothing but a music service venue like so many others. They will always reject whoever they feel doesn't fit their criteria. Does not mean your music is shit, at all. 

[Julibee]

Feeling a little better about it today-- thanks to you guys for holding me up for the evening. I'm not particularly fragile or anything, but this one just hurt more than I expected. Probably because I use it all the time, and could really see how getting in might help me find an audience. But, I guess Pandora didn't think that particular song had an audience (even on an LP release, one can only submit a single song).

I woke up this morning and my first thought was to send the bastards another one. So I will.

Moving on.

Thank you.

So much.

[Julibee]

I wouldn't get too bummed about it jules, looking at that criteria none of the music I make would pass and bear in mind its an audience according to their opinion. Your music has market and audience appeal you just have to find the outlet that caters best to target that audience. It does not mean your music and therefore you are shit.
Many many musicians have had many many knockbacks and disappointments, just look at the Beatles! 
Dust yourself off and get back on the merry go round, you will find alternatives

Yeah... A few weeks ago, I sent out emails to boomkat and bleep (both are UK sites that seem to be heavily electronic/dance, even tho I'm more chill), and last week I found out that KCRW (eclectic radio in LA that I listen to) actually accepts submissions, so I did that as well.

Thanks, Zee.

[Julibee]

If it helps, I've never heard of Pandora, but I have heard of you.

That helped immensely...

[TheMiles]

Beautiful vocals, very mature and clear sound. Technically excellent stuff.

However, something left me unsatisfied after listening to your Music. IMO your chordprogressions/harmonic structure delivers too much of what you would expect as a listener, making the songs less surprising (and thus a bit boring).

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to imply I could do any better - I can't, but If theres any constructive criticism I could deliver, then it would be this.

Keep up the good work!

[EnochLight]

What the WHAT?!!!  I cannot believe they did that.  Your album rocks - screw Pandora!  

[am0eba]

Based on the info about "why", it appears that they employ individuals who judge the submitted music. We all know how precarious an individual's taste can be, and that it is often affected by external factors. Even something as simple as the time of day, or what someone had for lunch, or what music was listened to prior to your submittal, can all affect such an outcome. Strange policy they have that something cannot be resubmitted once rejected, as I'm sure what one "judge" might reject at any given moment, would be accepted by another judge in a different given moment. I'm sure their judges are trained to be impartial, blah blah blah, but we all know that a truly impartial judgment is just about impossible.

Probably why they only allow submittal of individual songs - that way, another may get a passing grade.

I say go for it with another submittal, and try not to let this one bother you.

_Dave_

[Last Alternative]

Yeah try again. Does it cost anything to submit or if you're accepted? By the way, they say they're not bias but employers also say they don't discriminate. Both are very alive and well.. like racism.
The truth is music is an extremely biased business. It's good and bad. Good because they don't fill their line-up with utter crap (which is arguable), bad because it is left to 1 person, or a few, who just might not like the style when really it could have a huge audience! I think of the music biz like gambling. You win, you lose.. but mostly lose. I hope you hit the jackpot. Better luck next time, Julie.

[Julibee]

Beautiful vocals, very mature and clear sound. Technically excellent stuff.

However, something left me unsatisfied after listening to your Music. IMO your chordprogressions/harmonic structure delivers too much of what you would expect as a listener, making the songs less surprising (and thus a bit boring).

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to imply I could do any better - I can't, but If theres any constructive criticism I could deliver, then it would be this.

Keep up the good work!

Not to worry! Thank you for your honesty-- constructive criticism I can take! I know I don't make the most musically challenging songs... I tend to focus on lyrics and production. And, I'll be the first to admit that I'm better when working with someone else. Most comfortable with just being the hired singer.

[selig]

That's it, I'm never listening to Pandora again. Oh wait, I never listened in the first place. But if they played your music I WOULD listen!!!

You DO deserve better - take a deep breath and re-focus and DO NOT let this get you down in ANY WAY!!! Like others have mentioned, there are plenty of stories of great bands getting rejected.

And as Bob Olhsson once told me, even someone like Michael Jackson only sells to a small percentage of the total world-wide record buying public. That is to say, there will always be more folks out there that don't get your music than that do. You can choose to let that bother you and you may never make another record. or you can choose to move forward with the fans you DO have, and you may have a long career ahead of you.

Here's to moving forward!

[Julibee]

Last Alternative, no it doesn't cost to submit. But, you can only have one song in the pipeline at a time, and while their FAQs state a 6-8 week wait time, it was 17 weeks for the first round.

Selig, you're the greatest.

Yes, everyone, I am trying again, I just have to figure out which song is my most "accessable". Probably won't be my favorite song on the album, but there are a few that are a good bit more radio friendly than maybe the first one I sent.

[Julibee]

It was the first cut.-- "Corduroy (Little Sister)"

Honestly, that's not even the strangest one. Hahaha!