Getting Radio Airplay for Your Mixes

One quick way to reach a lot of people is by getting your music on the radio, in particular on specialty shows. You can usually find specialty shows late nights or on weekends at the local "Modern Rock" or "Active Rock" stations (and occasionally college stations).

These shows play the latest music by artists and bands. As an added bonus, they usually report to industry publications like KKBB, Mediabase and FMQB so any airplay you get here will have national visibility. They'll usually give your song a spin or two, and if it gets a really great audience response, these can turn into regular rotation at the station.

So ... how do you get onto one of these programs?

1. Mix the Song
2. Package the CD
3. Research, Mail, and Follow Up

Mixing the Song
For most specialty shows, focus on delivering "abbreviated" remixes that are radio friendly - that means, short, pop structure, and clean.

1. Keep it short - no more than 3 minutes in length and have a catchy chorus coming in around 40 seconds.
2. Have a pop song structure - one type of pop structure is quick intro, 1st verse, 1st chorus, short interlude, 2nd verse, 2nd chorus, bridge, breakdown, big 3rd chorus. (Of course, there are lots of exceptions - listen to the Beatle's Can't Buy Me Love for a song that starts with a great chorus).
3. Take out the naughty words - Radio stations have the FCC riding them, so you'll want to make sure to take out anything that might be deemed offensive. (For a refresher course, George Carlin has a wonderful lecture on the seven words you can't say on radio).

Packaging your CD
You should make it easy for the host to find the CD and get a quick overview

1. The Case
   Make sure you use a regular size jewel case (don't use a cardboard, DVD, or thin-line CD cases).
2. Front Cover
   On the front cover, put a clear photo of the singer or artist, along with the artist's name and the name of the release.
3. Spine
   On the spine, put the name of the artist in big easy to read lettering.
4. Back Cover
   On the back cover, include song titles, track lengths, and make sure to note that all versions are clean. Put contact information and artist's website there too. Also on the back cover, you can put a couple of BRIEF reviews or quotes (5 to 10 words, attributed to the source).
5. Inside Sleeve
   If you're feeling really ambitious, you can put lyrics and credit information on the INSIDE sleeve.
6. High Quality Audio
   Make sure that you always press your CDs from the highest quality master that you have. Don't burn from MP3s or iTunes

Researching, Mailing, and Follow Up
Do your homework before sending the CDs out - they're expensive, so it's better to send out a number that you're comfortable following up with.

1. Target Key Stations Only
   A good package is expensive to put together, and only a a handful of stations will get the impact that you need. For each mid-sized market (Phoenix, Kansas City, Fresno for example), expect to find one or two programs per week that you'll want to target. Better yet, here's a great current list of specialty reporters in the US.
2. Research
   Go to the websites for these programs and look for contact and submission information. Be sure to follow any submission guidelines that you see on the website. And check the spellings of people's names!
3. Mail the Package
   Each host is a bit different, but your best bet is to send them an email asking them if it's OK to send a package. If the host says yes, your package should be in a padded envelope, with the artist's name visible on the outside of the package; also include a brief handwritten "Thank-You for listening" note to the host.
4. Follow Up
   After you've sent the CD, wait about two to three weeks, and then send a follow-up email to see if the DJ got the disc.

What Else?

Avoid the temptation to post or email MP3s - they'll often get re-converted yet again before they go over the air, and your high hats and sibilance will turn to mush. If they don't reply, don't sweat it - send them another song in a few weeks.