The Submission Playbook

Before you pitch anything, the song must compete.

• ▸Mixed and mastered to commercial loudness (-14 LUFS streaming, -9 LUFS for sync).
• ▸Provide WAV (44.1kHz/24-bit) + MP3 (320kbps) versions.
• ▸Stems available on request: vocals up, vocals down, instrumental, TV mix.
• ▸Metadata embedded: title, writers, ISRC, BPM, key, contact email.

No publisher will touch a song with murky paperwork.

• ▸Signed split sheets with every co-writer (writer % + publisher %).
• ▸Verify all samples cleared in writing.
• ▸Register the work with your PRO (ASCAP/BMI/SESAC/PRS) and a publishing admin (Songtrust, CD Baby Pro).

Cold-pitching everyone is the fastest way to get blacklisted.

• ▸Match the song to the publisher's roster style and current placements.
• ▸Sync libraries → film/TV/ads. Major publishers → co-pub deals. Admin pubs → catalog management.
• ▸Use the Anthem Forge Publishers Database to filter by genre and 'open to submissions'.

Your email is the song's resume.

• ▸Subject line = genre + vibe + reference ("Cinematic Trap — Hans Zimmer x Travis Scott").
• ▸3 sentences max: who you are, why this song, what's cleared.
• ▸Embed a private streaming link (Disco, SourceAudio, or unlisted SoundCloud).
• ▸Never attach files unless requested.

Persistence wins. Pestering loses.

• ▸Wait 10–14 business days before a single, polite follow-up.
• ▸Track every send in your Anthem Forge submissions log.
• ▸If passed, ask for one sentence of feedback.
• ▸Never argue with a 'no'. The same supervisor will hear your next song.

A placement is only a placement when paperwork is signed.

• ▸Read every license agreement (term, territory, media, exclusivity).
• ▸Negotiate options: upfront fee, backend royalties, MFN clauses.
• ▸Log the license inside Anthem Forge: licensee, splits, dates, fee.
• ▸Audit royalty statements quarterly — money gets lost in the shuffle.