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Radio Airplay 101
by Bryan Ferrish - October 2000
Which Stations to Choose?
In the last issue, we detailed the number and types of radio stations that play new music in the United
States. We now look at which of those stations you should choose to promote your music to. Your airplay promoter
will help you, but in general, your choice of radio stations should be based upon:
1) Long-term goals: Do you want to sign with a larger company, or, do you want to sell CDs?
2) Genre.
3) CDs: Do you have manufactured CDs, or CDRs? How many?
4) Web presence: Do you have an in-depth site with articles, photos,
individual bio's, mailing lists, and tour info, or a simple site or no site at all?
5) Previous promotions/experience.
6) Distribution, Touring, and Press.
Note that *servicing* your music to a radio station, and *promoting* your music to a radio station, are not the
same thing. "Servicing" is simply getting your CD to the station. "Promoting" it is getting
them to find it, listen to it, play it, and report it.
LONG TERM GOALS:
If you are (or if you have) only one act, and if your intentions are to build a buzz to the point where you can
"sign" with someone, then non-commercial radio is probably for you (genre permitting.) Non-commercial
radio is very accepting of new acts, and these stations "report" their airplay to the trade magazines
readily. They will also
interview you, play station-identifications made by you, and (in general,) work with you. This all adds up to a
good buzz. But...these stations will not sell as many CDs as commercial radio.
If, on the other hand, you are running a small label and you intend to build the number of artists on it...and
you intend to sell CDs, tickets and other merchandise through it, then commercial radio would be a good choice
for you (again, genre permitting.) Only commercial radio can get your song to enough people, enough times, to sell
large quantities of CDs. But commercial radio is also the most expensive.
GENRE:
Non-commercial radio is very accepting of Alternative, Metal, Rap, Hip Hop, Jazz (non smooth), New Age, World,
Electronic, and Novelty/Comedy.
Commerical radio is accepting of Alternative, Modern Rock, Rap, R&B, Smooth Jazz, Top 40, Adult Contemporary,
Country, Americana, and AAA (Adult Album Alternative.)
CD'S:
If the CDs that you have were printed on a computer (some people call these "CDRs", "write-once
CDs", "burned CDs" or "one-offs",) then you must choose non-commercial radio. Commercial
radio will just laugh at these.
WEB PRESENCE:
A strong web presence can be a great reason to choose non-commercial (and in this case, mostly college) radio.
College kids (age 18-24) have the highest percentage of access to the web (almost 100%), most of which is high
speed.
PAST PROMOTIONS:
Have you promoted a previous release to radio? Have you just completed a college tour? Have you done a retail promotion
with a chain store that advertises on radio? If so, make the most of the momentum.
DISTRIBUTION, TOURING, PRESS: If you lack having your CD in many stores (on the shelf...not to be confused with "in
the system"), and if you have no performances in cities other than your own, and if you have no articles written
about you, then non-commercial radio should be a strong consideration for you (or possibly, a non-charting attempt
at commerical radio, using specialty shows, smaller stations, and outer-lying areas.) These stations do not have
strong concerns about distribution, touring, or press...
Commercial stations, however (especially larger ones in larger cities)...do. It works like this: Radio stations
are paid based upon their ratings (the number of listeners they have.) If a label exposes an artist to many potential
fans by way of performances, posters, TV, articles, or film, and these fans then want to hear that artist's song,
they will have to tune in to the radio station that plays it. This means that this radio station is going to get
all these new listeners, and thus, is going to have higher ratings. So, it's up to you and your promoter to choose
your commercial stations wisely.
Next issue: The details of non-commercial radio.
-----
Bryan Farrish
is an independent radio airplay promoter. He can be reached at 818-905-8038 or airplay@radio-media.com