5 Magazine is a monthly print magazine. Music submissions are strongly encouraged; our review section is largely based upon so-called "over-the-transom" or unsolicited submissions.
While all submissions are appreciated, there is a greater chance to have your music reviewed if our music submission guidelines are followed. If you have any questions that you don't see covered here, please contact terry@5chicago.com.
1. Where Do I Send My Tracks?
Please send music submissions to terry@5chicago.com. We are not responsible for music sent to individual reviewers.
2. What Kind of Music Do You Review?
House Music. Only House Music. We do not review Hip-Hop, Jazz, Folk or Rock.
3. How Can I Send You My Tracks?
Music submitted via a promo service (such as Kahua Music, Fat Drop, Eight Dimension, etc.) is strongly encouraged.
If you do not use a promo service, please zip up all artwork, music and promotional materials into one file and use wetransfer.com or Dropbox.com. We receive over 200 300 400 music submissions a month; having everything in one place ensures that artist, label and other important information is preserved.
We encourage you to send your music at least 30 days prior to the release date.
4. Hey Check Out My Track On Soundcloud!
While we're happy to check out your track on SoundCloud, music submitted to us is assigned to a reviewer pool. We need your actual music in some sort of tangible form.
Similarly, we do not accept "short samples" even if they're downloadable. Please send the complete tracks. In nearly six years, I've not been made aware of a single instance of music piracy that can be traced to a promo sent to us.
Soundcloud clips, traxsource/beatport/stompy links are not considered submissions.
5. What Format Do you Accept?
MP3 is by far the most common format, but any digital format will do. Windows Media files are kinda silly, though.
6. Can I Send It To You In the Mail?
Digital submissions are encouraged because of the short turnaround time involved in organizing a print publication. Promotional CDs can be sent to 5 Magazine, 100 E Walton Ste 30E, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. Attn: Terry Matthew.
7. I Sent You My Music. Why Wasn't It Reviewed?
We receive over 200 300 400 music submissions per month. At an average of 6 minutes per track and 5 mixes per release, this represents well over 150 hours of music. We do the best we can but there aren't enough hours in the day to cover anything - and we wouldn't have the space in print to write about it all if there were.
It is ultimately the discretion of the reviewer to review what they like. It's entirely possible that it didn't click with them.
We do not review music on demand.
While we understand that it's your work being reviewed (or not reviewed, as the case may be), there's nothing personal about the decision on what makes it into print. We've reviewed music by people we don't personally like. Probably 90% of the artists whose music we review, we've never met at all.
We do the best we can (more than 10% of the magazine is made up of record reviews), and are always trying to do more.
8. I Sent You My DJ Mix. Why Wasn't It Reviewed?
We do not review DJ mixes.
9. Can I Send You My White Label?
Yes.
10. When Will My Review Appear?
5 Magazine is monthly print publication - reviews appear in the print magazine on the street before being added to the free portion of our website. Typically reviews are added to the free section of our website within a month or so after an issue is published.
