Read The Diy Musicians Radio Handbook
A friend of mine, D. Grant Smith, wrote The DIY Musicians Handbook.
D has been in radio for a long time and has lived the many of the changes we’ve seen over the past few decades. He a great networker and has a ton of great radio promotion tips about getting your music played and creating some quality contacts along the way.
Target The Right Stations
Donât expect to get your track played on a huge national station right away. Radio airplay is incredibly competitive, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of other artists out there in the same position as you.
But it’s ok to start small. There are plenty of independent, student and internet radio stations accepting submissions from up and coming bands and artists. These smaller stations wonât be as inundated with submissions either, so youâll stand a much better chance of getting played early in your career.
Contacting genre-specific stations is also an effective way to get airplay. If youâre an emerging rapper, send your track to a hip-hop broadcaster, or if you play thrash metal, make sure youâre contacting a station that regularly plays your style of music.
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Promote The Show On Social Media
If youve received the news that youll be played on an upcoming show, congratulations! However, the work isnt over yet.
Make sure you promote the show several times on social media in the run-up to the feature. In addition, share/retweet any posts by the station that tag or mention you.
As previously mentioned, stations are much more likely to give sustained airplay to artists who are willing to provide continuous support and promotion.
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Music Reviews& pr Blog Submissions
If you have an upcoming or new single or album release, then we would love to hear from you. Get the opportunity to receive a professional music review and PR write up on our music industry blog. Our blog receives ten of thousands of visitors each week.We cover all genres of music, so send across your tracks, EPK through our submission process below.
Digital Media Distribution System
Your aim, then, is to try and make sure you look as professional as possible. These radio stations even smaller, local ones are getting hit up by major productions and record labels to try and put across the right message. To give yourself the best chance of being a success, it falls on you to find a solution whereby you provide a professional answer to any MD.
One of the most common themes that you need to get used to is turning to the Digital Media Distribution System . Many MDs are using this today because they know its reliable, safe and easily scrutinized by the best artists.
Its almost exclusively used in this industry and is used to both receive and then look over and ascertain musical quality. They provide figures to the radio station about performance, as well, making sure that any facts you provide about how many have listened can be verified.
If you dont follow the simple protocol of uploading it through the DMDS then you are just asking for trouble. Once you have used this system and have delivered your music following the protocols that they undertake, you still have a fight on your hands to make sure it even gets picked and enjoyed.
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What Is An Online Radio Directory
Internet radio directories are websites that act like libraries of internet radio stations where listeners can easily find online radio stations according to their taste in music and the type of station.
So, an easy way to place your online radio in front of a potential fan base is to list it on as many radio directories as possible. If you type online radio directory on Google you will find 177,000,000 results! So its quite a job to find the best online radio directories where you can submit your station. To save you all that time and effort, weve gathered the 14 best internet radio directories for you to add your radio station and grow your listeners with ease. So, without further ado, here are the best online radio directories of 2021.
Points To Remember When Submitting Your Music To Radio Stations
To be honest, no one can be 100% sure about the success or failure of music. There are some factors that the musician can control and some that they cannot. How you create and package your music, the people you contact, and the radio stations that you submit your music are some factors that you can control. The following points can be helpful for new music artists and help them in the smooth submission of their music.
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Create The Best Music
For anything to get recognized or popular it needs to be unique and good. Composing the best music which can have a good mass appeal is the first step towards finding success as a musician. Promoting the music can become easier if the content is good. You can resort to your friends and family, who are sometimes the best critics to provide their truthful feedback on the music. Getting feedback can help the artist in improving the work and expecting fewer rejections. Remember that the music should be fresh and have the ability to resonate with the audience. Try to avoid using controversial lyrics or swear words. Radio stations generally avoid playing such music.
Another crucial point to remember after you are ready with the music is to record it properly. The quality of the recording should be the best for getting a good response from the radio station and the audience. It is important to create your best radio edit for the submission. Once you have created and recorded the music it is time to select the best and submit it to the radio stations.
Distribute Your Music For Airplay
Community radio is renowned for its support of Australian artists & their music.
