Is Your Music "Radio Ready"

8-1-2009 Printed in COLORADO MUSIC BUZZ MAGAZINE

When it comes to promoting your music to radio, it all starts with the single; the track that will reel them in and make them want more of your music. But it's not an easy process and how do you make sure your first choice is your best? We reached out to a friend of ours, Grammy-Award-winning producer and mixer, Peter Moshay, for some insight. Peter's credits include the likes of Paula Abdul, Jennifer Lopez, B.B. King and for over 20 years has worked with Daryl Hall & John Oates, who have a new box set of live cuts, remixes and rarities coming out soon.

Jimi: Pete, what makes a single “radio ready”?

Pete:  The most important thing is the way it makes you feel when you listen to it. It's a very definable thing that the public knows when they hear it. The public is the best A&R in the world. It's up to the producers to help find the things they'll be excited about. What makes a song radio ready is for it to have that thing that gets you excited – that reaches out and grabs you. In this day and age, songs can't have any dead air, they can't be four bars with nothing or just jamming. You've got to make sure the vocalist is always there. In the Top 40, Hot Adult and Adult Album Alternative radio formats, when a singer disappears for eight bars in a song, you better have something interesting going on there to keep a listener's attention. That's if you want a radio song; it doesn't necessarily mean it will make for a good album track and will fit in the context of the rest of the album.

J: Besides keeping the production of the song busy as you mentioned, is there anything else from a production standpoint that are staples of a good radio song?

P: A melody that is repeatable that grabs people. The intelligibility of the vocals so people can understand what you're saying. I know there's been songs over the years from bands like Creed and Nirvana where you couldn't always understand the vocal completely, and you got it anyway, but it's still extremely important for people to get the story. Melody with a great story is worth twice as much as just a great melody. It's almost like getting more for your money if you have the great story attached to the melody.

J: I've come across many unsigned and Indie projects where there could have been a better job done with mixing vocals. Do you think that's one of the biggest challenges in getting the vocals right?

P: Well it's the most familiar thing; people talk all day long and some people in just normal conversation aren't very exciting to listen to. Then there's people who speak that incite emotion. People that, for example, talk with their hands, adding to the drama of the conversation. I think a vocal has to have that same thing. The best way to describe it is: you are trying to make a movie without sight. You're trying to incite the vision in people. You have to sing so that people see a picture. Listen to John Lennon's, “Imagine”; you have a great melody with words that make the story unfold in front of you. That's also been the extreme power of Hip-Hop over the last two decades, or so. A great melody is undeniable but when you have great lyrics too, that's when a song becomes legendary.

J:  In your experience, do you feel that many artists don't have a sense of what the single to take to radio is; that they're too close to their music to know?

P: Artists sometimes just don't know. Even from working with Hall & Oates with all their radio hits, sometimes you're just not 100% sure when you're doing a record what will connect. Sometimes you have to go to outside people with no connection to see what they'll respond to. Sometimes you do know; sometimes it just smacks you in the back of the head and artists are like all people in that they're inspired by music and their fans. Artists can also feel strongly about a song being great – which it is – but it just may not be a radio song. You have to look at yourself as an artist for the long term and at your body of work. It's not just the singles, it's the whole thing. The singles, hopefully, won't be the only thing they listen to.

J: As a successful producer, what are the things that Indie and unsigned artists need to do to set themselves apart among the major label competition?

P: Just quality, quality, quality. There's no short cut to it; every inch and every little step is important. Pay the extra money and get the better musicians. What you're putting down isn't just about you; it has to do with the other musicians. As we've been going back in doing this box set, this body of 80 incredible songs,Daryl Hall said Hall & Oates were as good as the band they had surrounding them – the engineers, the producers and the arrangers and everybody surrounding them. They wouldn't have had the success without guys like Arif Mardin and Neil Kernon, and musicians like T-Bone Wolk and Christopher Bond. You spend a little more now and have the career later. You try to save now, and you might as well just not do it. There doesn't seem to be any other way. You may get lucky once, but you can't build a career on it.

To see Peter Moshay's discography and to contact him, please go to his website at PeterMoshay.com. He's a good guy and we thank him for his time. You can also reach us by contacting Howard Rosen at Howie@Howiewood.com and by visiting the Howiewood website. Remember, a terrible thing happens when you don't promote your music: NOTHING!

