Creating great playlists for your radio events requires careful consideration and a specific attention to detail. Engaging playlists need to be both diverse and cohesive, which is a difficult combination to strike a balance with. So, check out our 10 tips for crafting perfect radio playlists below!
- Station Playlist Radio
- Radio Station Playlist History
- How To Edit Radio Station Playlist Online
- How To Edit Radio Station Playlist Youtube
Choosing the right music for your radio station can be difficult. But, putting that music into great playlists can be even more difficult. You have to consider the branding of your station, how different songs flow and work together, playlist length, playlist theme, among several other factors.
1. Always be on the look out for new music.
Taking the time to look for new music and always keeping your eyes and ears out is important for creating extraordinary playlists. While you may have tons of music in your library, there is even more music out there to be discovered. And, that music is key for keeping your station fresh and interesting. So, regularly set some time aside to specifically look for music and take notice of music around you at all times. You never know when or where you'll find a new song or artist you end up loving!
Also, keep in mind that new music does not need to be 'new' as in recently released, it can simply be new to you!
Discover hundreds of music stations around the country and stream free online. Everything from classic hits, today’s pop, alternative rock, country & more. I can pick a song, start a Genius playlist, and listen to similar music from my own collection. Kirk McElhearn/IDG. Create an Apple Music Radio station from your library, or from any Apple Music page. Bulk Add / Edit / Delete Content (Stations, Playlists, Thumbs) Travix. It would also help with deleting songs from a radio station for those with premium accounts.
2. Variety is key.
Variety in your playlist is vital to creating a captivating playlist. Of course, cohesion is a priority, but you can have a diverse playlist that also flows nicely. Incorporate a variety of artists, genres, speeds, intensities, instruments, beats, etc. into your playlist.
3. Have a theme and purpose.
Having a theme and purpose can be an awesome starting point for creating distinct, yet cohesive playlists. Specifically, having themes and purposes for your playlists can be a great way to direct your song selection. You can choose to stick with a single theme or purpose, multiple themes or purposes, or even combine them.
4. Aim for 30-50 songs.
While you can schedule a single event up to 24 hours on the Live365 platform, the optimal length of a playlist is about 30-50 songs. Generally speaking, with this length, you can create an engaging playlist that hits your theme and purpose, all the artists you want to include, and all the best songs around your theme and purpose. If your playlist includes too many songs, your theme and purpose will likely be lost and it will be more of a big list of songs than a playlist. On the other hand, if your playlist is too short, your theme and purpose won't be conveyed.
5. Include one song per artist.
Due to the DMCA, you cannot play more than four different songs by the same artist, with no more than three of those songs consecutively, within a 3 hour period. However, aside from this, it is also in your best interest to only include 1-2 songs per artist in your playlist. You want your playlist to have variety, and playing the same artist more than once or twice will take away from that crucial quality of your playlist.
6. Keep it updated.
Making a playlist a recurring event on your station can be an effective tactic for scheduling, but that means that you need to keep it updated. You always want your playlist to be relevant and fresh for your listeners. That's not to say that you need to switch the majority of your songs every week though. Just adding a few songs, taking some out, and rearranging them each week or so can keep your playlist consistently updated.
7. Select music that you love.
Putting music that you love into a playlist automatically makes it more likely that your playlist will be engaging. Since music you love is what you are the most familiar with, you have a better chance at making a cohesive playlist with music you genuinely love.
8. Take your brand into consideration.
Your awareness of your branding and whether the songs that you want to add to your playlist fit in with your station's brand can truly make or break your playlist. There are many genre-bending songs out there and some genres are more connected than others, which makes it possible to include a variety of genres in one playlist. However, it is still important to consider your brand and use your discretion when selecting songs. It only takes one song that's too far off from your station's brand to take an awesome playlist to a mishmash of songs.
9. Think about structure.
The music itself is important, but so is structure. You don't want to play too many songs by the same artist or play too many songs that sound similar. You also don't want to play too many new songs or too many songs that you play often. Additionally, after you select your songs, you then need to arrange them appropriately for diversity and cohesion. Making a playlist is all about balance.
10. Be creative.
Getting creative with your playlists will always help with engagement. Whether you select a creative playlist theme or you go searching for some new songs and artists for your playlist, it will pay off to think outside of the box a bit when making your playlists!
Tip: Promoting your playlist using a schedule is a great way to develop an audience and communicate with them. While you cannot disclose the titles of specific songs, the names of albums, or the names of artists to be played due to the DMCA, you can title your playlist appropriately and give it a quick description to let your listeners know what to expect.
