Is Pomona Rocks Pay-For-Play?
NO! Absolutely not. Pomona Rocks is not and never will be pay-for-play.
One of the key reasons that Pomona Rocks was created is to counter the ripoff that is pay-for-play. We’re grateful to all bands and artists who take part by contributing their music to the shows and we categorically promise that nobody will ever be asked to pay us to have their tracks included.
What Gets Played?
Potentially anything. Our monthly editions in particular are genre-agnostic, the general rule being that if it’s good, it goes in.
We try to be as inclusive as possible while also making shows listenable. The idea of Pomona Rocks is to bring our listeners something that they’ve never heard So remember that listeners aren’t obliged to sit through the entirety of your 30-minute speedcore opus, and they probably won’t.
The wider the audience we can get for the shows, the better it is for everyone who contributes. Although we recognise that art can validly be challenging, if something is designed purely to offend – or is just plain abusive – it is very unlikely to get playlisted.
I’m just starting out and I’m scared that you’ll make fun of my music.
Don’t be, because that’s not what we do. Pomona Rocks is built to help nurture new and upcoming artists, not crush them.
The very worst response you can expect is nothing. And even then, it doesn’t mean that we hate your music. It may mean that we’ve simply not playlisted it in a show yet, or not had time to listen to it.
The number one reason for songs not getting playlisted is the production and delivery of the track, rather than the song itself. We don’t demand perfection, but we (and our listeners) expect a minimum level of production, rather than just a rehearsal recording from your phone.
If you do want some brutally honest feedback, you’re welcome to ask for it. There’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to give you any feedback, but when we do, we’ll always try to be as gentle and constructive as possible. But honest opinions can be tough to take.
I’ve submitted my music. Does that guarantee that it’ll be playlisted?
Nope. But remember that if it doesn’t get played, it doesn’t mean it’s bad. If your track is not playlisted in the next month’s shows, don’t despair, as it may just be waiting to fit more beautifully into a future show.
But even if the track/s you sent didn’t eventually make it into a show, please don’t stop writing, playing, practising and improving.
I’m in a cover / tribute band. Will you play our stuff?
Only if you’re genuinely bringing something new to the works you’re covering. For example, pretty much anything by Brass Against would definitely get playlisted, as would Abstract Orchestra‘s acoustic covers of MF Doom and Madvillain tracks.
While we have absolutely nothing against cover and tribute bands, they always work better live. For recorded music, originals are always preferable.
What is the Sleeve Notes section for on the submission form?
On the blog post accompanying every podcast, we’ll include a full playlist for the episode. Each track listed will be accompanied by the name of the performing artist or band and one direct link to whatever is most relevant.
So, for example, if you’ve got a new track or album out, include a link to your bandcamp (or similar) page where listeners can download the track. If you’ve got a tour or gig coming up, include a link that provides details of where you’re playing and when.
And if you’ve just sent us a great tune but have no upcoming gigs news to share, include whatever link is best for listeners to find out more about you and your music.