26 music publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts in December 2025
You’ve written your music nonfiction book and now it’s time to pitch it to a publisher! All of the publishers listed here are currently accepting nonfiction manuscripts without a literary agent in December 2025.
Don’t forget to check out my developmental editing services or pre-querying package if you want to make sure your book is in top shape before you send it to a publisher for consideration. I offer a variety of services to suit all budgets, from writers looking for the standard developmental editing experience to those seeking high-level feedback with a quick turnaround time.
8th House Publishing
8th House Publishing loves books that are modern, enduring, insightful and inventive.
Genre: Literary fiction and nonfiction, especially contemporary history, music, economics and social justice.
Word count: Not stated.
Arbeiter Ring Publishing
Arbeiter Ring Publishing is a left-wing progressive publisher whose mission is to amplify writing from the left. They publish predominately Canadian authors, especially those from Treaty One and the Métis Homeland in Manitoba, but they do consider authors from outside Canada.
Genre: Literary fiction, poetry and nonfiction that aligns with their mission to amplify writing from the left. For nonfiction, they publish art, criticism, politics, biography, autobiography, feminism, business, economics, education, family & relationships, history, language, law, medical, music, performing arts, philosophy, photography, political science, science, social science, technology, travel and sports.
Word count: Not stated.
Auckland University Press
Auckland University Press is New Zealand’s leading scholarly publisher.
Genre: Nonfiction, including architecture, art, Asia and the Pacific, biography, memoir, business & economics, health, history, language, literature, media, music, natural history, poetry, politics, law, science, social science, contemporary society, sport, war, conflict and Māori studies.
Word count: Not stated.
Birlinn
Birlinn is an independent publishing house based in Edinburgh, Scotland. They have an imprint of the same name which publishes Scottish and general UK interest books. They accept direct submissions but encourage seeking a literary agent.
Genre: Nonfiction, including biography, history, military, politics and Scottish Gaelic that relates to Scotland and the UK.
Word count: Not stated.
Chicago Review Press
Chicago Review Press opened in 1973 and publishes titles of lasting interest and groundbreaking works that go beyond the trends.
Genre: Nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.
Cork University Press
Cork University Press was founded in 1925 and is the oldest university press in Ireland. They aim to stimulate Irish learning by reflecting distinctive and distinguished scholarship.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of Irish Studies, especially history, cultural history, archaeology, landscape, music, art and literary criticism.
Word count: Not stated.
Dundurn Press
Dundurn Press is an independent Canadian-owned publisher of contemporary fiction and nonfiction. They only accept fiction submissions from Canadian authors, but welcome nonfiction submissions from writers worldwide.
Genre: Literary fiction and literary nonfiction. They also accept trade nonfiction in the genres of biography, history (especially Canadian and social history), public policy, politics, business, economics, true crime, self help, wellbeing, supernatural, Canadiana and local interest, travel, sport, music, culture, city building, architecture, social science and popular science.
Word count: Not stated.
Epic Ink
Epic Ink is the entertainment history imprint of Quarto.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of music icons, cultural phenomena and memorable moments in entertainment history.
Word count: Not stated.
Hamilcar Publications
Hamilcar Publications is a Boston-based publisher focusing on the area of professional boxing, true crime, hip-hop, jazz and related topics.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of boxing, true crime, hip-hop, jazz and related topics.
Word count: Not stated.
HarperNorth
HarperNorth is a Manchester-based imprint of HarperCollins Publishers and their aim is to connect northern writers to readers.
Genre: Genre fiction, especially upmarket, crime, thriller, historical and romance. For nonfiction, they consider memoir, politics, history, sport, music, nature, popular science, smart thinking and popular economics.
Word count: Over 80,000 words.
Kensington Publishing Corp.
Kensington Publishing Corp. is an independent publisher based in New York City, releasing over 300 titles per year in a range of popular genres.
Genre: Literary and genre fiction (romance, mystery, suspense, thriller, upmarket, historical, speculative, mystery and romantasy) and nonfiction (biography, memoir, history, true crime, pop culture, film, TV, music, military history, narrative law enforcement and pop science). Each editor has their preferences across various genres of fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.
Laurence King
Laurence King Publishing has been around for over 30 years and strives to publish eye-catching books that capture imaginations and expand horizons.
Genre: Nonfiction, including history, lifestyle, architecture, art, film, illustration, interior design, photography, fashion, food & drink, gardening & nature, music, gift books, graphic design and how to.
Word count: Not stated.
Overcup Press
Overcup is an independent book publishing company specializing in literary nonfiction, art, travel, design and epicurean titles.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of music, music history, contemporary arts and culture, architecture and design, travel, epicurean, environmental and nature writing, popular science, regional United States Northwest and longform narrative.
Word count: Not stated.
