Independent artists face significant challenges when it comes to generating attention to their work. If no one knows that you exist, they can't very well appreciate what you may have to offer.
One of the ways that an artist attempts to get on the public radar is through seeking radio airplay. But obtaining radio airplay on traditional radio stations as an independent can be nearly impossible. Most traditional radio stations are corporately owned and the program director has a limited menu from which to choose. And to even be considered in most cases your CD would need to be widely released and available from large retailers.
Internet Radio is a much more viable path to reaching an audience and doesn't have as many hurdles to clear for the independent artist. Many Internet Radio stations are small operations which are open to receiving music submissions from independent artists. Often times, it's as simple as finding their contact information and asking for their submission policy. Some stations have an upload page on their website to facilitate submission of new music for their consideration. Other stations prefer submissions via mail, with a physical CD and a press kit to accompany it.
If you're new to the world of Internet Radio and you're wondering where to find stations that are playing music from independents you should visit sites like http://www.Live365.com or http://www.ShoutCast.com which provide a directory of Internet Radio stations. The stations at these sites can be searched by genre so that you can target stations with formats that you think are fitting for your sound.
The audience for Internet Radio is growing, while the audience for traditional radio is shrinking. And while some of the Internet Radio stations that you find may have a small number of listeners, remember that small is always better than zero. You may find some very dedicated fans of what you do via Internet Radio and a dedicated fan is far more valuable to the independent artist than a casual listener.
Now for those of you who may be concerned about royalty payments from Internet Radio, I would suggest that the exposure for an independent artist is probably more important than the prospect of royalty payments. That's not to say that Internet Radio stations don't pay royalty payments, but some of the smaller stations may have signed a blanket licensing agreement with the Performance Rights Organizations and as such you might not be paid individually. That's still not a bad deal; after all, if you're an independent, chances are that you're fighting to rise above the white noise of an ever widening entertainment landscape.
I'm not saying to ignore traditional radio, if you're able to get air play that's great. We all would enjoy the thrill of driving down the road and hearing our song come over the air. Just remember that the barrier to entry is high, and chances for success are low, whereas the opposite appears to be true of Internet Radio.
And when you strip away all of the cool sounds and fancy beats, it's important that there's still a song there. A melody that can be sang, and words with meaning.
So, if you care about great songs, let Leemanuel become part of the soundtrack of your life.
Take a test drive with 3 free songs at http://ez.leemanuel05.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment