How Does My Song Get on the Radio?

First of all, it should be noted that not all radio is the same. On the one hand, there are free radio stations, university radio stations and web radio stations where access is less complicated. Here, with a bit of luck and/or personal contacts, you can be successful with just an email to the editors. With the larger private and public stations, on the other hand, this is definitely not so easy. Here you usually have to resort to professional promotion.

What requirements does my song have to fulfil?

First things first: Nothing works without a song that is suitable for radio. This usually means a professional production with hit potential, whose arrangement and length is tailored to the radio format (max. 3 min. play time), is a mandatory requirement. For an online or university radio station, this can be enough for airplay with a bit of luck.

For larger regional and national stations, the artist should already have certain references. It is very unlikely that radio stations will play an unknown artist. Chart placements, media coverage and an appealing social media reach are important prerequisites.

How do I contact a station?

For many stations, a listing on the Music Promotion Network (MPN) is a prerequisite for your song to be played at all. The editors of all major radio stations use this database to get the necessary information for the release. For the listing you need a label code, which is assigned by the GVL.

A professional request is of course the be-all and end-all. You have to imagine that editors are flooded with requests every day and can only briefly decide on the most important submissions in the editorial meetings. This means that you have to bring all the important information clearly to the point. A press sheet with song/release description and background information on production and artists is standard. Provide audio files as a private streaming link (e.g. via SoundCloud) but also as an mp3 download (not in the email attachment!). You can also use the label copy from the Feiyr account . Other important information includes tour dates, press reviews, links to music videos, social media links and planned promotion campaigns. Nevertheless, keep it short and sweet and don’t write a novel! A professional website where you can find all these things at a glance is always an advantage.

When to use radio promotion?

Contacting well-known radio stations on your own rarely leads to success without personal contacts. If you are serious and the song or artist meets the requirements described above, then consider booking a radio promotion. This is usually a costly venture, so really think carefully about whether your song has the potential. A reputable provider will usually let you know if the song is not suitable for radio, as they naturally only want to supply their personal network with quality products.

In any case, good and long-term planning is important. On the one hand, you should contact the promoter 2-3 months before the release date of the song. Agencies are often very busy and a professional promotion campaign is always strategic. This means that the phase during and after airplay must also be planned in advance. Because once the song is on the radio, there should be accompanying promotional measures and, at best, live performances. It should also be clearly communicated if, for example, it is a single release for an upcoming album, so that the audience can already prepare and look forward to more.

Radio promotion with Feiyr

With Feiyr you can choose between three different models of radio promotion. We also offer a cheaper entry-level model that includes a professional media consultation with a radio promoter. If you are not sure whether you really want to invest in an expensive promotion, you will get a first assessment of the potential of your music and further recommendations.

If you decide to hire our experienced promoter, this automatically includes the listing at MPN. If required, an MPN listing can also be booked independently of the promotion via the Feiyr account.