How to get underground music on the radio

At the end of the day radio still packs quite a punch, be it underground or commercial music. Everybody knows it’s the age of the internet. Most people will listen to the content on their iPods rather than that of radio stations. But there is big chunk of the population that prefers the human interaction that a DJ offers and the fact that they don’t exactly know what song will be played next. They also like keeping informed about the new music that’s coming out. And let us not forget the people that are stuck for long periods of time commuting back and forth to work. A lot of them will have the radio on. I am not talking here only about the Billboard approved top 40 commercial stations. There are plenty of smaller radio stations and specialty radio shows that cater to niche markets. Getting your music played on the radio still matters and can be extremely beneficial for your career.

In the last couple of years radio has changed a lot. A lot of stations have consolidated under the big umbrellas such as Clear Channel. There has been a growing emphasis on playing what the people want to hear and pandering to the sponsors that provide the station’s income through their ads.

So how do you, the underground band or artist, get on airplay? Well, there are a lot of ways but first you have to ask yourself a simple question: What are you trying to achieve with your radio airplay and what is your budget? Trying to get promotion for your north-east tour is a different from promoting your new album. The musical style (for example rock or hiphop) will also play a big part in choosing the right promo method. For underground music you will probably be looking for specialty shows usually found on college radio stations or smaller independent stations.

You can use a DiY method or you can use different services and target the stations and radio shows you are trying to hit. If you need to do professional job and don’t have a lot of experience in the radio business, you’ll probably want to hire a radio promoter to do the job for you. This isn’t cheap as it can range from several hundred to several thousands for a campaign. Obviously if you are just starting out you will probably want to keep the budget low while still getting the biggest bang for your buck . The job of the radio promoter is to send the packages which contain your CD and a brief one-sheet and to follow up with the radio stations. This seems very simple and you might wonder why can’t you send these packages and contact the radio station yourself. Well, you can but your result will be limited.

Let us start by dispelling a common misconception. If you think that the DJ controls songs that get airplay then you are in for a rude awakening. In most cases it’s the station’s program director (PD) that calls the shots, especially on the more established stations.

Most of the time a promoter will have already established a relationship with the PD at the station you are trying to get airplay from.

In most cases you can get away with professional looking CDRs if you are trying to hit specialty radio shows. If, on the other hand, you are trying to go for more commercial radio stations then you must have glass mastered CDs. Remember to put your best tracks first. Don’t even imagine that a PD has time to go through three/four mediocre tracks in order to get to the good track, that’s not going to happen.
College radio stations are sometimes a beast. Some of their specialty shows will accept CDRs while the main programming will probably not go for anything less than a professional CD. Of course depends on college and the popularity of the station and there are always exceptions to the rule.
If you are going to do the radio promotion yourself and you can’t find any information on their website on how to submit your music then it’s best to get in touch with the radio station via e-mail.
You can very easily get a list of radio stations by doing a bit of internet research. Don’t use the shotgun method and send stuff out indiscriminately. Do the research and find out what shows would fit best and how you can contact them. In most cases, and with some persistence, you’ll be able to find out how they would like the material to be sent to them. An easy way to get your material straight into the garbage is to send it to the wrong show or person at the radio station.

Try to remember that there are also many internet radio stations and their number is growing every day. It’s a little easier to get in touch with them and get your music played. Also keep in mind that it’s not only about the songs. Some of the specialty shows might actually request an interview. Be prepared and don’t forget to mention your website and upcoming events or albums that you have out. Did you ever see an actor or author on a talk show and how they steer their conversation towards their recent work? Talk about the recording of the album, touring or anything that reminds the people of your recent album and music.
If you decide to go hire a radio promoter then do your homework and make sure you get the right person for the job. Most radio promoters will specialize in certain musical styles (rap, r&b, metal, industrial, hip music, etc…) For example don’t hire a rap guy to do a job and vice versa!
By planning it well and knowing what you’re aiming at, a radio campaign can play a crucial role in getting your band/music out there. Do your homework before you start and get out there and do it.

About The Author:
With experience from playing in bands to producing underground music and managing artists, Stan Oldman has always been involved in the music business. He's currently managing the NYC band RED i CLAN.

Tags: UNDERGROUND MUSIC, MUSIC PROMOTION, ARTIST, MUSIC MARKETING, MUSIC, BAND

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Title:	How to get underground music on the radio
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How to get underground music on the radio