Pay for Play - By Eric Boehlert, 14 March 2001

Is it any wonder that the record industry has completely lost touch with reality?

This is yet another clear reason why most of the great music is in the ‘underground’.? These transnational media conglomerates are calling anyone who doesn’t play by their rules underground.

Although this article doesn’t touch on the different and equally frustrating work of charting on college radio, it’s the best summary I’ve seen yet of why most artists should never expect to make it onto Big Coast Mountain Rock Kiss Hot Love Classics FM, where they’re bringing you all the hits money can buy, all the time.

With the explosion of podcasting, interweb radio, file sharing, and ipods, Mainstream terrestrial and satellite radio has been all but pulled from the hands of the masses.

(This is another great reason to sign up for our Polyvibe Podcast if you haven’t already, too).

• “These days, most DJs can be contacted by e-mail. I’ve occasionally received e-mails from bands offering their music. I always listen to stuff that people send directly to me, and I’ve definitely ended up playing some of it.”
• “Simply calling up and asking DJs to play the CD will work pretty good, if you can put in the hours necessary to call lots of stations.”
• “A station member sorts the stuff into genres, and it’s put into a new music section. DJs look through the new music selection and play whatever strikes them as cool.” (Lesson: Make sure your style of music is crystal clear to whomever opens your package.)
• “Putting a big sticker on the front cover that says “SOUNDS LIKE:” helps. Compare yourself to heavily played college radio music.”
• “List the tracks you think are the best and describe them in basic terms (poppy folk, folky slowcore, whatever).”
• “Don’t use the words ‘lush’ or ‘soundscape’ anywhere on your promo material.”
• “(Point out) your best track. No music director has the time to skip through six tracks — they’re probably doing it between classes, or while they’re eating lunch.”

Read the whole thing at the Ask MetaFilter discussion raging right now.