Did you know you can ask radio stations to play your music? This guide shows you how to submit your music to radio stations for consideration for airplay.

Before you start approaching stations, get prepared - you’ll need:

• The most important part of ‘getting played’ is having something to play - you’ll need a high quality, mixed and mastered recording of your music for airplay.
• A link so Music Directors, Producers or Presenters can easily stream and listen to your track. A Spotify, Apple Music or Bandcamp link is fine if the track is already released. If you are sending it pre-release, a private Soundcloud link is a good option.
• A link to download a high quality wav file. You can use G Drive, WeTransfer or Dropbox for example. Do not attach the wav file directly to your email to stations.
• To register with APRA AMCOS and PPCA, so if you get played, you get paid. 

Before you reach out to radio, you’ll need to do some research to work out:

• What stations would you like to get played on?
• What shows fit your music best from that station?
• Who are the presenters for the shows you want to get played on? What are their contact details?
• How do the stations or shows accept submissions?

It’s important to make sure that you are pitching your music to the right stations in the right way for the best chance at airplay. Consider what stations you would like to play your music and which programs may be best suited. Koori Radio, triple j, triple j Unearthed and community radio offer airplay opportunities for emerging Australian artists, and some information on submitting to each is shared below. 

First Nations radio services

There are radio stations dedicated to supporting and reflecting First Nations communities across the country, such as Koori Radio. First Nations Media Australia provides a list on their website. Look at the station websites for information on how to contact them. 

triple j & Unearthed

According to triple j, uploading your music to Unearthed is the best way to be heard, rated and then possibly given airplay across any of its networks. You are also able to make submissions via a form on their website (see the page for more information on what to include in your submission).

Community radio

Community radio stations vary from station to station in terms of how they select what music to play (some stations have Music Directors, for others each presenter decides what they’d like to play, and some are a combination of the two). Community radio also has a wide array of music programming, and it is important to research specialty programs for your genre, as well as targeting your local station.

Stations often have info on how to submit music on their websites. It is important that you follow the guidelines that they provide for the best chance of airplay.

For example:

• Koori Radio
• FBi Radio
• 2ser

Amrap - the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project makes it easy to share your music with community radio program makers across the country free of charge.

When contacting radio stations and presenters, you should share a write up outlining why it would be attractive for a station to play your song. This should draw from your artist bio and EPK to tell them about you as an artist and highlight your latest updates. You can use this template email.

For example, are you:

• Pitching a new release?
• Going on a tour?
• Playing a show local to the station’s area?
• Up for an award?

You can download this guide below.