Radio Play: Getting Your Music on the Airwaves

We’d all love to get played on the radio.  I grew up dreaming of hearing my songs on the airwaves, knowing that thousands of people were also listening.

Have you ever wondered why your songs aren’t on the radio? Most of us probably tell ourselves the same excuses–radio doesn’t care about my music, I need to be on a major label to have any hope of radio airplay, and no one listens to the radio anymore, anyway. But if you think this way, you’re selling yourself short. If you remember a recent post I wrote, that’s a self-defeating attitude that will get you nowhere!

The fact is, you could be on the radio. But there are a few things you should know before you start mailing CDs to every station in town.

Unsigned doesn’t necessarily mean un-played

Most of the bands you hear on your local radio station are signed, that much is true. But that doesn’t mean you have to be signed to get played on the air. Most radio stations have a time set aside each week to feature local artists–your best bet is to target these shows first. Find out from the station’s website what their policy is for submitting music, or find the contact information of the DJ that hosts the local show.

Even if there is no dedicated local showcase on a station, it doesn’t mean all hope is lost. Try contacting specific DJs that you are a fan of, start a conversation and send them some of your music to listen to. If they like it, they just might play it on the air… Or at least pass it on to someone who can help you get some airtime.

If the big name stations are intimidating to you, try public and independent radio. There are a lot of stations that play independent music, especially college radio. And don’t forget the bevy of Internet radio stations at your disposal. When you factor them in, the possibilities are practically endless!

But here’s the key: your song must sound as good as the other songs on the air

You’ve heard me say it before, and I’ll say it again: if your song is going to be played on the radio, it needs to be “radio ready.” This means it must sound as good as, or better than, all the other music you already hear on the radio. Why? Because radio stations don’t want to play a song that sounds worse than all their other music. That’s pretty logical. But this means that your song must be produced, mixed and mastered by a seasoned professional who knows what it takes to get a song on the radio. Sound quality is incredibly important–your song must be good, but it must sound great, too.

People do still listen to radio!

With all the doom and gloom we hear about the music industry these days, one thing is lost in the shuffle: studies are consistently showing that people still love listening to the radio. It’s convenient and free, and it exposes them to new bands that they want to hear about. One of those bands could be yours, as long as you’ve made a great recording and do your part to get played on the radio.

Don’t leave your potential hit song in the hands of someone who can’t bring it to a major label quality level. Send it to Studio Pros today and have it recorded professionally and mixed and mastered by a Grammy-nominated engineer!

Posted on: August 7th, 2010