www.1001TopWords.com |
College Radio: The Most Important Radio Level for Musicians
For the self-promoting independent artist, the idea of takingon a radio promotion campaign can, in itself, becomeoverwhelming. But, this idea is usually based on such artistsattempting to obtain worldwide airplay on a local budget. And, in doing so, self-promoting independent artists quicklydiscover another factor not usually considered previously...that engaging in a worldwide radio promotion campaigntranslates to hundreds and, possibly, thousands of CD unitsfor media contacts alone. As you can see, this can also quickly become a nightmare forindie artists, particularly, if the promotion budget only allowsfor the purchase of 1,000-CD packages at a time. Starting in the 1980's, college radio became a dominant forcein not only discovering independent recording artists, but alsoin introducing new artists to the general public. Hundreds ofthese particular artists have gone on to become established'household' names. Likewise, the college radio level has a continued history ofpresenting, practically, all forms of music, much of whichwould never see the proverbial light of day at the commercialradio level and, in many cases, neither at the non commerciallevel. Therefore, if an artist has limited funds for radio promotion, itis highly advisable that the he begin exclusively with collegeradio for the following reasons: * Far easier and faster access to airwaves * Far more plentiful specialty and mix shows and programs * Greater chances for both in-studio and telephone interviewsto promote music releases * More possibilities for station ID checks for further publicity * Corresponding college campus newspapers that will morereadily accept and support music aired on their campusstations for creating a campus-wide buzz * A ready and built-in market in the campus community forrepeated live performances to further support and supplementcampus airplay and campus press coverage * An opportunity for grassroots distribution through supplyingboth campus bookstores and campus music stores withmusic releases Is the college market a viable market for your music sales? Though the question is rhetorical in nature, please review thebelow U. S. college population statistics: * There are 631 public 4-year colleges and universities thathave a combined student population of 6,236,455. * There are also 1,835 private 4-year colleges anduniversities with a combined student population of 3,440,953. * Additionally, there exists 1,081 public 2-year colleges with acombined student population of 5,996,701. * Even further, 621 private 2-year colleges host another253,878 students. This brings the average U. S. student population total to awhopping 15,927,987 minimum every year. And, morepeople are attending some form of higher education thanever before. Now, even the least popular music genres are certain to finda financial comfort zone with a market of almost 16 millionunique principals. So, what results could really popular commercial musicgenres experience, simply by working the various entities ofthe college market, i.e., campus radio, campus press, campusbookstores, campus music stores, campus live performances?Quite pleasant ones, I would suspect. But, remember! The above statistics only reference theUnited States college/university potential listenership. Collegeradio also has a respectable portion of listeners who are *not*students. Add to that, listeners of college radio who strictly listen to thestreaming portion of college radio online, and who may, ormay not, be in the college's geographical area, i.e., militaryservice members. Plus, there is lot more of the college market abroad, of whichU. S.-based artists would do well to approach English-speaking nations first, i.e., United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland,subsequently, moving into additional nations. While it may (or may not) be true that it is possible forcommercial radio stations to be the primary driving forcebehind most retail sales, that theory may not be so validtoday, given the fact that: * With the Internet, artists are no longer required to sell millions of CDs to make a great living financially * Artists have greater and easier access to far more radiostations (broadcast, satellite, internet, college) * With the college community, and all of its combinedpromotion and sales aspects (radio, bookstores, music stores,live performances), if conducted correctly, the college marketcampaign can equalize and, in some cases, even supersedecommercial radio results.______________________________________________ [---Additional Statistics---] Top 10 College Enrollment: Miami-Dade College (51,717) (The above figures were reported in Almanac 2004-2005,published by the Chronicle of Higher Education,August 27, 2004.)______________________________________ What College Students Spend on Music: According to a recent Harris Interactive survey, collegestudents spend $200 billion...that's right...BILLION dollarsper year, with 76% of the students having spent $2,746,000on music alone. Note: As an added advantage, the self-promoting independentartist should also create an Internet radio promotion campaignsimultaneously, since most 'net stations are accepting of MP3files for airplay, thus, reducing packaging and shipping costsof CDs to stations. You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. About the Author: Kenny Love is president of MuBiz.com, a radio promotion, media publicity and music business/career firm for musicians. He is also the author of "Explosive CD $ales Tips," as well as publisher of The B# Newsletter, a highly informative music business resource. Visit his website at http://www.MuBiz.com
