What Planetary Group does

Planetary Group is a boutique music marketing and artist development firm founded in 1996 by Adam Lewis and headquartered in Los Angeles, with a satellite office in Boston. The company provides professional services across five core offerings: Radio Promotion (targeting college, AAA, non-commercial, public radio, and NPR formats), Online Publicity/Digital Marketing (blog outreach, podcast placement, Spotify/YouTube playlisting, tour PR, Instagram takeovers, Reddit AMAs), Social Media Management (2-4 week campaigns per release), International Music Promotion (US market entry for non-US artists), and Consulting (media training and strategic guidance). Campaigns typically run 6-8 weeks for radio and are priced on a quote-based, project-by-project basis rather than via disclosed pricing tiers. Clients span the full artist spectrum from unsigned independents to major-label acts, including Nick Cave, Chappell Roan, Soccer Mommy, Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys, and The Smashing Pumpkins.

The company's technology footprint is light: there is no public API, no software product, and no mobile apps. The operational backbone is a campaign tracking and reporting dashboard accessible via a client login portal, which delivers weekly progress reports including adds, spins, chart positions, and qualitative programmer feedback. Service delivery rests on decades of cultivated relationships with 150-200+ regional and 300+ national radio stations, music blogs, podcast outlets, and Spotify/YouTube curators, rather than on proprietary technology. The team comprises approximately 10-15 staff, including radio promoters who often come from college radio music director backgrounds.

Planetary Group is privately held, founder-owned, and has never raised external institutional capital. Revenue is generated entirely through professional services fees, with no SaaS, marketplace, or transaction-based revenue streams. In 2026, the company marked its 30th anniversary by expanding operations into Canada, representing the first formal geographic expansion beyond the US market. The firm has also built reputational capital through charitable work (over $100,000 raised via benefit concerts, partnerships with War Child Records) and 10 nominations at the 2012 CMJ College Radio Awards.

Name

Planetary Group

Legal name

Planetary Group

Website

https://planetarygroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Planetary Group is a Los Angeles-based boutique music marketing firm founded in 1996 that provides radio promotion, online publicity, social media management, and consulting services to independent and major-label artists across the US and, as of 2026, Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Promotion Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Strategy & Social Media Management (Artists) (MPAIAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Radio Media Buying (MPAAABAI), PR, Reputation Management & Earned Media Platforms (BPAMALAO)

Keywords

• Radio promotion services
• Music publicity
• Digital music marketing
• Social media management
• Artist development

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Radio Promotion Campaigns: Fees for targeted radio promotion campaigns to college, AAA, non-commercial, NPR, and public radio stations. Campaign costs vary based on scope (regional vs. national), format targets, and geographic reach. Radio campaigns typically run 6-8 weeks.
2. Online Publicity Services: Fees for digital marketing campaigns including blog outreach, podcast placement, tour PR, social media management, and Spotify/Apple Music playlisting services
3. Social Media Management: 2-4 week social media campaigns per piece of content including content calendar planning, post scheduling, promoted posts, ads, livestreams, and takeovers
4. Consulting Services: Media training and strategic consulting for artists on press opportunities and career development

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Planetary Group is a boutique music marketing company that develops and executes strategic radio promotion campaigns targeting college, AAA, non-commercial, public radio, NPR, and commercial specialty formats across the United States. The company also provides online publicity (digital marketing, playlisting, podcast placement, tour PR), social media management, international music promotion for non-US artists seeking US exposure, and media training consulting. Campaigns are custom-built per artist, typically run 6-8 weeks, and include weekly detailed progress reports covering adds, spins, chart positions, and qualitative programmer feedback.

Product overview

Planetary Group is an artist development and music promotion firm founded in 1996 by Adam Lewis, headquartered in Los Angeles with a satellite office in Boston. The company operates as a services-based agency rather than a unified software platform. Its core offerings consist of Radio Promotion (targeting college, AAA, non-commercial, public radio, and NPR formats), Online Publicity/Digital Marketing (including playlisting, podcasting, tour PR, and social media management), Social Media Management, International Music Promotion, and Consulting. The Radio Promotion service serves as the primary offering, structuring campaigns to solicit airplay and feedback across multiple radio formats, while the Online Publicity service provides national campaigns for record releases, tour press, and tastemaker blog outreach. These services are offered as distinct but complementary offerings that can be bundled together for artists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Radio Promotion Core service developing strategic radio campaigns to secure meaningful airplay across the United States. Targets college radio, AAA (Adult Album Alternative), non-commercial, public radio, NPR affiliates, and commercial specialty shows. Regional campaigns target 150-200 stations; national campaigns reach 300+ stations. Campaigns typically run 6-8 weeks with weekly detailed progress reports including adds, spins, chart positions, and qualitative programmer feedback.
• Online Publicity / Digital Marketing

Quantifiable outcome

• Album charted all over North American stations with significant airplay and top 10 rotation achieved on multiple stations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Split WorksminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2011Partnership with Split Works for Tour China program, offering artists all-expense-paid tours to China including airfare, hotel, meals, and festival performances at Black Rabbit Music Festival in Shanghai and Beijing. Planetary handles US promotion while Split Works manages on-ground logistics in China.
• SonicbidsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2011Partnership with Sonicbids for Tour China and Tour Scandinavia programs, serving as the application platform where artists could apply for international touring opportunities. Sonicbids facilitated the connection between artists and touring programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Shore Fire Media: Long-standing NYC-based music publicity firm serving artists, labels, and music brands across press, radio, and digital promotion. Highly comparable to Planetary Group in service scope, target client base, and relationship-led agency model.
• Terrorbird Media: Boutique music PR and marketing agency serving indie and major-label artists across radio promotion and digital publicity. Direct competitor to Planetary Group; notably listed as a previous employer for several Planetary staff.
• Girlie Action: Music PR and marketing agency with a strong indie artist roster, spanning radio promotion and publicity. Direct competitor to Planetary Group and a documented previous employer of multiple Planetary staff.
• The Syndicate: Independent music publicity firm offering radio promotion, publicity, and digital marketing to indie and signed artists. Direct comparable in client segment and service mix, and a previous employer for Planetary staff.
• Press Here Publicity: Nationally recognized music PR firm handling press campaigns, radio promotion, and launch strategy for major and indie artists. Closely comparable in artist-development focus and publicity-led positioning.
• Falcon Publicity: Music publicity and marketing firm serving indie, alternative, and emerging artists across radio, digital, and press promotion. Direct comparable in target market and agency-style positioning.
• Big Hassle Media: Music and entertainment publicity firm specializing in album launches, tour press, and radio promotion for major and indie artists. Closely aligned with Planetary Group in service offerings and artist segment.

Regional players

• Plug In Publicity: UK-based music publicity and promotions agency working with international artists across PR, radio, and digital. Geographic peer delivering comparable services outside the US market that Planetary primarily serves.

Broad incumbents

• WME (Endeavor): Major entertainment and talent agency with capabilities spanning music publicity, artist representation, and brand partnerships. Overlaps with Planetary at the top of the artist roster but operates as a much broader portfolio business with global scale.
• United Talent Agency: Large talent and entertainment agency with music publicity and marketing capabilities serving marquee artists. Comparable at the high end of Planetary's roster but serves a much broader role in artist careers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/planetarygroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/planetarygroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/planetary-group-llc-the

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Planetary Group