Some DO's and DONT's of Promotion

7-20-2009 Printed in COLORADO MUSIC BUZZ MAGAZINE

You've got music to promote and you are fired up. You're ready to tell the world about it. The thing is, will you go about it the right way? Having spent the majority of my career in radio, there's been plenty of press kits, bios and CDs that have been mailed to me, dropped off, hand delivered or even stuck in the bag containing my ham and cheese sub from the deli (true story!). When you're an unsigned artist or coming from a place of unfamilliarity, making a good impression on the people that have the potential to play you is key. Make the wrong move and you could leave a bad taste in the programmer's mouth, which could hurt not just for your current project, but also in the future. It's always good to leave the actual talking with stations to a promotion company, but there are other variables at play that you can control.

Basics:

DO make sure your CDs, bios, cards and photos have complete contact and web info. That means name, address and phone where applicable and website/social networking info. If something gets lost or separated, you can still be contacted.

DON'T send CDs without track listing. As dumb as that sounds, I've received burned CDs (which is okay) with no song titles, or the song titles but no artist name. If you can't do the basics, you'll never be taken seriously.

Artists Bios

DO be clear and concise. Your first paragraph should be the basics of who you are and what you're promoting.

DON'T over-hype or compare yourself to other artists. Just because you like Nickelback and made a few similar- sounding songs doesn't make you equal (or better). Let the person listening decide what you are and your value or you run the risk of looking silly.

DON'T belittle other's music or genres. I saw a recent bio of a band that says they’re playing “real Rock ‘n Roll, not emo crap.” If you tell the wrong person what you don't like, it's like telling them they have no taste. Don't pontificate – it's your BIO!

DO tell your background story and describe the tone and feel of your music, but it's got to be compelling and succinct.

DON'T make your bio a two-page epic. Programmers and industry people just don't have the time. Say it in a page or less.

DO make your bio available on your band's website. Too many times we've been to artist's websites and seen some cryptic, cheesy couple of sentences and no real information. Your sense of humor or outlook or vibe you’re going for can get lost in translation. Disseminate real information.

DON'T not have a bio. You can't tell your story without it. 

Press Kits:

DO make them neat and organized.

DON'T spend too much time and money on them. If your music can't reel people in, the press kit is going in the trash – all the bells and whistles can't make you sound better. 

DO put your photo in if it enhances your press kit.

DON'T, if you're just putting one in because you feel you need to. If it's not professionally done, you're better off not doing so. It's hard for some people not to listen without prejudice if you've got a cheesy photo that looks like it was taken by little brother on his flip phone.

Now ... let's say a station hears your music and says they want to play you. You can either take positive advantage or really screw up the chance you've been given.

DO let your promotion company be your exclusive contact with that station, unless they dictate for you to reach out. They get so many calls from so many people, it's better to let the people you pay be the conduit.

DON'T have friends and relatives hammer the request lines asking for the song. Programmers know the difference between reality and bull and it makes no sense for an unknown artist to suddenly get four times the requests Katy Perry is. Having a fan in Minneapolis bomb the phone lines in Denver gets nothing done. All it does is distort the data and potential legitimate requests for the song. Let your music stand on its own merits –find out what you really have. We've had situations where an artist's friend was so belligerent with the DJ on duty (who 9 times out of 10 has no say over the music) that the song was dropped. We've also had a client who legitimately ended up #1 in requests and became the most-played song on that station.

DO thank the programmer for the airplay. A card, a signed CD or a simple email is fine. Be just as nice even if they decide to drop your song later on. Being gracious will help you the next time you approach them.

DON'T overlook any opportunity or refuse to get played or mentioned. Terrestrial, Internet, HD and satellite radio all have their place. Any play, anywhere, at any time is a chance for a new fan or sale. A station isn't playing you but wants to feature you on their new artist page or on a podcast? Absolutely!

DO cross promote the station that is playing you. Provide links to their website on your page so you can direct fans in that area to support you (reasonably, please!!).

DO ask your promotion person what you can do for a station that has added your music. Cutting artist IDs, sending product for give away or offering to do an interview are great ideas.

