i want to send some demos to some labels/radio stations

should i just have a cd/r cd in a case and thats it?

obviously i need more but what else?

band bio?

pics?

Waste of time and money, unless you have a great tracker and some buzz.

You can send it to some local/college radios and call them a couple of weeks after, but exposure on these radios will be extremely small...

in all seriousness i was thinking just community stations.

and i want to amass a rejection letter collection from labels.

get a whole packet together

band bio

band pictures

cd

all that good stuff

should i just have a cd/r cd in a case and thats it? obviously i need more but what else? band bio? pics?

For radio, you definitely want to encluse a page with track order, running times, and your "go-to" suggestions. I'd include a onesheet two.

Also, don't send shinkwrapped CDs.

in all seriousness i was thinking just community stations. and i want to amass a rejection letter collection from labels.

Give them a call first.

Even local stations now are being run by automation and told what to play by the national corporation.

There are plenty of independent/college stations.

There are plenty of independent/college stations.

Independent stations are the minority and are still usually have a play list driven by market research.

There are plenty of independent/college stations.

May or may not be the demographic he's aiming at?

I agree with the track time's etc. - that's a definate inclusion.

Photos, bio, etc- all that helps, so why not include it? If the extra effort gets you airtime, it's worth it IMO.

in all seriousness i was thinking just community stations. and i want to amass a rejection letter collection from labels.

you want rejection letters? Forget it...unsolicited submissions rarely get rejection letters...because they rarely get opened...let alone heard.

You may as well throw the CDs in your own trash/recycling bin for all the good that will do.

Do some legwork, approach the labels with just a query letter, link to your website/mywaste page etc and see if they even will bother to reply to that.

you want rejection letters? Forget it...unsolicited submissions rarely get rejection letters...because they rarely get opened...let alone heard. You may as well throw the CDs in your own trash/recycling bin for all the good that will do. Do some legwork, approach the labels with just a query letter, link to your website/mywaste page etc and see if they even will bother to reply to that.

my friend has rejection letters from major labels. they probably didn't listen to it but it meant the cd actually arrived at their offices.

im thinking of making a collage of them as a cover for the demo cd.

True to an extent....but I know of several college stations in my area, and at least two corporate-owned, that play music by local artists. It's usually a radio show that takes up a few hours each week, but these people make themselves accessible for bands to contact and send material to, and do their best to support the scene.

My advice: Get a press kit together, as others have suggested, and then search these kinds of shows/DJs out. They are out there. You may not get play on the Top 40 station in your area, but if it's decent you can at least get a little local buzz. Which is better than not trying, and not getting your music played on the radio at all, no matter what the time slot/programming.

I heard the chances of ANY am/fm radio station adding to their rotation unsolicted music on the air is something like:

217,393 to one

Kinda depends. We sent our CD to a bunch of local college stations, and regular radio that had a "local" show of some sort, and got 2 bites. We're played on The Edge and KNTU (the North Texas U. station). Both FM's here in Dallas.

Depends on what you send them & what their format is. If you're sending demos, why would they play an unmastered anything on their air? Wait until it's polished. Radio stations are not ones to say "that's a great concept, now go finish it so we can play it!". They need a finished product.

Plus, you're going to have an easier time if you're a local to the station. If you're in Alabama, trying to get played in Indiana, it's a little tougher than having a station in Birmingham play you. It gives them a jumping off point. You have something in common with their format, etc.

Not at all. That's the case with regular commercial stations, but definitely NOT the case for college/indie stations. I'm not sayin' it's easy, but it absolutely can be done.