How to Get Your Music on the Radio

I used to work for a radio station, where I produced and sometimes hosted a show that highlighted new music from established artists and music from artists trying to break into the industry. They could be on independent labels or large labels, it didn't matter. The show was even called, The New Music and Indie Label Show. Not an overly creative title, but it got the point of what the show was about across well enough.
My job was to go through the hundreds of packages from bands and agencies that would come in each week, listen to the music, research a bit about each band and decide what would be played on the air. Yes, there was an element of power to this job. I was the gatekeeper to the musical airwaves of the market in which I worked. In order to get on the air and not get thrown back into the stack of "I'll get to them later," I had certain criteria that I needed to see. If I had to work too hard at finding this criteria, I gave up and the band got lost in the pile. I've had many people ask me what it took to get played on the radio. What exactly was I looking for in order to get their band to the top of the pile?
Here is the list of things I needed to see in order for a band to get played on the radio:

1. Send a professional looking package with a studio quality CD. Or, guide me to an active link with an MP3 or MP4 file for downloading. (Not all systems can do this. Smaller stations might ONLY take CD's. Check first!)



2. Sometimes gimmicks in a package would make me curious enough to wonder what was in the envelope to want to open it. I had a band that sent me cute little key chains that were airbrushed flip-flops. The envelope wasn't flat with just a CD, it obviously had something else in it, I had to know what, so I opened it first. I don't remember the name of the band, or whether or not I played their music. Was their money wisely spent? Probably not. Buttons and gimmicks with your band name should be the last thing you invest your money in. Wait until you're established. If you buy a box of cheap key chains, use a sharpie marker to write your name on them, that's money better spent. Get a nice, fabric back wall made made for your band to put behind the drummer at gigs. That's money really well spent. However, the gimmick worked in the fact that I opened the package, and for all I know, I might have played their CD. Also, always send two of something. There is usually a producer and a host, you don't want to slight anyone. Also, the host often uses extra schwag as giveaway prizes for listeners.



3. Type up a biography about yourself or the band and give me a FEW basics. Don't tell me how your entire band was conceived in your basement when you fell on top of a guitar. Some people might want all this, for me, it's too much to wade through. I only want to know what city you're from, if you've been touring or playing local gigs, and how long you've been together. Give me the name of each member and maybe a small bio on each person.



4. If you do not send me a bio, you better have a darn good Myspace page with ample information that I can cut and paste onto a prep sheet before I or the other host go in to broadcast or record the show. If I have to search for information about your band, I am taking too much time to work for you. Professional promotion agencies and record labels know to send a single bio page about the band or artist, which is why they are often the ones getting the most airplay. They're more prepared, and therefore, easier to grab and play.



5. I cannot stress how important it is to be professional in your package. If you send something hand written and I cannot read your writing, it goes in the trash. If you are too familiar with me, I might get insulted; if you flatter me too much, I will know you are not genuine. Be professional. This is the music business and people think about a certain lifestyle, but it is a business. Many of us are highly degreed professionals working our way to the top of the corporate food chain.



6. Tell me which song to play and make sure it is radio friendly. Don't try to make me listen to each and every song in order to find the song that fits my genre. If you think this will get me to think every song is great and you're so talented that I can't hear a single so I'll want to get behind your band and promote you…you're wrong. I won't take the time to listen to every song. I'll randomly pick one, which might not showcase your best skill, which in turn, might not make the audience want to hear you again. Or, I'll give a couple of songs a ten second listen and pick one that way. Again, not the best way to find your best work. Have the confidence in your music to tell me which one you think needs to be your breakout hit.



7. Follow up with me but don't bug me. Email me and ask if we played your song. Keep track of which cities are playing your music. Use an Excel spread sheet of how many times you are getting played. If you can get this information without bugging the DJ too much, you'll be able to email other DJ's (or jocks, as we call ourselves in the business), and tell them, "we've been going strong in Columbus, OH, where DJ Sally Strong on WWWE is playing us weekly on her New Music show." Or, "At WWWE, they've showcased us on their drive-time show, "take it or break it?" where the audience phoned in and voted to keep the record." Many stations have a playlist of what was played on line nowadays. The host surely has a playlist – often posted on their personality page.



8. If there is not a new music show to send your package in to, send it to the music director or the program director at the station. If they have one of each and you can afford to do it, send it to both. You can never really be sure who is listening to the music and deciding what gets played. The music director is supposedly the one who deals with the music reps and selects the music but some program directors like to keep the power and only let the music directors enter the new music into the music system, or do each day's log. It's the tedious work the program directors will often pass off onto their music directors.

That's about all I can offer without throwing in my cynicism of the music business and how so few artists make it. If you ask questions or leave comments about specific things, I'll do my best to respond based on my 10+ years in the radio business in addition to the years that I spent affiliated with the music business before radio.

Good luck!