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Trio Productions, Inc. |
Independent Songplugger Services
What is a songplugger?
A songplugger is hired by a either the publisher, individual writer, or both to pitch songs they own to artists, record label A&R persons, and producers with the intention that the songs will find a place on the next album release. A songplugger is the ‘sales person’ and the position requires a combination of passion and detachment. A good songplugger is service oriented, in that he or she continually does his or her best to find and pitch songs that fit criteria the producers and label have established for the project. In no way can a plugger bring a song to a producer because the writer requests it, if she feels the song is wrong for the project or if it doesn’t hold up to the criteria established. The reputation of the plugger is built, to a large degree, on the songs she brings to every project. If you know the artist won’t do cheating songs and the writer insists his cheating song is perfect for the artist, in no way can you play it. It’s wasting a pitch, and just as good writers don’t waste lines and words songs, the plugger doesn’t waste pitch opportunities. It’s the job of the songplugger to recognize good songs, stand behind these songs, but pitch them when and where appropriate. The songplugger’s calling card is the last best (or worst) song she pitched.
Why employ an independent songplugger?
Even though the goal and desired outcome when representing a catalogue is getting cuts, one doesn’t pay a songplugger for cuts. You do however, pay for the time, energy, and enthusiasm the songplugger has regarding your catalogue. You pay for the business connections and experience a plugger works hard to acquire. You pay for the knowledge and the ability of your plugger to think on her feet in pitch meetings because changing strategy in the middle of a meeting almost always happens. You pay a songplugger for his or her ability to get your songs to the major players and to personally absorb the rejection that is 99% of the job. Pitching songs is one of the most intense sales experiences and a songplugger hears ‘pass’ far more often than ‘get me a copy of that’ or ‘put that song on hold for me’. Can you objectively write songs while simultaneously dealing with the almost certain rejection without taking it personally and allowing it to eventually dampen your creative spirit? It’s almost always better to have someone who is a detached person pitch your material for you. Most producers, artists and A&R reps would rather listen alone or with the songplugger, rather than the writer, because saying no is difficult. Their jobs depend on being able to reject material they don’t believe is right for the project and they tend to treat the writer with kid gloves, so as not to hurt feelings and bruise egos. A songplugger on the other hand is expected to take the rejection and let it bounce off, so there’s not so much of a need to give an excuse for the ‘pass’.