PM Press
PM Press is an independent, radical publisher of critically necessary books.
Genre: Literary fiction and nonfiction, including art, social justice, education, parenting, economics, gender, sexuality, history, politics, music, theory and philosophy.
Word count: Not stated.
Polygon
Polygon is an imprint of Birlinn that publishes literary fiction and poetry. They also publish nonfiction by music journalists. While they don’t state this as a requirement, it seems many of their books have a link to Scotland.
Genre: Literary fiction, poetry and music nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.
Process Media
Process Media publishes writers of distinction and unique perspectives. They consider themselves a formidable force in independent publishing and document important cultural movements.
Genre: Historical fiction, middle grade stories and nonfiction in the areas of memoir, biography, music, history, self-reliance, realpolitik, true crime, mysticism and occult.
Word count: Not stated.
Sartoris Literary Group
Sartoris Literary Group publishes books that the majors consider too regional, too controversial, or too “small” for publication
Genre: Genre and literary fiction, including mystery, thriller, romance and coming of age. For nonfiction, they accept biography, memoir, self help, music history, American history, Canadian history, photography and business.
Word count: Not stated.
Schaffner Press
Schaffner Press was founded in 2001 and has since published over 50 books.
Genre: Literary fiction, short fiction, historical fiction with socially relevant content and crime fiction. For nonfiction, they accept memoir, biography, autobiography, journalistic expose, true crime, art, culture, pop culture, world history, current events, science, arts, US history, military history and music.
Word count: 60,000 to 100,000 words.
TCU Press
TCU Press publishes the history, culture and literature of Texas and the American West. They are the university press of Texas Christian University.
Genre: Children’s books, genre fiction, literary fiction and nonfiction. They publish a wide variety of genres from history, nature, art, biography, photography, humor, young adult, cooking, religion, science, education, law and more. I suggest you look at their website to see the full list as I can’t possibly list them all here!
Word count: Not stated.
The University of Chicago Press
The University of Chicago Press was founded in 1890 and has embraced their mission to disseminate scholarship of the highest standard. They publish books of timely issues and debates by authors who are experts in their fields. They also publish experimental books of new areas of knowledge and intellectual endeavor.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of literature, criticism, sociology, education, jazz, STEM, digital studies, environmental studies, philosophy of science, political science, law, international relations, geography, regional reference, general reference, art, ancient studies, economics, public policy, religious studies, philosophy, music, medieval studies, humanities and social sciences.
Word count: Not stated.
University of Illinois Press
The University of Illinois Press supports the mission of the University of Illinois through the worldwide dissemination of significant scholarship.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of Chicago politics, architecture, natural history, general interest, American ethnic studies, Black studies, gender and sexuality studies, history, radical studies, disability studies, Illinois and midwestern history, Lincoln studies, Appalachian studies, religion, Mormon studies, digital humanities, communication, journalism, film studies, sports studies and music.
Word count: Not stated.
University of Michigan Press
The University of Michigan Press publishes both scholarly books and general interest books.
Genre: Scholarly and general interest nonfiction in the areas of American history, applied linguistics, classical studies, American studies, class studies, communications, cultural studies, disability, English as a second language, gender & sexuality studies, African studies, German studies, international relations, law, literary criticism, medieval studies, Michigan, music, Asian studies, poetics, politics, social sciences, theatre, dance studies and writing craft.
Word count: Not stated.
University of Minnesota Press
The University of Minnesota Press was founded in 1925 and is committed to the emerging areas of global scholarship.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of the humanities and social sciences, especially mental health, public safety, philosophy, regional studies, environmental studies, digital humanities, music, Scandinavian studies, globalization, art, geography, architecture, Native and Indigenous studies, sociology, science and media studies.
Word count: Not stated.
University Press of Kentucky
The University Press of Kentucky’s mission is to publish books of high scholarly medit and to publish significant books about the history of Kentucky and its surrounding regions.
Genre: Nonfiction, including bourbon, cookbooks, creative nonfiction, memoir, Appalachian studies, music, African American studies, film, veteran studies, media, pop culture, books about Kentucky, environmental, ecology, natural history, field guides, agriculture, Agrarian studies, civil rights and sports.
Word count: Not stated.
Voyageur Press
Voyageur Press publishes books in five key areas: self-sufficiency, beer and spirits, regional American cooking, popular science and music.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of self-sufficiency, beer and spirits, regional American cooking, popular science and music.
Word count: Not stated.
West Virginia University Press
West Virginia University Press is the only university press, and the largest publisher, in West Virginia.
Genre: Literary fiction, nonfiction and creative nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.
Best of luck with your manuscript submissions! If you want to ensure your manuscript is in the best position to be accepted, check out my developmental editing services, pre-querying package or my free writing advice.