There are so many things to take into account before even considering sending music to big radio stations. It is essential that artists are reminded that they will not get very far in simply sending their tracks to radio stations and expect them to go on air. As a matter of fact, it is very difficult to get tracks played on the radio, especially when competing against thousands of artists who have the same desire. Therefore, there are many things one can do to increase the likelihood of a song being played on air.
Planning
As previously mentioned, it is crucial that artists are reminded about the relevant aspects involved in getting their music played on the radio. Therefore, artists must thoroughly plan out all the necessary things required in the process. This will significantly reduce the chances of anything going pear-shaped. Factors that must be taken into account include the funding of the campaign, time spent on consistently working all the stations, and ensuring that a track is a viable product for national airplay. If these factors are taken into account, the chances of success are increased substantially.
Quality of Composition and Production
Before even considering getting songs played on the radio, it is essential that the quality of composition and production is taken into account. With regard to composition, there is simply no point in attempting to get a badly written song on the radio. As a matter of fact, it will be detrimental for the artist’s image if people remember their really bad song played on the radio. Without a doubt, people want to hear really catchy songs with hooks that stick in their heads, therefore the song must be composed to a high standard.
Regarding production, it must be to the highest standard possible. Although the song itself is perhaps the key factor, the quality of production will enhance it greatly and create a lot more excitement. There are many artists out there who produce their own music, however, it is ideal to hire a good music producer to mix a song to a professional standard if artists are seriously considering getting their music on the radio. The music industry is a tough industry to succeed in, hence artists’ work should be presented in the best possible way.
Having the appropriate song length
For those who are still unaware and have little knowledge about some of the critical guidelines that nearly every radio company will comply with. One of the standard procedures is having the appropriate song length to go on air. The majority of radio stations will play tracks that are between 3:00 and 3:30 minutes in length.
Tracks that are over or under this average tend not to be played on the radio except for very few exceptions. If one truly desires to have their tracks played on radio stations, radio editing is the best option. This involves cutting a track to a shorter length. In many cases, songs that are over or under the average radio airplay length will be radio edited to last between 3:00 and 3:30 minutes in length.