How to Submit Music to Rhode Island Radio Stations

If you're a Rhode Island-based band, submitting your original music to radio stations statewide is a must. Radio airplay not only helps you push your latest CD, it also fills those seats at your next show in Providence, Warwick, Newport, or wherever you're gigging. Unfortunately, homegrown artists often find it difficult to get their music to a radio station's tightly-formatted regular rotation; most are confined to Local Licks-type shows featuring unsigned local artists once a week. Still, a little airplay is better than none, and a highly-rated radio station can get your music heard by thousands of people.

• 1

  Register your original songs with the U.S. Copyright Office, if you haven't already.

• 2

  Join at least one performing rights organization such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC, if you are the songwriter or publisher. They'll ensure you get paid every time your music is played on the radio (including Internet radio stations).

• 3

  Have your songs professionally recorded, mastered and manufactured. As of October 2010, this could cost you anywhere from $2,000 to several thousand dollars, but it's well worth the cost. Presenting a competitive-sounding product will greatly increase your chances of radio airplay.

• 4

  Package your music with attention-grabbing, tasteful cover art or photos. This helps your CD stand out from the stack of albums sitting on the music director's desk.

• 5

  Include in your submission packet a brief cover letter, press kit, artist biography and a high-quality photo. Many stations will post local artist photos and MP3 samples on the station's website, along with a calendar of upcoming shows in the area. If you have posters or flyers printed up for a concert in that station's city, enclose a couple of those as well--all radio control rooms have a bulletin board with reminders of upcoming concerts for DJ's to talk about on the air.

• 6

  Research and identify every radio station in Rhode Island that plays music in your specific genre' and target them. Listings of stations statewide are available with mailing addresses, phone numbers, and there are websites where you can easily find the names of the program director, music director, or DJ who hosts a local music show.

• 7

  Mail your complete submission packet to each radio station on your list of targets.

• 8

  Follow up about a week later with an email or phone call to the contact person you addressed the submission packet to. Set aside an afternoon to devote some time to forging these important personal contacts. Ask them how they liked your music, if they plan to add any songs from the CD, remind them of the date, time and venue of your upcoming show in that city, and by all means offer them free tickets to the show. If a local DJ takes a particular liking to your band, they'll be more likely to plug you on the air more often and may even ask you to drop by the studio for an interview next time you're in town.

• 9

  Ask your fans to call their local radio stations and request your music. The more calls a station receives asking to hear a particular artist, the better your chances of getting airplay.