5 Sure Fire Ways to Get Radio Play for Your ?Independent? Music!

You have to find radio airplay time if you're going to be heard and we're not just talking the local college campus. The trick is called promotion. Now that doesn't mean you just put your press kit in an envelope with a demo and hope they take pity on you. Perhaps you call a station and they give you the standard pitch of, "Send it and if we like it we'll put you in rotation." After a few months of never hearing your music, you automatically think you're not worthy.

First, don't buy that. You're one of hundreds, maybe even thousands depending on your city. Your disc will probably end up in the trash or, for more enterprising DJ's, on Ebay in a one-cent CD sale. If you want to be heard and make potential sales, you have to stand out from the crowd, and in this jewel of an article, I'll show you Five(5) Knock 'em Dead Ways to Do Just That!:

#1 - Get your CD into the right hands. The intern that's too busy to getting coffee or typing up a report for the station manager isn't going to be the one making the airplay decision. So find out who the head honcho is in that department and touch base with them. If the club you're playing at charges an admission or you have a show coming up offer to send the stations tickets to give away to listeners. Now keep in mind you can't give the tickets to the staff, since that's illegal and called payola, but you can offer free giveaway items to your potential audience.

#2 - If you've got one station in your pocket, then drop names. Let them know that WABC is playing your music and it's getting a great response.

#3 - Make genuine friends in the business. If you've got a disc jockey that's got you in rotation and really likes your sound, get to know them. Find out why they enjoy it and see if they've gotten any responses from listeners. If they haven't, ask if perhaps they might Q & A their callers about your music so you get a feel for your target audience. It's not a bad idea to ask them for a testimonial or quote if they're well known in your area if you know them personally. People help people. That's a fact so if you treat your area disc jockeys like a living and breathing human and not dollar signs, that's a foot in the door. Another good source is club owners. If they play your music and the fans go nuts ask them to say a few words about your sound that you can pass along to prospective stations, but be sure to sit down for a drink with them. Ask them about the picture of him and the woman and two kids behind the Magic Kingdom. Don't be fake, but be genuinely interested.

#4 - Network. Find out if someone you know (or someone they know) has connections to the music stations. Remember six degrees of separation - you're only six people away from knowing anyone on the planet and yes that includes station managers, concert promoters and record execs. The trick is it takes a great deal of work and time, but if you're serious, it's well worth it.

#5 - Go local, state, national. Don't think you're going to skip your local and state stations and be the next Matchbox Twenty. It doesn't work that way. Start small and then get big.

Making contacts and getting names can be tough, that's why you should start with a tested and proven music industry resource like The Industry Yellow Pages - Music Industry Contact Directory at http://www.TheIndustryYellowPages.com

The TIYP is helpful and loaded with contacts you can start using immediately without doing all the legwork yourself.

This article was written by Ty Cohen, the music industry's most recognizable voice! Ty is the C.E.O of Platinum Millennium Publishing, Platinum Millennium Records as well as owner of http://www.MusicContracts101.com and http://www.MusicIndustrySuccess.com .

Some of his work includes: books, directories, mini-courses and software programs including the titles: "How to Make a Fortune in the Music Industry by Doing it Yourself" and "How to Make $500,000.00 "or More" A Year in the Music Industry by Doing it Yourself".

To find out more about Ty Cohen, his services, products and how he may be able to help you succeed in the music industry go to http://www.MusicIndustrySuccess.com and sign up for his free limited edition music industry success 10-part "Mini-Course", it will work wonders for you and best of all, it's FREE, but EXTREMELY VALUABLE!

---

Music Bytes - Tips For Saving On Professional Software For Musicians, Part I

If you are outraged by the prices software giants demand... Read More

Legal Free Music Downloads - Songs You Want at No Cost

It's all over the news these days. Download music from... Read More

A Guitar Lesson To Help You Test Your Note Knowledge

In this guitar lesson we look at a great way... Read More

A Brief History of Fender Guitars

Perhaps no other guitar maker has touched the hearts of... Read More

Inspiration Wanted - Apply Within!

One of the biggest stumbling blocks for music students is... Read More

Eminem: A Social Commentator

In an interview given to Musik Magazine in 2000, Eminem... Read More

The Acoustic Guitar

The steel-stringed acoustic guitar is usually credited with being developed... Read More

Music for Cross Cultural Accelerated Learning

The Search for the Right MusicEver since Georgi Lozonav, the... Read More

Record Collecting Still Thriving in the Twenty-first Century

It may surprise many to find that the hobby of... Read More

Jealous Again - Jealousy Among Musicians

Jealousy ? do you feel it? Do you sense it... Read More

Acclaimed Songwriter and Performer Michael Alan Releases New CD: Searching for the Heartland:

New York born singer songwriter Michael Alan, who records with... Read More

Why You Cant Play Piano

It's really not your fault. You see, you've been taught... Read More

All About Eminem

Marshall Mathers, was born October 17, 72, and could be... Read More

The Strange Days (mostly nights) of Guns N? Roses

Kenny "Axil" Rose (Lead vocals), D.J. "Slash (Lead guitar), Joshua... Read More

How to Become a World Class Expert in Just 20 Minutes a Day

Is it really possible to become an expert in some... Read More

Music for Corporate Entertainment

For many years I have supplied music for and played... Read More

Performing, Whats the Big Deal?

Performance anxiety is not something that only happens to musicians,... Read More

Guitar Tuning Tips

Most new guitar players and even some experienced ones have... Read More

Guitar Players...Get a Balanced Guitar Practice Diet

Do you have a wide variety of things that you... Read More

How To Overcome The Lyric Writing Hurdles That Are Keeping You Behind

The lyric writing side of songwriting is known to create... Read More

An Interview with Jon Bon Jovi ? 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Cant Be Wrong

The idea originated with singer Jon Bon Jovi. Jon kept... Read More

Rickenbacker 4003 Electric Bass Guitar

The Rickenbacker 4003 electric bass guitar is one of the... Read More

What is Music?

That's a fair question!Basically, you can call music any noise... Read More

Guitar Practice (Part 2) - Does Practice Make Perfect?

You've probably heard the saying "practice makes perfect" and it... Read More

Why Play Guitar?

As a full-time guitar instructor, I am constantly faced with... Read More

Guitar Buying - The Pros and Cons of Vintage vs. Reissue

To most people, owning the "genuine article" is the only... Read More

How to Download Music From The Internet

Most of you have probably heard of the RIAA's quest... Read More

Everything I Play Sounds the Same

Many students want to create music that has a certain... Read More

10 Top Reasons You Should Learn to Play Chord Piano

There are roughly umpteen zillion reasons why you should learn... Read More

Free, Legal Music Online

Almost everyone has heard about the massive crack down on... Read More

Pakistani Pop Music

Pakistan is blessed with talent and when we talk about... Read More

Things To Know When Shopping For A Guitar Amplifier

Guitar amplifiers are a major part of your tone. Some... Read More

Piano Music, Perfectionism, and Self-Expression

Is your heart in the music? If so, it won't... Read More