Do musicians still need an EPK in 2026?

Put the live set first for booking

For a show pitch, I'd put the live performance near the top of the EPK, with the booking contact close by. Let the reader get to the set without working through a long bio or a page of release news.

Start with the performance.

Velveteen's July 2026 guide covers EPKs for booking live shows. For your own pitch, choose footage that represents the show you're offering now. If you're a DJ, make the set easy to find; if you're pitching a band, don't bury the live footage beneath studio tracks.

What are you asking someone to book? Say that in plain words, then put the relevant music and video beside it. Keep the description tied to your act rather than filling it with praise you could paste into anyone else's bio.

And check the application itself before you send anything. SXSW's current application to take part closes on November 20, 2026. Treat the EPK as material for your pitch, not as a replacement for completing the application.

Give press a clear starting point

For a press pitch, I'd lead with the thing you're asking someone to cover. Put the relevant music beside a short description, then make the artist bio, photos and contact information easy to find without letting them take over the page.

Keep the bio separate.

You can introduce yourself without making the reader start at the beginning of your career. Write a short version for this page, and keep the wording specific to your music and the subject of the pitch.

If you're including press quotes, name the source. If you're offering photos for use, label them and include the credit you want used. Don't turn those parts into another pitch inside the pitch.

Your email can carry the personal note to the writer or editor. Let the EPK hold the material you're pointing them toward, with labels that say what each link opens.

Make the page match the pitch

You don't have to give every part of your EPK equal space. For a show pitch, move the live material up; for a press pitch, move the subject you're pitching up and leave the rest available below it.

Same material, different emphasis.

I'd use plain labels such as "Live video," "Music," "Bio" and "Contact." There's no need to make someone interpret a clever heading before they can play a track.

Before sending, open the page yourself and follow the links (including the contact link). Play the embeds, check the photos and read the bio as it appears on the published page, not just in the editor.

Then look back at the message you're sending. Does its link lead to the material you've just described? If you're pitching a particular performance or release, point to that material rather than leaving the reader to choose from everything you've published.

Bandzoogle also lists a free custom domain on website plans and 0% commission on sales. Keep those website-plan details separate when you're considering its EPK-only plan.

Don't choose by the template alone. Open your music, video and contact details in the format you intend to send, and check the finished version before putting its link in a pitch.

Putting an EPK on Heya

Heya, the builder publishing this guide, is a no-code website builder at heya.page. You sign in with Google to publish. For an EPK, you can use its Spotify and SoundCloud embeds for music, and YouTube or Vimeo for video.

Start with the material.

Choose a template, add the content for the pitch you're making, then set the page title, description, favicon and share image. Heya allows a title of up to 120 characters and a description of up to 300 characters.

Heya doesn't sell domains. If you want a custom domain, bring one from a registrar; custom domains start on Pro Standard.

There's no built-in store, checkout or form builder. Link a button to your checkout or store page, use a Google Form or a Tally form for inquiries, or add the Calendly embed for bookings.

Related guides: EPK (electronic press kit), DJ EPK, Free website builders for musicians and Bandzoogle vs Wix.

More from Heya: All guides, Templates and Pricing.