Radio Promotion
Radio Promotion or Record Promotion can best be described as pitching a finished recording to Radio Programmers across the country. Usually the persons I speak with are the Music Directors or Program Directors. In some instances, artists choose to start this process locally or regionally. Traditionally, radio exposure is the best way for a recording artist and a song to gain exposure and subsequently generate income from independent record sales, or recording contracts. There are other obvious routes of marketing, such as live performance and Print Media, but getting a song played on the radio is usually the golden bullet for success!
There are many different radio formats. I have spent most of my career promoting records to Top 40 or CHR Stations. One of the benefits of promoting, or as they say in the business "working" these types of stations is that, this is the format we usually associate with a Hit Records, and can encompass many different musical genres; Pop, Rock, R&B, Hip Hop, even County to some degree. Several years ago I promoted songs for Shania Twain, Lee Ann Womack, & LeAnn Rimes that became extremely successful at Top 40. In fact I've worked almost all genres to Top 40 at one time or other. Hip Hop artists like Jay Z and Eminem, as well as Rock'n Rollers like Mick Jagger and Joan Jett. I've also successfully promoted Dance Artists such as Donna Summer, Vengaboys and the legendary Chubby Checker. It's a great format because it basically embraces any music that has the potential for a mass appeal audience. Over the years I have worked other radio formats including Straight Country, R&B, and Hip Hop. My first entrée into the business was actually with College Radio Promotion & currently I do a lot of Rock and Alternative Records, even AAA tracks from time to time.
Add Promotion also specialize in New and Up & Coming Artists. Secondary Radio has been a great vehicle for success. Basically the secondary markets are smaller un-monitored stations that the Major Recording Labels don't care about as much as they do the large markets. Essentially the major labels put most of their energy into big stations and big markets which leaves a convenient vacuum for me to go to the smaller stations and get a break with new product. From many years of promoting highly successful records, I have many relationships with music programmers in the secondary markets, who pay attention to the artists I bring them. I have access to them! This is very hard to come by, but is still the best first step in getting radio exposure. Most music directors in smaller markets may not be inundated as much as a larger markets, but they are still extremely busy and in most instances will shun calls from someone they don't know, especially a new artist. It's my ability to have contact with these Secondary Market Programmers that has driven much of my success in breaking new acts, and subsequently securing Record Deals.