The first impression you make could be the one that sticks, so when you're going to promote, think it all through. Next month: what makes your song “radio ready” as we talk to a successful producer. Remember a terrible thing happens when you don't promote ... NOTHING!

The ins and out of internet radio

The ins and out of internet radio

6-27-2009 Printed in COLORADO MUSIC BUZZ MAGAZINE

In our previous two articles, we discussed Internet and terrestrial radio and how the unsigned or indie artist figures into the equation. Now we take a look at satellite radio, which is unique in its approach and massive in its reach. 

Sirius and XM radio were competing companies until the completion of their merger in 2008. They now combine for a grand total of 18.5 million subscribers. To put that number in perspective, their Top 40 channel and one of the largest channels, Sirius Hits-1, garners four million people listening a week. That makes it larger than any Top 40 station in America. Airplay on Sirius XM can be a huge boon to an artist, because when you think about it, their subscribers are paying to get something that is offered everywhere for free and they may be more likely to seek out new music and something different than they'd get elsewhere. Sirius XM has also applied with Apple to be made available on iPhone, which could exponentially expand its reach. Why do people pay? The passion is truly in the people programming there, which resonates in the product. My experience in radio and my continued interaction with people programming there says that they truly care about their on-air product without the pressure of earning commercial revenue. While they do embrace the obvious “hit” songs out there, when they find ones that they feel will benefit a particular channel, they are willing to experiment and give something a shot. I've had them give quality spins to unsigned artists we were pushing and it doesn't take long for an artist's sales to spike if the audience embraces a song. Also keep in mind that they have a channel dedicated to indie and underground artists, Sirius XM U.  Are there drawbacks to promoting your music to them? No, just keep in mind a few factors that could work against you: 

• 1.  There are only so many channels for each genre and with the merger, a few sub-genres of music went away. You need to fit what they need and if you don't fit, well, you're out of luck.
• 2.  The nuances of each channel are based on what the subscribers dictate to them. Sirius XM can track what people are listening to, so each format is not an all-encompassing generic brand, it's feedback driven. You can be “too Rock” or “too Rhythm” for a channel.
• 3.  The channels that play current music follow similar rotations to many terrestrial stations. There's only so much space to experiment and every programmer does things differently.4.  The future:  There have been many questions about the financial future of Sirius XM but in February they entered into an investment agreement with Liberty Media Corporation to pay off some of the company's massive debt. Other programming factors could affect the subscriber base in the future, such as renewing deals with talent like Howard Stern and the NFL. If they were to go away, some people may opt to go with free radio.
• 5.   Being so large and important means everyone promoting music is seeking to talk with them. To better your chances of connecting with them, it's best to seek out a promotion company that has a good working relationship with them.

I'm a fan and subscriber to Sirius XM and like what they have to offer. There's a ton of upside to getting played there just in sheer volume of people listening, and getting played there can lead to other stations paying attention. There are 17 channels of current music in numerous genres, so there may be a home for yours. Next month, we will give you a list of do's and don'ts when promoting your music to get airplay. Remember, a terrible thing happens when you don't promote: NOTHING

The ins and out of internet radio

5-27-2009 Printed in COLORADO MUSIC BUZZ MAGAZINE

If there were a magic formula, then everyone would have hits, right?

 You'd pay x amount of dollars or post a profile at websites A, B & C and boom – instant smash! But all songs and bands and artists are not created equal. Even with great songs and talent, if you don't promote yourself, you die with your secret. So, promotion is important and it's something that a band or artist should budget for. Setting up a Myspace and Facebook page isn't nearly enough. The last search I did revealed that there are approximately 3 Million bands on Myspace alone! How are you going to stick your head up above the crowd and sell your music beyond your friends, relatives and the town you're in? The public gets its music so many ways and has hundreds of entertainment choices every week, so you've got to utilize promotion properly. The artists who end up making the money are the people who effectively market themselves, and you've got numerous options. I'm going to talk about a few key ones over the next few articles to hopefully give you some knowledge and clear up any misconceptions about them. Internet Radio Aspiring broadcasters to former terrestrial (FM radio) broadcasters to wanna-be DJ's can be found programming stations all over the web, along with corporate models like AOL Music, Pandora, Live365 and Clear Channel's iHeartRadio, whose iPhone app has been downloaded over 1,000,000 times. They can be a valuable asset to grow your story as an artist and you should utilize them on some level because:

