No secrets. No favors. Just honest curation. Here’s exactly how every submission is reviewed — and why.
Every submission reviewed by a human within 48 hours · Honest feedback either way
The selection process
The same process for every submission, every package, every genre. No shortcuts, no back doors.
Your track, metadata and payment are logged the moment they arrive. You get instant confirmation and a tracking status in your dashboard — no email chasing required.
A human editor listens to every single submission from start to finish — no automation, no skipping to the chorus. Notes are taken on arrangement, production and how the track lands.
Tracks that pass the initial listen go to the curator panel. We discuss the music as a team — what works, what doesn't and whether it belongs on Headliner Record.
You get a written response within 48 hours — accepted or not. Every decision is explained in plain language, with the notes our editors actually wrote while listening.
Selection criteria
No secret formulas — this is exactly how we weigh a submission, weighted the same for every artist. Read the full submission guidelines →
Does this sound fresh and unique? We're looking for a distinct voice, an interesting arrangement and a reason to press play again.
Is it well-recorded, mixed and mastered? Clarity, balance and a professional finish are the price of admission.
Does it move us? The last ten percent is the human part — the feeling that makes a track unforgettable.
The curator panel
Real humans with real careers in music. Every one of them has been on the artist side — that’s why they take your track seriously.
Founder & Curator
Taste: Afrobeats · Soul · Hip-Hop
Thabo started as an unsigned artist in 1990s Johannesburg before moving into A&R and founding ASP Records in 1999. He still listens for the same spark he chased in the 90s — and he has final say on every feature.
Head of Music Curation
Taste: House · Hip-Hop · Techno
A decade in radio and playlist curation gave Amara an ear that spans genres and scenes. She leads the editors who do the first listen and brings the panel together when a track splits opinions.
Production Specialist
Taste: Electronic · Rock · R&B
A producer and mix engineer with credits across three continents, Dev is the panel's quality control. When he says a mix holds up, it holds up — and his production notes are the ones artists quote back to us.
Community & Artist Relations
Taste: Indie · Pop · Folk
Sofia runs our artist community and knows our audience better than anyone. She votes on whether a track will land with 100K+ monthly music fans — and she's the one who writes your acceptance news with genuine excitement.
If your track is selected
The moment the panel confirms your feature, you get the news — plus the notes that got you there, so you know exactly what we loved.
We work with you on the write-up, artwork and promo so your track launches in its best light. Your story is told your way.
Your music lands on the site, our socials and the newsletter to 100K+ monthly music fans — with your name front and center.
If your track isn’t selected
You receive the real written notes from your review: mix notes, structural notes or fit notes. Specific, useful and written by the humans who listened.
No vague 'not for us.' We tell you what held the track back against our criteria, so you know exactly what to work on next time.
A rejection here is a note on one track, not a verdict on your music. Many featured artists weren't selected the first time — the feedback is the point.
Roughly one in four submissions is featured. We’d rather say no honestly than feature a track we don’t believe in.
A real listen within 48 hours and honest feedback either way. If it’s right for us, we’ll put it in front of 100K+ monthly music fans.
Submit Your MusicOne-time payment per track · Pay in crypto · Full refund within 7 days if we don’t feature your track
