How I Became a Groover Curator
A few years back, I was approached by Groover to join their platform. At the time, I was running a YouTube channelfocused on artist Q&As and managing my music website, where I still publish reviews and blog posts about new releases.
My offer to Groover users is straightforward: if I like your track, I’ll feature it in a blog post on my site, which can give you some added visibility and credibility as an artist.
Why Artists Pay for Submissions
Some might ask: “Why would anyone pay to have their song listened to?”
The answer lies in how music promotion has evolved.
Years ago, the only real way to get your music heard was through radio stations or industry connections — a DJ, a label rep, or a promoter. Those days are mostly gone. Today, you’re largely left to promote your own music, and platforms like Groover offer a bridge between you and the people who can help you reach new audiences.
What Happens When You Submit to Groover
When you submit your track, you first choose a curator — someone whose style, playlist, or platform aligns with your music. You can review their background, playlists, and previous work to see if they’re a good fit.
Once you submit and pay the small fee, your track goes into their review queue. Most Groover curators aren’t full-time music executives or label owners. They’re people like me — bloggers, small radio hosts, playlist curators, or indie label owners — who have built platforms with modest but focused audiences.
If a curator likes your track, they might:
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Add it to a playlist
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Write a review or blog feature
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Share it on social media
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Include it in a radio show or newsletter
The hope is that by featuring your music on these platforms, you’ll reach listeners who might not have discovered you otherwise.
The Reality: Exposure Doesn’t Always Equal Success
Here’s where many artists get frustrated.
You might get featured on a playlist or blog with thousands of followers — and yet, nothing seems to happen. No big jump in streams, no new followers, no buzz.
But here’s the truth: curators can put your music in front of people, but they can’t make listeners like it.
Think of it like getting your single placed in the window of a record store back in the day. You can pay for that prime spot, but if people walk by and don’t pick it up, the store owner won’t keep it there for long. The same goes for playlists and blogs — curators want to keep their audiences engaged, so they’re selective about what they feature.
Why Rejection Happens (and Why It’s Not Personal)
If your submission gets rejected, don’t take it personally.
Curators receive far more submissions than they can handle. Sometimes they’re just overloaded, or maybe your song doesn’t fit what they’ve already scheduled. In my case, if I already have several prog-rock submissions that week, I might be looking for something different to balance things out.
Other times, a curator might simply not connect with the track — and that’s okay. It’s better for both parties if they pass, rather than writing a lukewarm review that doesn’t do your music justice.
The good thing about Groover is that when a curator rejects your track, you get your credit refunded, so you can try again elsewhere.
What Makes a Good Submission
Here are a few quick tips from the curator’s side of the table:
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Know your audience – Don’t submit techno to a folk curator. Take time to read bios and check playlists.
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Present professionally – Include a short, clear description and links that work.
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Be patient – Curators often balance dozens of submissions at once.
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Don’t take rejections to heart – Sometimes it’s about timing, not talent.
Final Thoughts
Being both an artist and a curator, I can tell you this: it’s not easy on either side. Curators juggle endless submissions, and artists face massive competition for attention.
But Groover and similar platforms have opened up opportunities that didn’t exist a decade ago. You no longer need an inside contact or a label deal to get your music heard — just a bit of persistence and professionalism.
So keep creating, keep submitting, and most importantly, keep improving. The right ears will find you eventually.
Have you tried Groover or similar platforms? Share your experience in the comments below — I’d love to hear how it went for you.
What do we do..
Each blog post contains artist images, some Bio information, latest track release and a short review of the track. Links to their YouTube , streaming platforms and Social media ar also included to allow readers to go straight to the artists pages.
Building My Blog (Part 3): Learning from Analytics
Meta Description (SEO):
Discover how I use Google Analytics, Google Site Kit, Rank Math, and Microsoft Clarity to track traffic, understand audience behavior, and grow my music review blog newmusicreview.co.uk.
Why Analytics Matter for a Blog
When you run a blog, analytics give you the clues behind the scenes. They show you:
- Where your traffic is coming from
- Which posts perform well (and which don’t)
- The age groups and locations of your readers
- The best times to publish
- Where readers drop off or lose interest
All this helps you create smarter content, improve your site, and learn what your audience actually wants.
Getting Started with Google Analytics
The main tool I use is Google Analytics. Setting it up can feel a bit clunky at first, but a quick search will get you sorted. Once installed, it tracks things like:
- Total visits to your site
- Geography of your audience
- Age group and gender breakdown
- Which pages/posts are most popular
In my case, analytics showed that music reviews tend to attract a male-heavy audience. That might not be the case for everyone, but it’s an interesting insight into who’s reading.
