Submitting music to radio stations and clear channel

[The Professiona]

Hello,

What is involved in submitting music to clear channel to get distributed to analog radio stationis? clearchannel.com has literally no information (that I can find) about submitting music for radio play, and googling comes up with nothing useful either. Am I even on the right track? Is that would I would need to do to get radio play?

[daddymack]

There is a reason you can't find any info on how to approach them to do this: if you are not on a label or already on regional radio, they won't touch you, much like labels don't accept unsolicited submissions.

They (Clearchannel or any broadcasting chain) are not a talent agency, or a promotions company, they are a commercial airtime selling business.

Shooting for national distribution with an unknown product doesn't work, sorry.

Try local NPR stations, college radio, etc...there at least they may give you a listen.

[richardmac]

That was a very good reply daddymack. I was tempted but anything that came out of my mouth would have been sarcastic. Clearchannel has no interest in all at music, really... they are interested in ads and they'll play whatever music will get the most people to listen, so they can charge more for their ads. But in major markets there are always local stations that either play original music or have shows that feature original music. Sometimes there are even local TV stations that will have local acts perform a song or two.

 

However, appearing on local radio or tv will gain you nothing or very little. What you need to do is appear on local radio or TV a REAL, REAL LOT so that people start recognizing your music. This can be very difficult to do. It's very fun to hear your music on a local radio station, but don't expect your CD to start flying off the shelves, is what I'm saying.

 

Oh. One more thing. If there's a local show that has guest artists come on and hang out for the entire show, THAT is good. I was the only guest on a local hour long radio show in Tampa. I chatted with the hosts, played several songs, and plugged my gig the following night. And actually had people come out to see me because of the radio show. That was really cool. I need to do that again...

[Dancebass]

Ok. If it's the big boys you're looking to play with, this is how it's done. There are cut-out companies that are paid large sums of money to lobby new material to Clear Channel owned cut-out companies that provide focus groups that test new music on soccer moms during the day. These Clear Channel owned cut-out companies then return the desired results from these "focus groups" and the one or two songs a month are then added into national rotation. I would say you could get it done for around $60,000 on a slow month.

[daddymack]

^ $60k? not in a top tier market...

[The Professiona]

Thanks for the responses.

 

So, just for curiosity's sake, if an indie record label wanted to approach clear channel or curtis media group or something, they wouldn't be able to either? Even as a record label that has albums in production?

[Dancebass]

 

Thanks for the responses. So, just for curiosity's sake, if an indie record label wanted to approach clear channel or curtis media group or something, they wouldn't be able to either? Even as a record label that has albums in production?

 

 

A label still needs to go through a Radio Promotion Company. One of the largest is Jeff McClusky and Associates.

[The Professiona]

I see, thanks for the info!

[Scafeets]

Start here.

Good advice re: local radio outlets, particularly college radio if your music fits the format. I have also found Sirius/XM much more open to new music than the corporate radio douchebags who only look for the lowest common denominator to squeeze between commercials.

[BlueStrat]

 

There is a reason you can't find any info on how to approach them to do this: if you are not on a label or already on regional radio, they won't touch you, much like labels don't accept unsolicited submissions. They (Clearchannel or any broadcasting chain) are not a talent agency, or a promotions company, they are a commercial airtime selling business. Shooting for national distribution with an unknown product doesn't work, sorry. Try local NPR stations, college radio, etc...there at least they may give you a listen.

 

 

 

^^^^^

 

THIS

 

One needs to disabuse himself of the notion that commercial radio is about music. It isn't. It's first and foremost a marketplace for advertising. Hence, the mind -numbing sameness of radio stations all across America. Country stations by and large play the same 30 songs all day long. Classic rock stations play the same 3 songs by each artist all day. And so on. The point isn't to present great new music. The point is to play stuff with a wide enough appeal to garner the largest numbers of ears to listen to the commercials. Once I figured that out many years ago I quit listening to commercial, radio altogether.

[niceguy]

Ok. If it's the big boys you're looking to play with, this is how it's done. There are cut-out companies that are paid large sums of money to lobby new material to Clear Channel owned cut-out companies that provide focus groups that test new music on soccer moms during the day. These Clear Channel owned cut-out companies then return the desired results from these "focus groups" and the one or two songs a month are then added into national rotation. I would say you could get it done for around $60,000 on a slow month.

 

Very well said