If you’re an indie artist, you might be thinking: “How do I get my music discovered?” Getting on the radio in Canada and the United States can feel difficult. Major stations are already filling their timeslots with established artists and very rarely do you see programs for newer musicians. That being said, college radio has always been a launchpad for independent artists. Unlike commercial stations, college stations have always championed the underground music scene. This gives new artists more opportunity for airplay and a much lower barrier to entry. No big budget or following required.
That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy to get onto college radio stations. You still have to put your best foot forward and approach professionally and with the right strategy.
Why Should New Artists Submit to College, Community and Non Commercial Radio Stations?
College, community and non-commercial radio are still one of the most popular ways to discover new artists. Curators actively seek out fresh, underground sounds to share to their listeners. It keeps college kids “in the know” on hot new artists and trends, cultivating an almost exclusive-feeling community.
Many soon-to-be megastars got their first spins on college radio. For example, 90s rock icons Nirvana promoted their debut album Bleach all over college radio before their breakthrough album Nevermind catapulted them into stardom. Frontman Kurt Cobain did performances and interviews like this one on college stations.
Modern artists like Mac DeMarco and Mitski also received some early love from college and community stations, showing that this strategy is still relevant today.
For artists, not only is this useful in getting your music out there to an engaged audience, but as mentioned before, there’s a much lower barrier to entry. While commercial stations can cost thousands of dollars to get airplay, alternative radio stations often have low-budget and free submission options.
How To Get On College, Community and Non-Commercial Radio
You shouldn’t expect stations to play your music just because you sent it. You still need to follow a series of steps to give yourself the best shot at receiving airplay.
Step 1: Research
Take some time to research stations in your music genre. Similar to commercial radio, college, community and non-commercial stations have specific types of music they are looking for. It’s as simple as doing a quick Google search of top [genre] college stations in [country]. Top Hip Hop College Radio Stations in Canada, Top Alternative Rock College Radio Stations in the United States, you get the picture.
Once you have a list of some wishlist stations, you can go deeper and look into specific shows and DJs for those stations. Find the ones that really fit your music genre and play bands similar to you. Look up the DJ, see if you can find their email and put it all into a spreadsheet or some kind of database. If possible, send your song to the DJ specifically rather than the station as whole. Some stations may have one music director, while others may have a variety of programmers and hosts. If you can’t find the DJ’s contact info, try to find them on socials.
Step 2: Create a Professional Package
Even if you are a DIY artist, you will want to make your presentation as professional and polished as possible. The easier you can make it for the DJ to know who you are and access your music, the better your chances. The most efficient DIY approach would be to gather the following assets::
- Press release or one-sheet with bio, key highlights, and genre.
- High-quality, broadcast-ready WAV files available for download
- ISRC (*so you can get radio royalties if you get spins)
- Social links
- Contact info
*And remember to make sure your songs are all registered with PROs!
Step 3: Reach out
Once you have your list of DJs and your package put together, it’s time to start getting in contact. It’s extremely important that you do not blast multiple contacts in a single email. There is nothing that gets your email trashed faster than the dreaded “cc” faux pas. If you don’t have time to research hundreds if not thousands of contacts then read on. Caster may just be the answer you’ve been looking for. Not to mention not every contact you are after will necessarily be public information. Many websites have one generic email that goes to a flooded inbox that may not even get to your intended recipient.
If you do manage to get a list of contacts together, try to keep your email short and to the point. Radio DJs get hundreds of emails from independent artists a day, so the quicker you can give them all the info they need, the better. Try to think of a snappy headline that will catch their attention and help you stick out from the crowd. A common practice is mentioning already popular artists you sound like, as it will give them an immediate idea on your vibe. Do you sound like a blend of The Weeknd and Tupac? Or Green Day meets My Chemical Romance? Utilize that.
If you don’t hear a response, wait a week or two and try doing a polite follow up. Sometimes they genuinely miss your email and they may appreciate the extra effort.
Another thing to consider is if the song hasn’t been released yet and you want to debut the track on their station. Some stations like being the first one to play out a track, so that could be a helpful bonus.
Step 4: Build Relationships
If a station does play your song, do not forget to thank them. Share your spin on social media and tag the station and DJ. Much like yourself, college radio stations are always looking for new listeners, so they’ll appreciate the shoutout. This will keep the door open for you to send them future releases. Now you’ll have a consistent source to get your music on the radio.
Getting on College, Community and Non-Commercial Radio: The Easy Way.
You must be thinking: “This is a lot of work.” Yes, it is. But there is a much more efficient way! Play MPE’s Caster tool is the exact platform pro radio promoters use to deliver music directly to programmers and DJs across college, community, non-comm, and specialty stations. Instead of sending hundreds of individual cold emails with download links and attachments (many people have filters on their inbox to block), try Caster. Package your tracks, metadata, artwork, and one-sheet in a format stations already know and trust. This not only saves you time but also ensures your music is presented on the same playing field as major-label releases. This can give you a far better chance of being heard and taken seriously.
Caster not only gives you access to massive distribution lists, but your content is secure and available forever. When it’s time to start following up with radio contacts, you can prioritize your targets based on data. Caster shows you who has opened, clicked, streamed and downloaded your release. Better yet, track your radio spins with MTR and know who to thank for the airplay!
Whether you decide to go full DIY or take advantage of Caster – take the time to craft a custom email for every DJ to personalize your message when following up. You want to build relationships so make sure to refer to them by their name, mention their station, and refer to the release you sent them so they can easily identify who you are. There is no harm in creating a template that you can copy/paste into each email. Nobody needs to write about themselves/the album 100 times over, but a little personalization can go a long way and help you build a connection with the radio DJ.
Breaking into radio as an indie artist is a reality
In conclusion, breaking into radio as an indie artist might feel intimidating, but it’s more possible than ever to connect directly with DJs and music directors who are eager to discover fresh sounds. With research, a well-put-together package, and genuine outreach, you can start building real traction on college, community, and non-commercial stations.
If you want to save yourself time, Play MPE’s Caster might be a great option for you. You’ll present your work at the same level as mainstream artists and top indies in a streamlined format. Caster puts the power of promotion in your hands, saving you time while placing your music directly in front of tastemakers who are actively searching for the next wave of emerging artists. See how it works here.