• 1. Hey, it's airplay and while the audiences can vary from the thousands to a dozen, why not maximize any chance to sell your music?
• 2. No matter how wild your music might be, there's an Internet station crazy enough to play it. I came across a station called 12 Step Radio where every song is about personal recovery from addiction – not exactly the widest niche to submit your music to, but they obviously found a way to build a whole station from that theme.
• 3.  With Wi-Fi coming to people’s cars now, drivers will be soon be able to easily utilize the stations they loved to listen to on their desktops.
• 4.  Many provide a click-through to artist pages so the listener can instantly buy things they like.

With all the promise that net radio provides, it can also create headaches trying to spread your message on it. 

• 1.  Everyone has his or her own rules for submission. One station needs CDs mailed to them while another allows MP3 submission, while another wants you to upload songs via a file-sharing site and yet another asks you to provide links to download. Doesn't sound conducive to a simple weekly email blast, does it?
• 2.  Many of them ask you to submit forms waving royalties for the airplay as many webcasters have been hit with royalty rates that are driving them to extinction.
• 3.  There are no definitive charts of web stations that can track your level of success.
• 4.  There are so many stations and so many formats involved in the stations that you could spend all your time trying to contact them, let alone actually get played on them.

Keep in mind that with the diversity of the people programming on the web means that many stations will not be programmed in the way you're accustomed to. Some people have other jobs in their lives besides running “JohnDoeFM.com” so they may not be the quickest to get back to you after you submit or be able to talk week-to-week about your progress. Their rotations may not match what typical broadcast stations do and I've run into several stations put together by people that think they can do a better job than broadcast radio does but then say they will only play major label artists – how is that better for you? Internet radio is the equivalent to the Wild Wild West, but it's also at a very exciting stage. With the sheer volume of stations out there, you may want to seek the help of a music promoter to maximize your attack. 

In our next column, we will attempt to demystify broadcast radio. Remember, a terrible thing happens when you don't promote ... nothing.

The ins and out of terrestrial radio

5-27-2009 Printed in COLORADO MUSIC BUZZ MAGAZINE

Let's take a look at terrestrial radio, the stations that you and I have utilized in our daily lives for decades. There are several misconceptions about radio and while some make blanket statements about the industry, there are many shades of gray among the supposed black and white truths. 

Myth #1: “Nobody listens to the radio anymore”Study after study in the past year has shown that radio remains the #1 way people get their music and their awareness of new music. While you may know musically savvy people who go to the web with the express purpose of finding new bands and sounds, the reality is that 92% of the public turns on the radio every week and they aren't actively looking for new music. It falls into their laps being played alongside of the songs they already like. Teen listening (12-17 years) is actually on the rise due to what's called “iPod fatigue,” where they get tired of the finite number of songs in their own library and go to radio or wherever to find new sounds. Radio is an important promotion component for an artist because that is where the biggest pool of potential casual listeners are. 

Myth #2: “Corporate radio is the devil”Now, before you angrily wave your fist and yell about corporate radio, let me cast a little light about the biz, having worked as a music director and program director for almost 20 years and for all types of ownership from corporate to small mom and pop companies. If you are a successful programmer doing things your way, you get left alone to play what you want. I spent eight years at Clear Channel and I was never – read this carefully – never told what to put on my playlist by the company. Why? Because my stations won in the ratings. I had a vision that worked and I cared about making the music sound good. That meant mixing in unsigned and Indie artists that I felt my audience would like along with all the hits. Not every broadcast company allows that freedom, but there are numerous companies that do.   Are there radio stations that only watch the charts and bow down to the major labels? Sure, but there are also programmers in the business who have great ears and understand that in this ever-changing world that great music can be found anywhere. If you have a compelling song to give them, you can get your shot. The more of them you get, it's easier to convince others. By the way, how did Clear Channel monopolize radio when, at the height of its powers several years ago, it only owned 9% of all U.S. radio stations? (No, I'm not a C.C. apologist, but as I said at the beginning of the article, there are many shades of gray, not just black and white.) 

