Blast Music Opens 2026 Artist Submissions for North Alabama Musicians

North Alabama musicians have a new opportunity to get their music in front of local listeners – and get paid for it.

The Huntsville-Madison County Public Library’s Blast Music streaming platform is now accepting artist submissions for its 2026 selection round. Musicians and bands from across North Alabama can submit their work for consideration September 1–30, 2026. 

This year’s submission period comes as Blast Music celebrates five years of connecting listeners with the musicians creating music right here in North Alabama.

What is Blast Music?

Launched by the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library in August 2021, Blast Music is a free streaming service dedicated to showcasing local artists.

Over the past five years, the platform has grown to feature 244 juried artists and 278 albums and EPs spanning a wide variety of genres. Anyone can listen to Blast Music for free from any device — no library card or login is required. 

Blast artists have also had opportunities beyond the streaming platform. Musicians featured in the collection have participated in local events and programs including PorchFest FivePoints, Winter Blast at The Orion Amphitheater, MidCity’s Camp to Amp Festival and WLRH 89.3’s Valley Sounds. 

North Alabama Musicians: Here’s How to Submit

Each September, Blast Music invites local musicians and bands to submit their work for consideration. Up to 50 artists or bands may be selected during the annual submission round.

Artists from a broad range of genres are encouraged to apply, including Americana, Bluegrass, Blues, Children’s, Classical, Country, Folk, Gospel, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Latin, Pop, R&B, Rap, Religious, Rock, Soul and World music.

Applicants will need to complete an application and submit one sample track for review by the Blast Music curator team. 

What Happens If You’re Selected?

A team of HMCPL staff members and representatives from the local music community reviews the submissions and selects the artists who will join the platform.

Selected musicians will upload an EP or album and sign a streaming license agreement. Importantly, artists retain full ownership of their music and receive a $300 honorarium for each album accepted into the collection. 

Blast Music is made possible through the Marguerite Cartwright Hawthorne Endowment, which supports music resources for HMCPL. The Huntsville Music Office has also supported the program since its beginning and helps fund artist honorariums. 

Celebrating Five Years of Local Music

For five years, Blast Music has created another way for Huntsville and North Alabama musicians to be discovered while giving the community an easy way to support and explore its local music scene.

Now, the library is looking for the next group of artists to add their sound to the collection.

2026 Blast Music Submissions
Dates: September 1–30, 2026
Who: North Alabama musicians and bands
Submit + Learn More: ⁠blast.hmcpl.org