[Saint Rose]

Hi! Thanks in advance for any help on this.

I've written a song with an artist in mind. Their style is apparent in the song and I can truly imagine them singing it, but it is not limited to them. (They would be my number 1 choice, and I really want them to hear it)

Do I mention this to the publishers when ringing round to shop the song, or is that telling someone how to do their job? They might hear it for someone else, for example.

Let me know 

Cheers x

[The S]

Nah, you go ahead and tell 'em. It's their job to find an artist willing to do your song.

But, bare in mind, being a publisher doesn't necessarily mean you have access to any management/artist/record company out there.

Networking is an ongoing struggle for all of us. It's the same for publishers as it is for songwriters, artists, producers etc. We all try to get to know that one person that can help us along the way. Some try desperately to get the right connections just to get a publishing deal. The publishers on their end are trying desperately to get to know the right people at the right record company. And they're all looking for the song, the one song that will rule them all...oops, sorry I got sidetracked there for a second.  

Best of luck though,

Cheers,

Peter

Edit: It's not crystal clear though if you have a publishing deal or not so in case you don't, I wouldn't say anything. It's more important that they like and believe in you and your song(s). In that case I'd be more focused on getting a publishing deal first and whom to send the song to second.

[Sing4me88]

If you've a particular artist in mind it might be worth doing a little extra leg work in terms of where, who and what you pitch to. Some submission opps will state that they are looking a song in the style of X and then offer A,Band C as reference tracks.

[Boydie]

Some submission opps will state that they are looking a song in the style of X and then offer A,Band C as reference tracks.

+1

[S.T.C]

Firstly , try and find out if the said artist is actually looking for songs! You do read ,that they can put songs on hold for ages, and then pass on them at a later date, maybe due to changes in music style.
Getting a song in the hands of an A lister is a pretty lofty goal....it would have to be knockout, you do know this?
Twitter is a good potential backdoor way into the real billboard charting artists....but not directly, maybe a songwriter/sound engineer/backing singer etc...they can have the ear of the studio....and i think the 'top' operates in loop of friendships, referrals, lunch dates....you can't get to them ,through personal effort , a publisher(a proper one) with connections to the target artist, might be able to do something..keep trying.

[Sing4me88]

You do read ,that they can put songs on hold for ages, and then pass on them at a later date, maybe due to changes in music style.

Yep. Getting published is not the totality of the process of getting placed. Having a track accepted on hold isn't either - it's actually getting that track cut by the artist that counts and brings in the £. Though this is obviously qualified if its cut as an album track rather than a single (though several artists that are weaker in their writing can be given the space by the label sometimes to treat album tracks as something of a vanity project). Having something put on hold meas that yes an artist (or their label and/or management) are mulling over your song but it's not a guarantee they'll take it on. While they have it on hold no one else can take it on so it's worth bearing that in mind. You could have a song on hold with someone for 2 years that they eventually pass on while in that time there could have been 2 or 3 chances to get it to a more interested artist.

There are inroads to the 'industry' and to recording artists and their management fo'sre, yo just have to be creative about it. Sound engineers etc are great as are some of the marketing folk and folks with a proven history in the publishing business that can at the very least call in the odd favour here or there or ask old friends in the 'network'to take a listen to this. You'd be surprised what opportunities can arise from working and collabing with certain people...