In 2014, 39% of all music played on community radio was Australian .
Community radio a great platform to get your music out onto the airwaves and heard by potential new fans.
Radio airplay can help you promote your future releases and tours, and can support other activities such as festival and grant applications.
The CBAAs Australian Music Radio Airplay Project offers free or low-cost services that distribute new Australian music to community radio stations nationwide.
Distributing tracks using Amrap
Amrap is community radios Australian music distribution service, created to suit the needs of broadcasters and the music industry for the benefit of Australian music. Eligible musicians, record labels and representatives can get free accounts to add tracks to www.amrap.org.au.
Stations Managers, Music Directors and radio program makers can then preview and order tracks for airplay and their station’s library. You then get reports listing stations and programs that have ordered your music.
Distributing EPs and albums using Amraps CD Mailout
For a small fee your ‘radio-ready CD Album or EPs can be distributed to community radio stations nationwide via Amraps Monthly CD Mailout.
Based on the genre information you give Amrap will send your CD to stations that are likely to play it.
Youll receive a list of stations that were provided with your CD.
Still have questions?
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Promoting Your Music And Supporting The Radio Station
Promoting and creating a buzz for your music is also important for getting an increased number of airplay on the radio stations. Once you have submitted your music, it is important to publicize it by posting it on social media channels. The small fanbase that you create here also boosts up the chances of increased airplay on the radio. It is also important to actively follow the social media channel of the radio stations that you have sent your music submission. You can promote their social media when you share, tweet, like, or post comments.
Engaging with the artists and officials through comments and genuine appreciation can give you the extra edge compared to other artists who fail to do so. This also enhances the trust of the radio station in the artist and their willingness to support them. When you get the news of your song being played on the radio station, you can start promoting it on your social media platforms and tag the radio station channel as well. It is also important to send them messages and emails thanking the station for featuring your music. Such etiquettes ensure extended relationships with the radio station and indicate professionalism.
Dont Submit To Mainstream Commercial Radio Stations
As an independent artist, sending your music to mainstream radio is mostly a waste of time and money.
Top 40 radio is a business, and to be profitable, they must keep the advertising money coming in and listeners tuned in. Thats their top priority.
Please note: I am not saying that you cant try sending a few packages out to stations on the FM dial. If youve got a bit of a budget, and youve got a few extra mailout packages sitting around collecting dust, why not?
But dont expect anything from it. At best, they will play your music during off hours or during their special programming. This isnt them giving you the thumbs up. Its them saying your music doesnt fit their format, and its possible it never will.
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Know How To Submit Your Music
Have you found the contact details of the decision-makers at the stations youâre targeting, but thereâs no clear information on how you can submit tracks?
Sending an electronic press kit, music press release or one-sheet including links to 1-3 of your best tracks is the most common way to approach radio stations, as well as press publications and blogs. The key is to make your email or press pack stand out and grab their attention. Make sure your tracks are clearly named and donât send mp3 files. Instead include links to your songs.
Some people prefer to send or receive physical copies of their music to radio stations, but this is becoming less and less prevalent. Generally, DJs and stations receive the majority of their submissions and demos in digital format.
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How To Get Your Music Into A College Radio Station Rotation
With just a little time, effort and follow-up, college radio is well within your reach
College radio works the way that you’d expect commercial radio to work: you send them your music, and if they like it, they’ll play it.
With just a little time, effort, and follow-up college radio is well within your reach.
Follow these directions to get your music on college radio.
- Goal: Get your music in the rotation of a college radio station
- Description: Many college radio stations have a regular rotation of music that their DJs play. You can get your music added if you submit it in the right way.
- Audience: College radio listeners
- Royalty income: Composition PROs, possibly Streaming PROs
- Estimated time: 1 day preparation with results in 2 months
1. Compile a list of targeted college radio stations and shows.
Head here for a list of college radio stations. Choose stations that are in your area or are where you are touring. Go to each station’s website to research if the station plays your style and genre of music and find the station’s music submission guidelines. If you can find an artist that plays similar music and find out where they are being played, that’s a great place to start.