SEO Tools and Analytics Work Together
In Part 2, I talked about using Rank Math for SEO. Tools like this naturally lead you into analytics because they connect keyword performance with actual user behavior.
I don’t check my data daily—once a week is enough. But when I post an article, share a YouTube short, or feature a popular artist, there’s an immediate spike in traffic. That tells me what’s working.
That said, my blog is a mix of content—artist interviews, indie label chats, gear and effects reviews, conversations with producers and promoters. Algorithms prefer niche, specific content, but I like variety, so I just publish what interests me and let the numbers tell me the rest.
Extra Tools I Use Alongside Google Analytics
1. Google Site Kit (WordPress Plugin)
This plugin integrates directly into your site’s backend. It gives you quick, easy-to-read graphs for the last 3, 7, or 30 days, up to 12 months. Think of it as a dashboard version of Google Analytics.
2. Microsoft Clarity
This free plugin is a game-changer. It lets you watch recordings of user sessions (anonymous, of course). You can see:
- Cursor movements
- What visitors click on
- How they navigate your site
It’s incredibly useful for spotting whether your site is easy to use—or if visitors get stuck.
My Current Setup
To summarise, here’s what I run on newmusicreview.co.uk:
- Rank Math → SEO guidance and keyword insights
- Google Analytics → In-depth traffic and audience data
- Google Site Kit → Quick-glance dashboard inside WordPress
- Microsoft Clarity → Real-time session recordings and user behavior
These tools together give me a solid understanding of what’s happening on my blog without getting too technical.
What’s Next?
In Part 4, I’ll share how I use social media and other platforms to promote my content and drive more traffic to the blog. After that, I’ll dive into where I actually discover the artists I feature.
If you’re thinking of starting your own blog—music-related or otherwise—drop me a message. I’d love to chat and share ideas.
What do we do..
Each blog post contains artist images, some Bio information, latest track release and a short review of the track. Links to their YouTube , streaming platforms and Social media ar also included to allow readers to go straight to the artists pages.
This is Part 2 of my “Developing NewMusicReview.co.uk” series.
In Part 1 I introduced how the site began, the template system I use, and some of the artists I’ve covered.
In this part, I’m focusing on SEO: what I’ve tried, what’s worked, and what hasn’t.
Getting to Grips with SEO
In this episode, I’d like to talk about SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) — how I’ve integrated it into my music review website and what I’ve discovered along the way.
SEO can feel a bit complex at first, but once you get into it, there are definitely some easier sides too.
Finding the Right SEO Tool
Like many people starting out, I experimented with one or two SEO plug-ins I found by randomly searching the internet. Eventually, someone recommended Rank Math, and that’s the tool I ended up using.
Because I was building my site with Elementor and WordPress, Rank Math fit in pretty smoothly. It uses a simple traffic light scoring system:
- Red: poor SEO (0–50)
- Orange: average (52–80)
- Green: good (80+)
It looks at things like your keywords, meta descriptions, and tags, then scores your post out of 100. For me, that meant I could quickly check whether my reviews were likely to perform well in search results.
🔎 What is Rank Math?
Rank Math is a free WordPress SEO plug-in designed to make optimisation easier for bloggers and small website owners. It:
- Analyses keywords, titles, and meta descriptions.
- Suggests improvements to boost search rankings.
- Uses a colour-coded scoring system (red, orange, green) to show how well a post is optimised.
- Integrates with Google Search Console for deeper insights.
It also offers advanced features like schema markup and internal linking suggestions, but I mostly use it for the basics — making sure my posts are set up to be as visible as possible.
Working with Keywords
My approach was simple:
- Use the artist’s name and track title as primary keywords.
- Add relevant music genre tags (folk, indie, rock, synthwave, etc.).
- Sprinkle in a few descriptive terms in the post body and meta description.
Once I got the hang of it, it wasn’t difficult to push most posts into the green (usually around the 85 mark). That was good enough for me.
One advantage of my template system (from Part One) is that each post is about a different artist, which naturally creates fresh keywords every time. That consistency really helps SEO without me needing to overthink it.
The Switch to Divi 5
Later, I switched my site design over from Elementor to Divi 5. That’s when I hit a snag: Rank Math no longer seemed to integrate fully with my posts. Instead of analysing the full article, it only picked up the basics — artist name, title, image, and maybe the first line.
Strangely, despite losing that handy Rank Math scoring system, my site traffic didn’t really change. Visitors still came at the same rate. That made me wonder how much difference the plug-in actually made. Was it Rank Math improving my SEO, or just me naturally writing posts that already contained the right keywords?