Things you should know when you promote to radio:

• 1.  Know your format:  Are you Pop? Are you Rock? Are you rhythmic, but not Pop enough to cross over to Top 40? It isn't about what stations you want to get played on, it's about what radio format fits you the best and gives you the best chance for airplay success. One of the toughest things for some artists is to be objective about their music. Forcing a song to a format that won't play it is a waste for all parties – the artist, the stations and the promotion company.
• 2.   Regional campaigns don't work. The goal is to find any and all outlets to play your music and going to a smaller group of stations lowers your odds of success. If you think that you can go after airplay in, for example, Colorado and a few selected states because you plan to tour there and then go elsewhere, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. By the time you've built up airplay in a region, you can lose it when you try to go elsewhere because the stations you've spent weeks cultivating may peak before you can spread your attack. The best plan is to always look for any and all options to get played across the country. You never know where or when a station could latch on to your song and create a retail spike, new tour opportunity, or the attention of a label. You can end up in the right time and place by being every place.
• 3.   Have a thick skin. Despite what your mom and your friends tell you about your music, not every station will be jumping to play your music. Stations make money by drawing ratings and that means putting a compelling product on the radio. In the programmer’s eyes at station X, your song either fits that profile or doesn't. Every station has their own nuances and it's usually based on where the station is located and who their competition is. Some stations play new music heavier than others, some might only play you a few times a week until they see other stations they care about spinning you as well. All are important in the scheme of things.
• 4.   Terrestrial radio promotion is massive to do on your own. Programmers spend more time wearing more hats and running more stations than ever before. In other words, they're not waiting by the phone to talk to you and hear your pitch. They have to be called at the times they schedule to take calls and even then you can find yourself speaking to their voicemail. There are tons of stations and to reach them effectively, and in order to monitor what they're doing with your music weekly and let other stations know what airplay you have to build your case, you need to utilize a radio promotion company.

In our next column, we're going to talk about satellite radio and promoting your music it to it.  Remember: a terrible thing happens when you don't promote your music. Nothing. 

HRP voted 2009 "Best In Biz"

1-30-2009

The National Association of Record Industry Professionals has voted Howard Rosen Top Radio Promotion Executive of 2009 in their annual “Best In Biz”.  Rosen beat out 5 other nominees in voting among registered members of NARIP, including Chris Lopes of Interscope Records and Bill Burrs of RCA. Tess Taylor of NARIP says, “to be selected by one's peers is high praise, and our list identifies top-level executive talent and know-how in major areas of the record and music industries.”

HRP puts Texas band on college map

11-15-2008

Beaumont, Texas band Forever Falls is making their presence felt in the college radio world with our help. Howard Rosen Promotion was cited by the band in a recent newspaper article as being instrumental in getting the band noticed in college radio circles.  Read the article here.

HRP PUTS TEXAS BAND ON COLLEGE MAP

HRP nominated by the industry RP nominated by the industry

8-22-2008

Howard Rosen Promotion is a 2008 nominee by Radio and Records magazine for Independent Promoter of the Year, a recognition by his peers in radio and music. CEO Howard Rosen said "It is an honor and privledge to be recognized by such a credible and reliable industry publication as R&R." Radio station programmers and record companies across the U.S. vote for the R&R Awards in various categories in broadcasting and promotion.

Blessid Union of Souls on the comeback trail with HRP
8-22-2008

They had the 4th most played song of 1995 with "I Believe" and followed up with 7 more Bilboard Top 40 hits from 1995-1999.  Now Blessid Union of Souls is back with the new album, Close To the Edge and single, Could've Been With You and have enlisted Howard Rosen Promotion for CHR & HOT AC promotion. HRP staffer, Jimi Jamm has a history with the band and is thrilled to have them on board: "I played Blessid Union when I worked at KQKQ in Omaha and loved the music and the guys themselves simply because they were good people.  I'm very pleased to now be on this side of the fence helping (lead singer) Eliot Sloan and the band get back out there."Early radio programmer feedback has been very positive to the single and the band will be out on the road in support of the new album. myspace.com/blessidunionofsouls