SB1 - PANEL TALK How to get your music out there?

How to get your music out there?
The Lending Rooms
01.02.19

This talk was really interesting. It wasn't completely related to the part of the industry that I was interested in however it was interested hearing about the different areas. It also was important applying what was being said from a different direction and hearing what people from the bands want to do and what the other positions look for.
Seems like a really difficult industry to become part of as EVERYTHING IS OFF PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS.

Pannel:
Shell Zenner (BBC introducing Produced for Leeds, Amazing Radio, Excess Manchester, Reviewer and choses singles to play)
Sarah Statham (DIY multi instrument performer, Bong the twist Label)
Nathan Clark (Brudenell Promoter)
Alan Raw (BBC Introducing Promoter, Drummer)

Where should you send your music?
Upload to multiple different stations eg Amazing Radio
Would my sound fit this station
BBC Introducing uploader
Local stations
Stations can send on to other places even if they don't play
DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND TARGET THE RIGHT PLACES

How do you find the right scene?
Who sounds like all the different aspects of your music?
Being in a band is a lot less lonely
Get in touch with people in other bands that sound like you
Do you and let others decide
Don't pigeon hole yourself into one genre of music
At gigs ask who the promoters are and talk to them in person
Labels being in different categories is very old music industry. EVERYTHING IS RELATIONSHIP BASED

How do you become successful?
Figure out where you want to go and how you can achieve that - Plan your route
Do it yourself Sarah created her own DIY label at Chunk 
Looking at posters, contacting on social media, leaving promo, speaking to everyone on the way
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE A HUGE ELEMENT community endorsement is the strongest

What are stations looking for?
Common themes - melody, structure, dynamics, lyrics, movement, progression, spatiality
Play the best of that week
A window of whats going on
There is a lot of music with a lot of quality
Videos are pretty useless for stations
Firewalls block downloads
LINKS ARE A YES 
Put all profiles together
Just want to hear the tune

Pay to play?
Bad model
Target right areas

Labels and Agents?
They chose the bands they want to push next, through other bands that they endorse
Speak to people on merch stands to network and do a merch swap and keep in contact
Agents put bands forward on rosters
Character, Identity and Recording = ultimate package

Plugger and PR agents?
Radio stations get 22000 unread mail a day
Are they worth paying for? Are you at the stage where they are important? 
Could contact local stations and bloggers (WHO ARE LOCAL MUSIC BLOGGERS)
Good when you are ready to get to national level
PR are good when you have jobs and a finite amount of money so can afford
Peoples suggestions and recommendations are the most powerful