Biography

Welcome to Airplay Specialists Radio Promotion!
Our offices are located in the heart of Nashville's Music Row. We've been successfully promoting singles to country radio since 2002. Our clients include both indie label and major label artists. If your song is professionally recorded and 'country radio friendly' we welcome the chance to work with you.

Which Stations does Airplay Specialists call?
Airplay Specialists call 400 stations including the 110 stations that report to the Music Row Chart, plus 250 Secondary non-reporting stations ranging in size from 1,000 to 100,000 watts (with retail impact). We also call an additional 40 stations that include New Music Weekly stations, Texas Chart stations (the ones that play artists from all regions), Americana stations (the ones that include country music in their mix) and we are adding online/Internet stations to our list as we expand.


SECONDARY NON-REPORTING COUNTRY STATIONS:
Secondary stations don't report to the charts but they are extremely important with regard to breaking new artists, selling music, and touring opportunities. Major market stations play mostly major label artists and in recent years have become less likely to play new acts, especially new indie acts. Therefore, small markets are more essential than ever for career development...they can also account for a large percentage of music sales. 55% of all country listeners live in small market regions of the country. 86% of Country music is sold because of the country radio station in the local (Secondary) market. Bottom line: Secondary radio sells CDs and downloads!

My single is on CDX and all those stations have my song, so they're automatically playing it, right?
This is not usually the case. If you have a track on the CDX compilation disc, it's usually one of ten or more. Radio stations give priority to the artists and labels they're familiar. Indie artists do receive airplay on these stations but it's not "automatic." When stations are deciding which new artists to add to their playlists, the artist with the advantage is the one with a professional radio promoter calling the music directors (MDs) and program directors (PDs) on their behalf, encouraging those stations to give that artist priority, attention, consideration, and airplay.

Why do I need a radio promoter and what do they do?
MDs and PDs are inundated weekly with dozens of new singles from artists competing for airtime and spins. Thaty's why they rely on the recommendation of professional radio promoters to help them select the best tracks. Stations also appreciate the fact that if an artist is serious enough about his/her career to hire a professional promoter to represent them, then that artist deserves a serious listen. In radio, the squeaky wheel DOES get the grease. Our job at Airplay Specialists is to "squeak" for you and your single and to consistently bring it to the attention of programmers week after week. Our first objective is to get them to LISTEN. Our second objective is to get them to test it with their listeners and then to continue to get you more and more spins each week.

Additional services provided by Airplay Specialists:

1) We send a press release/e-flyer on behalf of each artist we represent to announce the release of their single. Our e-flyer is custom made for each artist and includes their photo (or CD cover) as well as a brief description of the artist and their single along with links to their website, AirPlay Direct site, and MySpace site. Our email database includes over 2,000 radio stations and music media contacts.

2) We work proudly in association with AirPlay Direct to deliver broadcast quality MP3s of our clients' music, not only to our Airplay Specialists database, but GLOBALLY to radio stations around the world that are AirPlay Direct members. The Airplay Specialists Digital Sampler on www.airplaydirect.com/airplayspecialistsradiopromtion features the music of all of our current clients.

3) We can book your radio tour for an additional fee (call or email us to discuss this option): 1-877-999-9975 or email: info@airplayspecialists.com

What are the benefits of national and global airplay at radio?
As stated above, even if you're track is on CDX, what good does it do if no one knows who you are, where you're from, where listeners can purchase your music and, most importantly, WHICH STATIONS ARE PLAYING YOUR SINGLE...? Airplay Specialists provide a weekly Music Row station report and a bi-monthly Secondary progressive radio tracking report (on the 15th and the 30th of each month). Our detailed report includes:
1) Call letters, city, and state, of each station
2) Which stations are playing your track
3) How many spins/rotation level is your song receiving
4) Wattage (how many watts) each station has
5) General marketing region of each station
6) Retail stores in the area of each station
7) Live performance venues in the area of each station
The above information is helpful to the artist who is booking tour dates and it can also determine priority placement of your CD in the marketplace, resulting in increased retail sales and better SoundScan reports in those regions.

How does Airplay Specialists acquire the reports?
We are on the phones Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every week of the year (except the week between Christmas and New Year's Day). We have cultivated our relationship with the stations we call since 2002, that's why we're able to acquire the necessary information regarding the status of your single. We provide them with news regarding your career, tour dates, TV appearances, etc. We also encourage them to schedule phone interviews and/or live in-studio interviews with you, as well as special promotion product give-aways featuring your CDs, T-shirts, concession items, etc.


How does it work and how much does it cost?
We are competitively priced at $4,000.00 for a 16-week promotion campaign ($1,000.00 per month). This fee includes all 400 stations we call including, the Music Row reporting stations, Secondary non-reporting country stations, Americana stations, New Music Weekly stations, and Texas stations. If at the end of the 16-week campaign, the client and Airplay Specialists agree to continue to promote the single for an additional 4 to 6 weeks (or life of the single) then an additional (and final) payment of $1,000.00 will be due at the time.

Summary of Airplay Specialists pricing:
All 400 stations = $4,000.00 for a 4-month promotion campaign.
290 Secondary stations (all except Music Row stations) = $3,500.00 for a 4-month promotion campaign.
110 Music Row reporting stations only = $4,000.00 or a 4-month promotion campaign.

We provide our clients the convenience of paying monthly, in advance, if preferred. We accept payment via all major credit cards (except American Express) or via check, money order, cashiers check, and cash. For additional information please call our toll-free number in Nashville: 1-877-999-9975 or local (615) 321-0033. Email: info@airplayspecialists.com