Note: When making playlists, remember that your playlists must be DMCA compliant. The Live365 platform checks your playlists for DMCA compliance, but it is always a good idea to be mindful of the rules when creating your playlist so that you can get right to the point of making a playlist that is awesome, without worrying that your playlist is not DMCA compliant. For more information on DMCA compliance, check out our help desk article here.
There's no disputing how difficult it can be to make engaging playlists for your radio station. Branding of your station, song choice, playlist length, playlist theme, and more are all considerations that make it tough. However, with these tips in mind, you should be on your way to making perfect radio playlists in no time!
Check out our article entitled How to Make Great Playlists for Your Radio Station to learn more about playlist theme and purpose, structure, and song choice. For 11 playlist theme ideas for your radio station, see our article here.
See how many stations have joined the Radio Revolution at https://live365.com/listen. Keep up with the latest news by following us on Facebook (Live365 Official and Live365 Broadcasting) and Twitter (@Live365 and @Broadcaster365)!
Article Image: rawpixel.com via Pexels.
We may be living in an age of instant access to music, where playlisting is key, but despite the rise of streaming and songs on demand, getting your music played on the radio is one of the most effective ways to reach the masses.
Station Playlist Radio
Getting your tracks played on the radio can make a big impact on your career, so it’s important to approach radio stations in the right way, to give yourself the best chance of making it onto the airwaves. Airplay is tricky to secure, so be patient, make sure your tracks are water-tight and don’t be too discouraged if you don’t the results you want immediately.
Radio Station Playlist History
How to get your song on the radio
Know who to approach
When it comes to approaching radio stations, you need to know who to contact.
If you’re targeting larger radio stations, you should find the contact details of whoever decides which tracks get played. This could be a specific DJ, or the station’s producer, program director or music director. If you’re approaching a smaller radio station, it’s likely they won’t have many staff on-board, so a generic contact (at) radiostation (dot) com should do the trick.
Look on the station’s website or social media to get the contact details you need, or alternatively just give them a call and ask for the producer’s info (they may or may not give it to you - but it's worth a try!).
Some stations will only accept submissions from certain sources or in a specific formats, so do some research to make sure you're doing things the right way before sending anything.
For example, BBC Introducing requires you to make an artist profile before you upload your tracks to their system. You can get started submitting music to BBC Introducing via the Introducing Uploader.
Know how to submit your music
Have you found the contact details of the decision-makers at the stations you’re targeting, but there’s no clear information on how you can submit tracks?
Sending an electronic press kit, press release or one-sheet including links to 1-3 of your best tracks is the most common way to approach radio stations, as well as press publications and blogs. The key is to make your email or press pack stand out and grab their attention. Make sure your tracks are clearly named and don’t send mp3 files. Instead include links to your songs.
Some people prefer to send or receive physical copies of their music to radio stations, but this is becoming less and less prevalent. Generally, DJs and stations receive the majority of their submissions and demos in digital format.
Target the right stations
Don’t expect to get your track played on a huge national station right away. Radio airplay is incredibly competitive, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of other artists out there in the same position as you.
But it's ok to start small. There are plenty of independent, student and internet radio stations accepting submissions from up and coming bands and artists. These smaller stations won’t be as inundated with submissions either, so you’ll stand a much better chance of getting played early in your career.
Contacting genre-specific stations is also an effective way to get airplay. If you’re an emerging rapper, send your track to a hip-hop broadcaster, or if you play thrash metal, make sure you’re contacting a station that regularly plays your style of music.
Create a buzz
Ultimately, the most effective (but also most difficult) way to get radio airplay is to create hype around your music organically, develop a loyal fan base, and force the radio stations to take notice.
There’s no guaranteed formula for success when it comes to generating a buzz around your band. Just get out there, play live as often as possible, connect with your fans and the music biz, release music on iTunes, Spotify and other stores, and most importantly, make great music!
How To Edit Radio Station Playlist Online
Get out there and make a name for yourself!
Hire a radio plugger
If you make great music, but you’re struggling to get the radio airplay you deserve, it could be time to hire a radio plugger.
Radio pluggers act as a mediator between you and the radio stations and usually have a long list of contacts they acquired over many years in the industry. These industry professionals will have an existing relationship with radio tastemakers, giving them more influence and sway when it comes to radio stations, DJs and decision makers.
If a radio promotor is what you need to get your tracks on the air, you can enquire about a radio plugging campaign for your music.
How To Edit Radio Station Playlist Youtube
Getting your songs played on the radio isn’t easy. Make sure you’re targeting stations that are suitable for your music and the stage you are at in your music career.
It’s important to be realistic, persistent and most of all, make music that will grab the attention of influencers and radio stations. Good luck!
Have you had your music played on the radio? Got any tips on securing airplay? Let us know in the comments below and share this info with your friends.