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Fiddle Tab Makes Learning Fiddle Fast and Easy Learning fiddle tab is so intuitive and so easy that a student picks it up in five minutes. This is true even for five-year-olds. Learning the Piano and Playing the Piano Many piano students spend much time learning how to play the piano. Years upon years of study time devoted to perfecting technique, tone, dynamics, etc. All the while, many of these same students have never really played the piano. That is, they have spent their time practicing in preparation for the moment when they can "perform" for others. Musicians: What Chords Do You Absolutely, Positively Have To Know? As you probably know, there are thousands and thousands of different chords in music - everything from basic major chords to minor 7ths to 13ths to suspensions to poly-chords. Someday, you might want to learn all those chords if you don't already know them. Story of 50 Cent G-Units 50 Cent , was born 6th of July 1976 is a New York State rapper that uprose to spectacular grandness inside the entertainment collective in 2003... Curtis Jackson incarcerated and much more. Quite easily, 50cent has become the greatest artist since Slim, as well 50 Cent's album also has Dr.Dre. 50 Cent and G-unit have a clothing company Gunit Clothing and 50 cents music producing, Curtis Jackson will be around for a long time. G-Units 50 Cent released his first major album Get Rich Or Die Tryin in december 2003; it sported the single PIMP. Naturally produced by Marshall Mathers and Dr. Dre. watch disco inferno 50 cent could not gain mainstream exposure till he was discovered by Slim. How To Dress Up Naked Music On The Piano What in the world is "naked music?" How to Compose Using ABA Form ABA form is like a musical sandwich. You have the 2 slices of bread with the contrasting meat and cheese on the inside. Instead of bread and meat, you use musical materials. Perhaps an 8-bar phrase for the A section followed by a 4 or 8-bar phrase for the B section. A nice little musical sandwich. Five Secrets to Playing in the New Age Style 1. Learn how to Improvise Surf Waves With Jack Johnson Lately I've been listening to some pretty cool music by some beach bum named Jack Johnson. The tunes he plays really touch a chord within me. They are just so honest and selfless, like stories being told by a wise old palm tree that has endured countless days of peaceful monotony, and yet have also experienced the rare tropical storm with gale force winds. I decided to have a look for his website, as I have come to know that humans have written about just about anything of interest on the Internet. How to Organise a Gig or a Live Music Event - the Budget Three times in the last month I've been asked the question, "what do I need to do to organise a gig?" In reality, when this question is asked it can mean several things: How do I find a venue? How do I sort out the PA? How do I get an audience? And so on. CD Review: Amber - My Kind of World Pop/Rock Recording Artist Amber, who has scored seven #1 Billboard Hits (and 3 more Top Tens) in her Career, including "If You Could Read My Mind", "This is Your Night" and "Sexual (Li Da Di)", is back! And she does not disappoint! "My Kind of World" marks the beginning of a new stage in Amber's career. Like Janet Jackson before her, Amber has taken complete creative "control" on this new project and the result is an artistic triumph with huge commercial appeal! These MIDI Tools Are Music To My Ears Curious about MIDI? Want to find out what tools are out there and what they do? Here are a few pointers. Setting Up In-House Retail Sales Now, that you are familiar and likely connected with online music sales sites, such as CD Baby, or combination online/offline retail sites, such as The Orchard, you are probably comfortable in having your music distribution and sales fairly covered. The Didjeridu In Northern Australia the Didjeridu is seen as a phallic symbol and therefore a male instrument. Women are prohibited from playing. Automatic Control of Chords CORRECT PRACTICE IS INDISPENSABLE! Arpeggios and New Age Piano Playing Chopin used them extensively. So did Beethoven and Mozart. Arpeggios are beautiful and are perfect for the New Age piano style too! Buying A Guitar There are many things to consider when buying a new classical guitar. For instance, whether or not you are a beginner or seasoned professional will determine just what you are looking for and how much you are willing to spend. Guitar Practice (Part 2) - Does Practice Make Perfect? You've probably heard the saying "practice makes perfect" and it sounds true enough, but is t really? We all know the importance of practicing a new skill in order to become proficient at it. This is especially true when it comes to playing the guitar, or any other musical instrument for that matter. But, practicing incorrectly can actually be a detriment to your progress. Guitarists...Are You A Victim and A Loser? I was thinking today about THE most dangerous enemy of musical progress?the victim mentality. What do I mean by this? 50 Cent More so than any other music since the blues, hip-hop is all about stories. And its stories are both criminal minded and grand, making them enthralling and unbelievable, but also making them only as interesting and convincing as the teller. That's why, despite being blackballed by the industry, without a major-label recording contract, heads still gravitated to Jamaica, Queens' realest son, 50 Cent, like the planets to the sun. 50 Cent, born Curtis Jackson 26 years ago, is the real deal, the genuine article. He's a man of the streets, intimately familiar with its codes and its violence, but still, 50, an incredibly intelligent and deliberate man, holds himself with a regal air as if above the pettiness which surrounds him. Born into a notorious Queens drug dynasty during the late '70s, 50 Cent lost those closest to him at an early age. Raised without a father, 50's mother, whose name carried weight in the street (hint, hint, dummies), was found dead under mysterious circumstances before he could hit his teens. The orphaned youth was taken in by his grandparents, who provided for 50. But his desire for things would drive him to the block. Patriotic Music: Surprising Secrets About Those Flag-Waving Sounds Whether played by a marching band, an orchestra, or a rock group, there are patriotic tunes that everyone in America finds familiar, exciting and uplifting. But how much do you know about how these songs were created? And what do you know about the people who wrote them? |
© Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |