Radio Airplay Requests 101 - a lesson on good,
effective fan communication to radio stations Radio Airplay Requests 101 - a lesson on good,
effective fan communication to radio stations
Here I offer some tips on what you, the fan, might do to get your favorite artists some radio airplay. In general, these come from my past experience. I'm blessed to have a track record in helping independent folk/acoustic artists get national and international airplay by finding places most likely to play their music. One artist got enough airplay to attract significant attention and eventually landed a contract with a folk music label. When I started helping local musicians market their music to radio stations, I was not a radio promotions professional. I was just a person who cared about artists to want to help them achieve their goal and dream of getting heard on the radio. The most important lesson I learned overall is, regardless of the genre, some simple yet important common sense tips can go a long way in getting the attention of those who air the music.
With so many radio stations streaming their music via the Internet and their own websites, we are no longer limited to listening to only the stations in our local area. And, we no longer have to lament the fact that a station in our area doesn't play the music we like. If we have a computer and an Internet connection, the music is right here at our fingertips 24/7. Yet, not all stations, even within one genre of music, are alike. In order to point those requests in the right direction to count, you need to know who you'll be talking to. That's where a little research comes in...and pays off.
So, before you make those requests, here are some points and suggestions to consider:
1. Check your favorite artists' websites and their label's websites to see which tracks they are seeking airplay on. Stay informed on what tracks are being sent to radio as singles. Also check some industry trade playlists to see what's being played and where they are on the charts. Give those radio marketing professionals who are responsible to getting the music to radio stations some encouragement by requesting those tracks!
2. Take some time to get familiar with the station first. Listen to some broadcasts. Get a feel for the style of music they play. Don't request a rock song on a country station. See if you really can imagine hearing the song you want to request stylistically fitting into their programming. For instance, if a station plays more contemporary Christian music, perhaps a Southern Gospel song would not fit as comfortably in their playlists. Does the station's website have a playlist posted? If so, check it out and see who's being played most often. Do any of the stations have request times, where you can call in or send e-mails for that particular time?
3. Find out who is in charge of making the musical programming decisions. If it is someone with his/her own e-mail address, be sure you address your e-mail directly to that person. Do not just begin your request with "hello" or "hi". People may suspect you are doing a mass mailing and may not give your note as much attention. You can always e-mail the station first and ask who the decision-makers are.
4. A good first impression is important! Check your grammar, spelling and punctuation--it will give you more credibility and will show your intent is sincere and professional.
5. Include a comment that shows you actually listened to the station and/or read their website. Radio station personnel will pay more attention to someone who can demonstrate they really listen and actually know a little about where their requests are being made.
As you may have guessed, I don't recommend mass e-mails to multiple stations to make your requests. Taking time to make a personal approach is much more impressive and appreciated. You want your inquiry to stand out, not be deleted as spam. Besides, if you are on fire for an artist, it should be more fun than work to make the extra effort!
What about my favorite local artists? This is where a little reality comes in. Most of the larger, commercial stations are less likely to play not yet nationally established artists. You may find some stations in the course of your research that may have local music segments. If so, encourage your artists to send their work in. The best chance for airplay in the case of local/regional artists is the market I tapped into: non-commercial/community/college radio stations. Do a web search to find out which of these stations have your genre's programming and inquire if they play newer artists. Then tell your favorite act to send their music to them! (and if they need further help with that, you can direct them to my instructional CD! )
I can't say any of the above is guaranteed to work in every case. But, if you speak up and tell the radio programmers who you want to hear, you are still encouraging the work of the artists and letting radioland know you are listening and paying attention. So, know that one way or another, you are making a difference!
Now, here are some resources to get you started:
The Official FOLKDJ-L web site - view the digests for playlists from folk radio across the U.S and beyond
Christiantuner.com - a great one-stop shop resource of hundreds of radio stations of all types of Christian programming available via the web
SoGospelNews.com has a "radio picks" section listing top tracks in Southern Gospel radio.
Search engines like Google, Yahoo, etc. Use keywords to find what you are looking for: folk radio, country radio, Christian radio, Southern Gospel radio