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How to Find and Submit to Radio Stations That Play Your Music

Why Radio Promotion Is Underestimated

For years, I've been saying that radio promotion is one of the most underestimated ways to help musicians who play more niche music gain exposure. The reason I say this is that I talk to and consult with literally thousands of musicians. One of the most interesting things I hear from them is that they got their break, or it helped them level up, when they got played on a radio station or internet radio show, since many of these are influential and carry dedicated audiences.

There are also downstream effects like Shazams, which can get you on Apple Music playlists and often bring much more notoriety, since Shazaming what's on the radio is extremely common.

The Challenge: Finding the Right Stations

You're probably thinking, "How can I get on there? There are like 10 million radio shows and stations. How am I going to find the one that's going to play my crust punk future bass?"

By the end of this guide, I'll show you how to easily look up radio stations that play artists most similar to you, and you'll know how to submit to them.

Traditional vs. DIY Approach

When people talk about radio promotion, they often mention hiring a radio promotion company. It's true—those companies have lists and connections and can easily get you on the radio, but they're often more expensive than many artists' budgets allow.

Many of you would love to be able to search for artists most similar to you and find the DJs who play them. Well, the same people who brought you Playlist Supply (which allows you to look up what playlists similar artists are on) and BookingAgent.io (which allows you to look up venues where similar artists have played) now have RadioPromo.io, which allows you to look up the DJs and stations that play artists similar to you.

How to Use RadioPromo.io 

Step 1: Identify Similar Artists

The platform walks you through the process. You're going to identify artists that are similar to your style and genre. They advise making a list of 20+ similar artists to expand your radio pitching opportunities.

Important sizing guidance:

• If you're an artist with under 100,000 monthly listeners, look at artists in the 100,000 to 500,000 range

• If you're an artist with 100,000 to 500,000 listeners, look at the 500,000 to 1 million monthly listener range

This will help you find ideal candidates who will work best for you. The key is to focus on artists whose fans are most likely to enjoy what you do—it's not about whether you personally like them, but whether their fans would likely enjoy your music.

Step 2: Search and Explore Results

Some genres will be easier than others. Indie rock tends to be the most widely played on the radio, but if you're doing hyperpop, it might be more difficult. Jam band music tends to be easier. Every genre will be a little different, so you'll need to be patient.

You can search by artist name and genre, and the platform provides a map showing where opportunities exist.

Real Examples from the Platform

Example 1: Indie Rock (This is Lorelei)

When searching for Lorelei (a great indie band that hasn't really broken through yet), the results showed clusters of opportunities, including a big concentration in Australia and various stations across the US. Indie tends to be the easiest genre for this sort of thing.

For instance, KCBX FM 90.1 appeared as a broadcasting company that provides NPR news. Remember, many smaller NPR stations serve local communities. Just because NPR has been defunded doesn't mean local radio stations don't have their own programming.

You'll see contact information for various staff positions:

• Hosts are great to send to

• News reporters - not so much

• Producers can be good

• Program managers or directors of programming content - these are ideal if you're just going to submit broadly and hope something sticks

Example 2: Experimental Hip-Hop (Nettspend)

When searching for Nettspend (a young artist who makes very weird experimental hip-hop), results showed opportunities in places like Montreal. You'd see contacts like music directors and general managers—the music director would typically be your best choice.

Example 3: Electronic/Hyperpop (The Hellp)

For The Hellp (probably the buzziest hyperpop group getting airplay currently), many results appeared in Europe. Sometimes you might need translation help, but terms like "Muziekredacteur" (music editor in Dutch) are fairly universal concepts.

What to Do When Results Are Limited

Sometimes this site serves as a great starting point for clues. If you find some leads but need more information, you can take those clues and do additional research using search engines. We've never had a tool like this before—for years, we had to go through terrible databases and Wikipedia pages. This tool will save you enormous amounts of time if you want to pursue radio airplay.

*To get the best deal from RadioPromo.io, use the link they made for my readers by going to https://radiopromo.io/musformation

How to Submit Your Music

Enjoying this? Forward it to a music friend you’d like to be closer to and start a discussion!

Email Submissions

If all you have is an email address, a 200-word or less pitch is perfect. Make sure you:

• Send them a link to stream or download the track

• Ensure those links are active and working

• Check for expired links before sending

Physical Submissions

You can always send vinyl or CDs, but you should also include a link to stream the music in case they don't want to go through the trouble of playing physical media.

When submitting physical materials:

• Address it to the specific DJ

• Include the same pitch you would have sent in an email on a piece of paper

• Consider sending something interesting or creative—unique packages often get extra attention and create buzz among influential people who talk about music with other influential people

At WFMU (one of the most esteemed radio stations in America and one of the last freeform radio stations), the most interesting things artists sent would often end up on display and get them extra attention for a while.

Final Tips

• Always double-check that your streaming/download links work

• Keep your pitch concise and relevant

• Research the specific station and DJ when possible

• Be patient—different genres have different levels of radio support

• Use this tool as a starting point, but don't be afraid to do additional research for better results

Radio promotion might seem daunting, but with the right tools and approach, it can be an incredibly effective way to reach new audiences and advance your music career.