The Pros and Cons of SEO Plug-ins
Here’s what I’ve learned so far:
What works:
- Plug-ins like Rank Math are great for beginners — the traffic light system shows you quickly if you’re on the right track.
- Using artist names, song titles, and genres as keywords is both natural and effective.
- Templates make SEO easier because they encourage consistency in layout and keyword placement.
What doesn’t always work:
- Switching themes or builders (like moving to Divi) can break integrations.
- Too many plug-ins can cause conflicts — I’ve already had to disable some to keep things running smoothly.
- SEO scores don’t always translate into more visitors.
So… Does SEO Work?
That’s the big question. Honestly, I’m not sure how much difference a plug-in makes on its own. My traffic seems to come more from sharing posts on social media and word of mouth in the indie music community than from ranking in Google.
Still, SEO is part of the puzzle — even if it’s just making sure that when people search an artist I’ve covered, my review has a chance of showing up.
What’s Next
In the Part 3 of this series, I’ll dive into Analytics — the tools I’ve been using to measure traffic, what they tell me about my audience, and how I’m trying to use that data to keep improving the site.
A Lost Decade Release Exciting New Single “Broken Souls”
Independent band A Lost Decade return with a striking new single, “Broken Souls,” a track that invites listeners into a deeply sensorial journey where vulnerability meets chaotic beauty.
Fluctuating between raw emotion and ornate expressiveness, the song is carried by raspy yet melodically nuanced vocals that merge seamlessly with its layered instrumental landscape. Every lyric and inflection is heightened by Fred Charles’smeticulous mixing, which gives each element clarity and depth. Meanwhile, Zac Tiessen’s mastering adds power and fullness, allowing crescendos, guitar solos, and delicate piano lines to unfold with almost cinematic intensity.
The result is an immersive sonic experience that captures themes of self-destruction, internal collapse, global decay, disillusionment, and fragile hope. By blending emotion, technique, and production with such precision, A Lost Decade transform their music into visceral art.
“Broken Souls” is available now on all major streaming platforms.
Reece’s powerful drumming has added fresh momentum to the band’s sound, making this release a pivotal moment in their journey. With a headline show booked at Aces & Eights on 15th November, “The Downside” feels like more than just a single—it’s the start of a new chapter for Howling Hawk, symbolizing rebirth and a sharpened sense of purpose.
Jackson Harden – A Rising Voice in Folk and Alt-Country.
Jackson Harden is a singer-songwriter from Utah, now based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Blending elements of traditional folk, alt-country, and chamber pop, his music carries a timeless quality—an airy, open atmosphere infused with imagery of vast desert landscapes and towering mountains of the American West. With a gentle vocal style, intimate songwriting, and intricate guitar picking, Harden has often been compared to legends like Nick Drake and Elliott Smith.
A Breedlove Guitar official artist—his instrument of choice since the age of 12—Harden has already shared the stage with acts such as Cardinal Bloom, Tyler Ramsey, and David Childers.
Early Days
Music has been a guiding force in Harden’s life since he first picked up a guitar at age eight. By elementary school, he was already forming groups to perform at talent shows. At just 13, he won first place in the 2009 Flatpick Guitar Contest at the Utah State Instrument Championships.
High school saw him experimenting with sound through Across the Snow, an instrumental post-rock group that explored lush soundscapes and reverb-heavy guitars. This curiosity carried into his college years—Harden earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Snow College in 2019, while also performing with indie/alternative band Sea Elephant, an experience that helped refine his confidence as both a guitarist and songwriter.
A New Chapter
In 2022, Harden made a bold move from Utah to North Carolina, setting out to forge his own path as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and producer. That journey culminated in the release of his debut EP, Dakota Blue Moon, where Harden unveils a profound and deeply personal sound that marks the beginning of his solo career.
Western Jaguar: Atmospheric Indie Rock with Shoegaze and Dream Pop Flair
Western Jaguar is the creative project of British Columbia–based musician Jeffrey Trainor, blending indie rock, shoegaze, and dream pop into an emotionally charged, cinematic sound. What began as a humble musical endeavor has grown into a dynamic force within the indie music scene.
The Sound of Western Jaguar
Western Jaguar is known for crafting expansive soundscapes built on:
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Lush instrumentals that layer textures and tones
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Emotive harmonies that evoke both intimacy and grandeur
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Atmospheric arrangements that feel reflective and cinematic
The result is music that pulls listeners into a space that’s both deeply personal and universally relatable.
