How to get your songs ready for radio airplay ... a large majority of songs that see major success on Christian Radio, b
RADIO-READY CHECKLIST
How to get your songs ready for radio airplay
GET HEARD
Are your songs ready to be played on the radio?
Your songs are written, and now it's time to see some action. You want to get them on the radio, get some serious airplay, and score some major gigs. If you're really going to take advantage of a well-written song, though, there are still some rookie mistakes that you'll have to dodge in order to get your song heard.
Although this applies to many other formats, this list was created specifically with the main formats of Contemporary Christian Music in mind: Inspirational, Adult Contemporary, Current Hit Radio, and Rock.
Keep in mind that this is only a guideline! There are few times where it is appropriate to push the boundaries, but a large majority of songs that see major success on Christian Radio, both indie and major, follow this checklist!
The non-negotiables:
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• Song length: 3-4 minutes. Don't overstay your welcome.
• Short intro: 8-12 seconds. Get to the song.
• Reach the first chorus in less than a minute. This is the part they'll remember and sing in the shower, so you don't want them to change the dial before getting to this part.
• Get it professionally produced, mixed, and mastered. Some people think this is optional, but the program managers at radio stations can tell the difference.
Other things that really help:
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• Stay with the popular format. Historically, 80% of songs that reach #1 on the charts use a "Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus, Out" arrangement. People are comfortable with this, and that's a good thing. The more listeners have to work to get the song format, the less they're actually listening to the content of the song.
• Positive songs that aren't preachy or condescending tend to do better.
• Emotional songs that tug at your heart strings really connect with listeners.
• Hooky songs that get stuck in your head really have a long shelf life.
Think your music is ready for radio? Let's talk. ASidesRadioPromotion.com |
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