How do you decide what music to cover on this site?

Today we’re going to address a common FAQ about EarToTheGround Music. In fact, quite a few people have gotten upset with us for not covering their music. We’re sorry, honestly. If we loved every submission we got, we would have to own a dozen sites. But that said, let’s clear up a few things that we ARE listening for when we click play. (By “we” I am writing on behalf of editors Greg Jones and Matt Simon.)

1) We are looking for originality. We tend to cover pretty conventional genres like folk, rock, and roots music, but we do want it to have a fresh new sound to it. We are not looking for the hottest progressive jazz or the wildest new electro beats. That’s just not us. So yes, it should be “unique” enough to pique our interest but not so avant garde that we cannot connect.

2) We are seeking a connection. It sounds like a line from a dating website, but honestly we want to FEEL something with the music. There are tracks that are technically proficient yet have no heart to them. This is just the way music is sometimes. We’re sorry if you put your heart and soul into something that doesn’t connect with us. It’s part of the authenticity of our site, though, and we will not compromise on this point.

3) We want to hear a good story. Sometimes graphic or unsettling lyrics can be part of a good story, but we tend not to feature music that repeats a phrase or slogan without much substance. You can talk about heartbreak, falling in love, or going on a roadtrip. We just need to connect with the story.

4) If it has a lot of bells and whistles, they have to work to advance the quality of the song. This is one of those points about more modern stylistic choices. People include all sorts of tweeters and electronic elements to music that can sometimes cloud the mood and message. If we feel the beat and the lyrics, it can still work. But this, of course, is highly subjective.

At the end of the day, we’re ecstatic to have the opportunity to provide feedback for artists and feature what we like. If you are not a fan of our site or our writing, I’m not entirely sure why you are even here or reading this. If you are looking for “yes men” to tell you why they love your music, perhaps we are not a good fit. We only write positive reviews of the music that we cover, so rather than writing a public scathing review of your album, we politely say no thanks.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Thank you for understanding that we’re here because we love the music.