Radio Play: Will Topping The Charts Make You Bigger Than
Elvis?
By Sheena
Metal
Every true life rock 'n' roll television melodrama
has the same scene: the unknown artist/band gives their
freshly cut 45rpm single to the local disc jockey.
He spins it on his top 40 radio
show…and a star is born.
This legend has been passed down
through the generations of wannabe popstars like an ancient
family recipe.
The ingredients may differ, but in
the end you get the same glorious results: radio play equals
fame and fortune.
But does this Top of the Charts fairytale still
apply today in the sardonic post new millennium world we
call "today"?
Can a band in our current music
scene walk into a radio station with a CD single in their
hot little hands, impress and wow the DJ with their
enthusiasm and chutzpa, obtain the magic and golden FM radio
spins and then ride the wave of success all the way to
Graceland?
Well, then, I guess the real
question would be, "Do you believe in fairytales?"
Unfortunately, the music industry, like the entire
Earth, has become so overpopulated and so oversaturated with
artists, music, CDs, and radio stations/shows of all kinds,
that the chance of your own personal radio fairytale coming
true is probably slim to none.
But, don't give up on your favorite
audio media outlet.
Radio may not catapult you to
instant superstardom but it certainly can help to push you
down the path to success.
The following are a few tips that will help you to
make your own music fairytale and get your music heard
throughout the airwaves:
1.)
Get Out Of Major Market The Top 40 Station
Mentality---There was a day when getting played on a big
city Top 40 radio station was like winning a gold medal at
the Olympics.
Bands that were chosen for play were
handpicked by the voices of the airwaves whose ears were
finely tuned to pick out the next new rising star.
Today, things are a little
different.
Radio has become a huge corporation
with three major conglomerates owning most of the stations
in the
United States.
Sadly, Disc jockeys are no longer
the innovators their predecessors were.
Station management hands down a
playlist (made exclusively of artists signed to mostly major
labels) and the voices you hear on your radio are just
that....talking heads animating a script.
It's nearly impossible for an
unknown band to break into mainstream large metropolis radio
and a waste of your time and money to send packages blindly
to a medium that will more than likely reject you again and
again.
2.)
The Specialty Show Is Your Ticket In---Still
determined to get played on that hot radio station with 10
million listeners and a celebrity DJ?
Well, there is a backdoor that you
may be able to slip through.
It's the specialty show.
Many huge stations feature a weekly
show structured just to highlight the little guy....to showcase
unsigned artists from that station's area and sometimes
beyond.
These shows are always worth sending
your press package to, as they tend to base their playlist
on your music and your credentials on not on the typical
corporate artist roster.
This is where you just might wow
that innovative disc jockey and garner play on some of
America’s
biggest stations.
3.)
College Radio Still Rocks...One area of radio that
has stayed unaffected by the huge corporate retooling is the
college/university station.
Unlike companies/labels deciding
what the listening audience thinks is cool or hip, college
radio DJs and program directors are still setting their own
cutting edges, breaking new artists, and finding the hot
fresh stars of tomorrow hiding in their local clubs, coffee
houses and garages.
It’s always beneficial for unsigned
artists to send as many CDs (or email as many MP3s, if the
station will accept that medium) to as many college stations
as you can find.
You will find stations to play you
and people will be listening.
This could lead to new fans, tour
possibilities, and will definitely look fantastic on the
radio page of your website or EPK.
Whether or not it will actually make
you a rockstar, it will sure make you feel like one.
4.)
The Unlimited World Of Independent Radio---Back in
the early days of radio, indie stations were limited to
audio pirates in their basements stealing airwaves from
unsuspecting Top 40 giants.
Now, thanks to the internet,
satellites, cell phones, iPods and cable TV, independent
stations outnumber their AM/FM constituents in the thousands
and new ones are created every day.
Since doing a search of indie radio
stations online has been known to cause a brain embolism in
some, know that you will probably never be able to solicit
them all in one lifetime and just relax and enjoy sending
music to whomever you can, as you will probably garner
hoards of airplay.
Furthermore, your wallet will grow
to love you as most of these stations will allow you to
submit MP3s online.
It's true that the legendary story of the unknown
band that got one single played on the radio and became
superstars within a month is probably as outdated as the
8-Track tape.
But that doesn't mean that the
process of artists soliciting music for radio play has
become archaic.
Radio remains, to this day, one of
the best ways for musicians to promote their music and their
projects in their area.....and now, thanks to terrific
technological advancements, nationally and worldwide.
The repetition of your single in the
ears of even the most jaded radio listener, may lead to: CD
and merchandise sales, gigging opportunities in your city
and others, visits to your website, posts to your fan club
forums, potential press and even maybe industry attention.
So, don’t stop sending those CDs,
and emailing those MP3s because the next person who hears
your song on the radio might just be the one who leads,
either directly or indirectly, to your much sought record
deal.
And who knows?
You might just wind up becoming
bigger than Elvis.
Sheena Metal is a radio host, producer,
promoter, music supervisor, consultant, columnist,
journalist and musician.
Her syndicated radio program,
Music Highway
Radio, airs on over 2,400 affiliates to more than 126
million listeners.
Her musicians' assistance program, Music Highway,
boasts over 10,000 members.
She currently promotes numerous live shows weekly in
the Los Angeles Area, where she resides.
For more info:
http://www.sheena-metal.com.