2. Set up a tracking system.
You’ll need to keep track of who, where, and when you sent your music and press kits. A document or simple spreadsheet works fine.
3. Call in advance and establish a relationship with the music director.
4. Prepare your music.
5. Prepare your bio.
5. Submit your materials.
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Follow Up And Be Concerned
Following up with radio stations is an important part of staying connected. Following up with the officials can express a hint of being concerned and serious about your work. Several artists lose their motivation and do not write back to the radio stations. Following up increases the chances of being on the top list of new music submissions and most likely to be picked.
Although it is important to follow up with the radio stations, it is important to understand the best time and way of doing this. It is important to wait for at least 5-7 days before you have made your first submission with your mail. Keep your messages short and do not be rude. Politely enquire on the decision and the reasons involved. These gestures also help in building a relationship through time and you can send new music periodically for their perusal.
Make Sure You’re Collecting All Your Royalties
Firstly, you’ll want to be registered with a PRO like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC that can collect money on your behalf whenever songs are placed on the radio.
Next, you’ll want to register your releases through services like Tunecore.
Tunecore collects about 50% of royalties that your PRO doesn’t. Your mechanical royalties and direct licensing royalties can make up a good portion of your income if your song starts to pick up traction, so be sure to sign up with Tunecore in the button below and pay the one time $75 fee in the Music Publishing section.
They let you submit as many tracks as you want with the one time fee for licensing opportunities with TV, Film, and more.
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Continue To Listen To & Support The Radio Station
This is a step that almost no one takes, despite the fact that it can seriously advance your career.
Make sure that you continue to support the station after youve been played, even if its just putting a show on in the background one evening or retweeting a couple of their tweets. Its worth emphasizing that this is a step that requires minimal effort, yet offers significant reward.
As music is very much a who you know industry, continuing to stand out by showing your support means you are planting a seed that could truly flourish over time.
You never know when a connection could come through for you or a recommendation could be made.
Create A Personal Contact Database
Once youve put your materials together and created a winning pitch, its time to make contact. We recommend keeping track of all of your contacts in a spreadsheet. You can include the station name, contact name and title, their phone number and email address, genres they play as well as any submission requirements they might have. You can also use this spreadsheet to keep track of who you contacted and when. This can be very valuable when youve reached out to tons of stations. It can be hard to remember who you contacted and the status of each call or inquiry. Therefore having a spreadsheet that can do that for you will make your job a lot easier.
Also, if youre worried that you dont have enough time to invest, consider hiring a virtual assistant. They can actually be quite affordable. In fact, you can hire one for as little as $5 on Fiverr. to see a list of highly recommended Virtual Assistants.
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How To Submit Music To Metro Fm
The music department no longer accepts physical music submissions send your music to All submissions are registered and details of persons submitting are recordedAll tracks are listened to within the Playlist MeetingThe tracks are defined with regards to Accepted/Shelved/Held over
Playlist Criteria
The song fits within the station format The level of production is equivalent to that of international standard The track is a radio edit e.g. song durationThere are no explicit lyricsThe tracks have an excessive amount of strong languageThe tracks are female friendly The tracks are of a duration of not more than 4 min in order to make it radio friendlyNo instrumental tracks will be accepted due to the Stations set mandate
Before Submitting Your Music
Produce Quality Music
80% as good as your favorite artists
Build A Database
- First and Last name
- When You First Reached Out
- Who Did You Get in Contact With
- Response
- Additional Comments
regularly update your database.
Do Your Research
How To Pitch
shortconciseinformative,personal find the song here
- Always address the person using their first name
- If you had any previous business with this person, write a line to bring up whatever you worked on together, so they remember you.
- Never attach big files to the email. Always send streaming links
- Be polite
- Do NOT attach your demo directly to the email
- Do NOT send unfinished work
- Send your track only through private SoundCloud link and a download option
- Briefly introduce and describe the track youre sending
- Dont be too pushy or come off as entitled
- Be polite and professional
When To Pitch
- For Blogs
- For Labels
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