DRN Education - Artists
Artists and Radio Stations
DRN loves musicians, recording artists, and performers. We want you to succeed.
Record labels act as a type of filter for "good vs. bad" songs.
A
song can ONLY become a national hit if all radio stations within that
genre play the song heavily during the same period of time.
It is important to understand that each radio station receives several hundred songs each year (see illustration to right). Many of these songs are very good. Since time on a radio station is a limited resource, it is not possible to place each song in rotation.
What is rotation? Music rotation is a practice under the jurisdiction of the music director at a typical radio station. Generally occurring either once a week or on all weekdays, the oldest music (generally sorted by genre) is replaced with newer music a DJ has picked out of the new bin to review. Station DJs will review a new song and write in a level of desired rotation (generally Light, Medium, Heavy) at which point the music director will then decide whether or not that song is put into rotation or simply added to the stations library.
Hints for artists:
Radio drops increase name recognition (i.e. "Hi this is ___ and you're listening to the Dance Radio Network!").
To be considered for airplay on DRN, you must have
... a song that is available for consumer purchase right now
... a professional web site
... promotional materials available
... a concept for your live performances
... a good attitude
The Artists (Performers)
- Have at least one full-length album available for consumer purchase adding to your revenue. The dance music artists frequently release only one song (a single) with several mixes. For a fan who wants more, this leaves an unfulfilled void. Creating music has never been easier or less expensive than today. Every performing artist should have a full-length CD complete with artwork, pictures, and artist information. An independent artist that has not yet been signed to a record label can promote their music and/or music videos on a variety of social networking sites. If people like your image and your music, have plenty of products available. Every artist should have their own professional web site (not just MySpace or Facebook) that includes a bio, pictures, music for sale or download, performance dates and venues, and booking information.
- The financial gain for artists is in the live performances. Concert gigs and touring is often the primary source of revenue for the artist even exceeding record sales. Therefore, the artist should put together the best show possible within the limits of a reasonable budget. Dazzle your audience with an emotionally charged performance utilizing technology. Video projection and image manipulation, professional sound system, lighting including lasers and fiber optics, pyrotechnics, and other special effects will greatly enhance any show. Other genres of music typically perform with musical instruments for a live concert. Although it is not always possible to create the music live with dance genre, incorporate action and the sensation of ‘this is happening now’ in the show. Your performance should be an enjoyable and memorable experience for each member of the audience.
- Enhance the ‘eye candy’ factor in live performances. Your appearance and wardrobe is the focal-point of the show. If possible, hire dancers to enhance the entertainment value of your show. Many shows are done within the local clubs. Often there is not an ample staging area for a large production. Many older clubs were designed without a stage area because the DJ was considered the star of the show.
- Name recognition for the artist is critical. In most circumstances, it takes time and effort to reach a certain level of fame and celebrity. Talent is a major factor in most success stories, but not always. Creating a buzz through effective marketing will often lead to at least temporary name recognition in certain markets. The hip hop genre frequently uses name recognition within the song itself by shouting out the name of the artist. This tactic cheapens the integrity of the song. Remember that the music comes first. The economic value of a performer is measured by music sales and concert sales. The common denominator for this equation is name recognition.
- Image is public perception. As an artist, what image do you want to portray? Would you consider your image to be a role model for impressionable adolescents? If you were to achieve national fame, how might your image impact your personal life? Your reputation may overshadow all of your hard work in the long-term.
- As an artist, ask yourself “Why am I doing this?” Question your motives. A performer has the purpose in society as an entertainer. This is a service industry. The true artist will perform merely for the joy of performing to make others happy.
"There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with
the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what
we do, how we look, what we say and how we say it." - Dale Carnegie