Last updated: October 2026
You spent decades building a career, a business or a family. Now you’re making the record you always meant to make. Good news: your story is an advantage. Editors love a second act, and curators judge the song, not your birth year. This is our guide to where artists over 50 can submit music, get featured, and spend their budget wisely.
The short version: use the same pitch platforms as everyone else (SubmitHub, Groover), pitch genre outlets for your style, lead with your second-act story when you pitch magazines like The LA Note, and don’t forget your hometown paper, alumni magazine and the trade press from your first career.
At a glance
- Best pitch platforms: SubmitHub and Groover, where curators review the song, not your age.
- Best story outlets: The LA Note, your hometown newspaper, your alumni magazine, and your first career’s trade publication.
- Stretch goal: AARP’s entertainment coverage, which reaches the biggest 50+ audience there is.
- Worth paying for: a good producer, professional photos, a real publicist for a release campaign.
- Not worth paying for: guaranteed-stream schemes and “featured on 300 sites” packages.
- Pitch The LA Note: thelanote.com/submit
1. Pitch platforms — let the song speak
- SubmitHub — credit-based; curators listen and give feedback on the track itself.
- Groover — guaranteed listen and reply from every curator you choose.
- Spotify for Artists — free. Pitch one unreleased song to Spotify’s editors at least 7 days before release.
2. Outlets where your story is the hook
The LA Note
That’s us. The LA Note publishes long-form features and interviews with artists across music and entertainment, and a dentist, contractor or retired teacher releasing their first album is exactly the kind of story we want to tell. To pitch us, go to thelanote.com/submit.
More places to pitch
- Your hometown newspaper. “Local business owner releases debut album” is a story local editors run.
- Your alumni magazine. Colleges love alumni doing something unexpected.
- Your first career’s trade press. Professional associations and trade magazines love member stories. A lawyer, nurse or engineer making music stands out there.
- AARP Entertainment — music and entertainment coverage for the 50+ audience. A long shot, but the most targeted audience there is.
- Genre outlets. See our guides for country and Christian and worship artists.
3. Spend your budget like a business owner
Many second-act artists have more to invest than artists starting at 22. That also makes you a target. Spend like you did in your first career:
- Worth it: a producer with credits you can verify, professional mixing and mastering, a real photo shoot, and a publicist with a written plan and past results.
- Ask hard questions: which outlets, which playlists, what reporting, and what happens if nothing lands.
- Avoid: guaranteed streams (they can get your music removed), “featured on hundreds of sites” bundles, and anyone who won’t name outlets.
4. How to pitch so you actually get featured
- Lead with the second act. One line on your first career, one on why you’re making music now.
- Don’t apologize for your age. It’s the story, not a problem.
- Use a private streaming link and keep it under 150 words.
- Bring professional photos and a two-paragraph bio.
- Pitch 4–6 weeks before release so coverage lands at launch.
Get featured in The LA Note
Second acts make some of our favorite stories. Send a short pitch with a private streaming link, one press photo, and a two-paragraph bio.
Go to: Submit to The LA Note
Planning a bigger push? A full campaign (several outlets, timed to your release) is a different job than one feature. Speak to a PR agent.
New to pitching? Start with our main guide: Where Independent Artists Can Submit Music & Get Featured (2026).
Frequently asked questions
Is it too late to start a music career after 50?
No. Curators and playlist editors judge the song, and many editors actively look for second-act stories. Artists over 50 also tend to have the budget for professional production and promotion.
Where can older independent artists submit music?
Through SubmitHub, Groover and Spotify for Artists, to genre outlets for your style, and to story-driven outlets like The LA Note, your hometown newspaper, your alumni magazine and your first career’s trade press.
What music promotion is worth paying for?
Professional production, real photos, and a publicist with a written plan and verifiable results. Avoid guaranteed-stream services and bundles that won’t name the outlets.
How do I get featured in The LA Note?
Go to: Submit to The LA Note with a short pitch, a private link to the work, one high-resolution photo, and a two-paragraph bio.
Image credits
- Featured image: The Studio A piano room at Blackbird Studio, Nashville. Photo: The Blackbird Academy via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped with text added)
- Photo 1: A recording studio control room. Photo: John Naclerio via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Photo 2: Folk musician John Kirkbride in performance. Photo: Alexander.ledig via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Sarrah Sanchez is a home, arts, and crafts-minded creative who brings a maker’s eye to her writing. With several years in the online writing space, she covers entertainment and lifestyle for The LA Note, and she’s set on taking her craft as far as it will go.
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