Music Promotion Radio Promotion & Airplay 3

Question 1

What is 'indie promotion' in the radio industry?

Accepted Answer

Hiring independent radio promoters outside of label staff to pitch songs to stations

Answer

Promoting independent artists exclusively through college radio stations

Answer

Securing airplay only through non-commercial public radio

Answer

A campaign that avoids all commercial radio in favor of digital platforms

Question 2

What is 'payola' and why is it illegal in US radio promotion?

Accepted Answer

The practice of paying radio stations or DJs for airplay without public disclosure, violating FCC rules

Answer

A legal label incentive program rewarding stations for adding new songs

Answer

A standard royalty structure paid to on-air personalities for song endorsements

Answer

A promotional tour in which artists visit radio stations to perform live sessions

Question 3

What is the key difference between 'adds' and 'spins' as radio promotion metrics?

Accepted Answer

Adds are the number of new stations playing a song; spins are total plays across all stations

Answer

Adds refer to daytime plays only; spins count all plays including overnight

Answer

Adds count album track plays; spins count only official single plays

Answer

Adds measure streaming activity; spins measure traditional FM broadcast plays

Question 4

What is a 'radio edit' of a song?

Accepted Answer

A shorter, radio-friendly version with edited length and censored content suitable for broadcast

Answer

A version rearranged for acoustic or stripped-down radio performance

Answer

A version of the song with embedded radio station ID announcements

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A live recording captured during a station performance or interview session

Question 5

What is SoundExchange and its relevance to radio promotion?

Accepted Answer

A nonprofit PRO that collects and distributes digital performance royalties for recordings played on digital radio

Answer

A record label distribution platform connecting independent artists to stations

Answer

A platform where artists submit music directly to streaming radio playlists

Answer

A service that brokers promotional material exchanges between competing labels

Question 6

What does 'format radio' mean in the context of music promotion strategy?

Accepted Answer

Radio stations that program music within a defined genre or audience demographic category

Answer

Radio stations that structure broadcasts in a fixed sequence of one song per commercial

Answer

Radio stations that require music submissions in specific approved digital file formats

Answer

A type of promotional licensing agreement formatted for radio broadcast use

Question 7

What is 'call-out research' in radio promotion?

Accepted Answer

Surveying listeners via phone calls to gauge song familiarity and preference for playlist decisions

Answer

Calling radio stations directly to promote a song on behalf of an artist or label

Answer

A system that allows artists to request their own songs be played on radio

Answer

A strategy of calling out competing stations in on-air promotional content