Pushing Boundaries
With each release, Trainor continues to evolve the project’s sound — experimenting with new textures while staying rooted in heartfelt songwriting. This commitment to innovation has helped Western Jaguar carve out a unique space in the indie scene, appealing to fans of dreamy, introspective music.
AlascA release new single – Ophelia
AlascA’s new single Ophelia is like a comet—romantic and dazzling at first sight, but far more complex the closer you get. Its tapestry of sound is as folky as it is powerful, with lyrics that reveal a depth far beyond the initial impression of a simple love song.
Peel away the layers, and Ophelia becomes something else entirely. It’s not just about love; it’s about the existential weight of youth, doubt, absence, and death. The song invites listeners to interpret it in their own way—yet one thing is certain: AlascA is back.
Between 2010 and 2020, AlascA became the leading alternative folk voice from the Netherlands. Their career was marked by constant reinvention, reminiscent of Bowie’s chameleon-like artistry.
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Actors & Liars (2012): a debut filled with romantic, introverted magic.
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Prospero (2015): spaghetti western influences and cinematic soundscapes.
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Plea for Peace (2018): prophetic protest songs with biting social commentary.
With each release, the band pushed themselves into new creative territory, making most of their first decade feel like a dream come true.
It Wasnt Easy
Fronted by singer-songwriter Frank Bond, AlascA worked with Grammy Award-winning producer Alan Branch, signed a UK record deal, and stormed onto the scene with their charting 2012 debut. They received BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 airplay, toured across Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and England, and shared stages with legends like Sinéad O’Connor at iconic venues including O2 Academy, Sage Gateshead, Dublin Castle, and Amsterdam’s Paradiso Main Stage.
Yet despite critical acclaim—from DJs, journalists, and fans alike—AlascA never fully broke through to a mainstream audience. When the pandemic hit, the band decided to take a well-earned break.
The Return..
Now, after a five-year hiatus, AlascA returns older, wiser, and more certain of their identity. As Frank Bond puts it:
“When you know who you are, you do not need to re-invent yourself anymore. You have become the invention.”
This clarity shines through in Ophelia—a song that embodies both intimacy and universality, personal reflection and cosmic scale. It’s a return not just to form, but to purpose.
With past praise from Bob Harris (BBC Radio 2), Chris Hawkings (BBC Radio 6), and Steve Bennett (Acoustic Magazine), anticipation is high. And with Ophelia, AlascA prove they remain one of the most unique and thoughtful voices in alternative folk today.
Laura Kulenova – New release – Liminal
Laura Kulenova is quickly establishing herself as a rising force in both music and film. Her world is bold, cinematic, and unapologetically dark—a visually striking universe that sets her apart from the crowd. Drawing inspiration from fearless icons who broke rules and redefined artistry, Laura is carving out her own lane with a sound she describes as dark pop: a captivating fusion of dramatic intensity and modern energy.
More than just her voice, Laura’s artistry is rooted in a powerful sense of identity. Her underground-inspired visuals, haunting presence, and fearless approach have already drawn an engaged audience eager to follow her evolution. At the core of her ambition lies a desire to push the boundaries of the music scene and craft an artistic language entirely her own.
Jamie Frye: Crossing Barriers with Storytelling and Sound.
Jamie Frye is emerging as a formidable artist, defined by his fearless approach to breaking barriers in music. With a creative vision that builds bridges of meaning and connection, Frye channels his lifelong love of songwriting into a narrative that resonates deeply with listeners.
From a young age, music became central to his identity. He wasn’t just singing and performing—he was also composing, even penning his high school’s Alma Mater. Seventeen years ago, Frye began recording his own music, giving his original compositions a platform and setting the stage for the musical journey he continues today.
Now, that journey is reaching new heights. Frye is preparing to release his first full-length studio album in early 2026, a project written entirely by him. Infused with poignant storytelling and lyrical mastery, the album promises to be a soul-stirring experience where thought and emotion intertwine through the language of music.
Since signing a publishing agreement in January 2024, Frye has already made waves with just four released songs, amassing nearly 100,000 streams worldwide. His tracks have climbed into the Top 100 Dubstep, Indie Dance, and Alternative Streaming Charts via Hypeddit, peaking at #19, #24, and #77 respectively. His single “Pipe Dream”—accompanied by his debut music video released in March 2024—has become his strongest release yet, pulling in nearly 40,000 streams alone.
Industry attention has followed. Both “Pipe Dream” and “Higher” earned Frye features as a rising artist in two music publications, cementing his place as a voice to watch in the indie and electronic music scene.
With a bold narrative voice and a rapidly growing audience, Jamie Frye’s upcoming album is set to mark the next chapter in his boundary-pushing career.