music coverage with teeth.

We’re here to shake sh*t up. Rooted in Florida’s music scene and reaching across the U.S., we spotlight the artists reshaping sound, storytelling, and resistance. This isn’t your watered-down music coverage — built by creatives and fueled by rage, we spotlight the artists making noise and meaning in a world that loves to ignore them. We cover it all — from the underground kids playing their first dive bar set to the chart-toppers using their platform to say something real. If it’s bold, if it’s honest, if it gives a damn — we’re on it.

We’re not just launching new music into view — we’re building the future of music media, one unfiltered voice at a time.

core values

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core values *

  • art is political- even when its not trying.

  • queer voices matter. always.

  • we’re neutral not neutral. we’re intentional.

  • no pay-for-play. just real coverage for artists

  • the underground isn’t less valid than the headliners- and nobody is above critique

FAQs

  • Nope. We’re rooted in Florida, but our reach is national. If it’s raw, relevant, and real — we’re down, no matter where you’re based.

  • If the values align, let’s talk. We’re not into fake brand deals, but we’re open to working with platforms, venues, and orgs who give a damn about music and creative freedom.

  • Possibly. We only cover projects we genuinely connect with. We’re not here to publish fluff — if we write about it, we mean it.

  • Yes! while we offer a lot for free — interviews, features, community coverage — live show photography and videography is a paid service. Covering a show takes energy, travel, editing hours, and gear — and we believe our photographer deserves to be compensated for their craft.

    That said, we’re always down to work with independent artists and smaller budgets. If you’ve got a vision, hit us up — we’ll find a way to make it work without sacrificing quality or values.

We’re for the artists who aren’t chasing trends. The ones who make noise on their own terms. The openers with everything to prove. The headliners who still play like they’re underground. The photographers on the floor. The fans in the back. The ones watching, listening, making — even when no one else is.

who we’re for.

“I built Hard Launch because music media’s gotten soft. I was tired of seeing the same industry-planted artists get all of the coverage while the ones actually saying something got ignored. Volume isn’t the same as impact, and we know the difference.”

- Emily (Mily) Ward | Founder & Editor

Got teeth? Reach out.

Looking for Contributors

Hard Launch is building something different — and we’re looking for contributors who are just as obsessed with real music, real voices, and real impact as we are. Writers, photographers, videographers, and creatives of all kinds: if you give a damn, we want you.

Submit your music

We’re not here to gatekeep. If your sound hits hard, says something real, or breaks the mold — we want to hear it.

We cover everything from basement demos to chart-topping chaos, and we don’t care about your follower count. Just send us music that moves, stings, or slaps. Queer voices, underground scenes, genre-bending experiments — all welcome.