A one-sheet is a single page summing up one release or one act for a quick decision. An EPK is the full press kit, with bio, music, gigs, photos, video and contact. Send a one-sheet for a fast yes or no on a specific release. Send your EPK when someone is deciding whether to book you, write about you or work with you.
The difference in one table
| One-sheet | EPK | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | One page | As long as the act needs |
| Focus | One release, tour or pitch | The whole act |
| Format | Usually a PDF | Usually a web page, sometimes a PDF |
| Main reader | Distributors, radio, retail, playlist curators | Promoters, venues, journalists, festivals |
| Lifespan | Weeks, around one campaign | Ongoing, updated after each show and release |
| Music | Track list and links | Track links, mixes and video |
| Photos | One image or the cover art | Several press photos in two orientations |
What goes on a one-sheet
The one-sheet comes from physical distribution, when labels sent a page to record shops with each new release. People who handle a steady stream of releases still want the facts fast.
A release one-sheet usually holds:
- Artist name, release title and release date.
- Cover art, one image at high resolution.
- A short description. Three or four sentences about the release and the sound.
- Track list, with focus tracks marked.
- Selling points. Two or three facts, such as a support tour, a radio add, a sync placement or a press quote.
- Label, catalogue number and format where relevant.
- Links to streaming, pre-save and your EPK.
- Contact. One email for press, plus one for booking if separate.
Make the whole page readable on a phone without zooming. If everything won't fit, cut.
What goes in an EPK
An EPK covers the whole act, because bookers want the sound, the draw and the fit. A full one has:
- A headline with genre and city
- Short and long bios
- Links to two or three tracks or mixes
- Upcoming and recent shows
- Press photos in portrait and landscape
- Video, highlights and press quotes
- Contact details
The EPK checklist goes through each section.
When to send a one-sheet
Pitching a single release. Radio pluggers, music blogs and playlist curators go through dozens of releases a week. A one-sheet gives them the date, the focus track and a reason to care.
Working with a distributor or label. Many want a one-sheet per release so their sales team pitches the record consistently.
Agency rosters. An agent pitching ten acts to a festival bundles ten one-sheets, usually in their own layout.
Leaving something behind. At a conference or showcase, a printed one-sheet with a QR code to your EPK gives a contact a reason to look you up later.
When to send the EPK
Asking for a gig. A promoter needs to hear you, see where you've played and check you fit the night. A release page answers none of those questions.
Pitching a feature or interview. A journalist wants the story, photos to run and quotes to use, all of which live in your EPK.
Applying to a festival with a link field. Programmers compare acts over weeks, and a link they reopen and find updated works in your favour.
First contact with anyone who doesn't know you. They get every answer in one place.
Using both together
Use the one-sheet to get a release noticed and the EPK to carry everything else.
- Build your EPK first. The one-sheet borrows from it.
- For each release, make a one-sheet with the release details on top and a large link to your EPK at the bottom.
- Trim the short bio from your EPK to fit as the description.
- Use the same press photo on both so a booker recognises you across the two.
- Retire the one-sheet when the campaign ends. Your EPK stays current.
For the PDF side, see PDF EPK vs web EPK.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending a one-sheet to a booker who asked for an EPK. Release details say nothing about your live show.
- Calling a two-page PDF a one-sheet. Readers stop at page one.
- Different bios on each document. Keep one short bio and reuse the text.
- No music link. A one-sheet without a link to your tracks asks the reader to search for you, and most won't.
How Artist Kit fits in
Artist Kit builds the EPK half. Your page at artistkit.co/yourname holds your bio, releases with listen links, videos, gig list, photos and contact details, and generates a downloadable press kit for bookers who want files. On Pro you upload your own file, so a designed one-sheet sits behind the download button.
Put your EPK link on every one-sheet you make. Start with the free EPK builder and see what the EPK page includes.