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#704564 - 03/11/10 07:19 PM
How to break a song in the UK?
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thoushaltnot
Silver Member
Registered: 04/09/03
Posts: 433
Loc: Pittsburgh, USA
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Given that broadcast in the UK is on the BBC, if one is looking to break a song on radio there, does one go through an independent promoter? Does one just bribe the DJ? Do Brits still listen to radio?
I ask because there is a song I'm looking into giving a very hard UK push, due to its content. Does anyone know how to do this? Suppose I'm willing to spend money.
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#704593 - 03/11/10 08:59 PM
Re: How to break a song in the UK?
[Re: thoushaltnot]
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Adrian
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Registered: 05/19/02
Posts: 531
Loc: Pacific Northwest (N.A.)
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From the songs I've tracked that make good UK chart runs, bribing the show producer may be as much your ticket as the DJ - though the latter, in specific instances, may still have opportunity to get you plenty of plays. But, as in any business, there are your intermediaries, pluggers and the like, better suited to such specialized activities.
Payola in the UK has been more discreetly practiced, or, at least, exposed far less in the press than it has been in America.
You certainly don't find people chatting about it openly on these boards - fascinating, though, the discussion would be...
_________________________
"Why music?" "Why breathing?"
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#704603 - 03/11/10 09:38 PM
Re: How to break a song in the UK?
[Re: Adrian]
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QueenSheDevilCow
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Registered: 12/16/06
Posts: 1999
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Do you have a manager? Have you toured in the UK? Having a cool persona and a kick ass live show seems to go a long way there. Plus, you can tour the entire country in a week.
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#704621 - 03/11/10 11:19 PM
Re: How to break a song in the UK?
[Re: QueenSheDevilCow]
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NARAS1
Silver Member
Registered: 03/17/06
Posts: 375
Loc: London
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If your thinking of doing something serious as stated.....do you think your going to find the real answer to that on this message board?
Call someone in the London that is in the business of doing that.
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#704629 - 03/11/10 11:38 PM
Re: How to break a song in the UK?
[Re: NARAS1]
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nycbiscuit
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Registered: 09/24/02
Posts: 5304
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Um... not all radio in the UK is controlled by the BBC.
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#704799 - 03/12/10 07:54 PM
Re: How to break a song in the UK?
[Re: nycbiscuit]
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Anne Leighton
Diamond Member
Registered: 01/29/00
Posts: 5463
Loc: Bronx, NY
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Couple of things. I'm told it's 8000 a month to hire a record promoter for high end promotions, that you should include a dance mix of the plug song and hire someone to work it in the dance clubs, as well.
You can do your own promo, getting a list of radio stations for every town just by googling all the towns and radio stations, and then contacting them. keep going back to them each week. You can do the same thing in the States, too.
Also, do a heavy campaign with print outlets related to your music. Work web sites like NME (the site is still there), print papers. Emphasize that you're part of the Seattle scene. When I work the UK, I stress that my artist is from New York City (where he lives, the background info will include his roots in Kenya, etc., but the Brits love Americans.) I also only work the markets my artist is playing because I have a lot on my plate. We've also developed networks in the UK with friends (new and old), who actively come out to shows.
And what nybiscuit said, not all radio in the UK is controlled by the BBC. In fact, many of the personalities on the BBC program their own shows. I've gotten my artist plenty of airplay on a variety of BBCs and independent stations throughout the UK.
I think it would take a month to six weeks to tour the entire UK (Scotland, Wales included) if you cover as many towns as possible and spend extra days in markets like London, Liverpool, Leeds, Cambridge.... But note that a lot of the markets, people don't have money to spend, so keep your merch (including CDs) affordable.
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#704850 - 03/12/10 11:08 PM
Re: How to break a song in the UK?
[Re: Anne Leighton]
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nycbiscuit
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Registered: 09/24/02
Posts: 5304
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You'd be surprised at how far free copies of CDs to give away on air at smaller stations still goes these days, both here and across the pond.
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#704926 - 03/13/10 06:05 PM
Re: How to break a song in the UK?
[Re: nycbiscuit]
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mrmustard
Silver Member
Registered: 12/05/00
Posts: 291
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You could hire a UK plugger but I think it would be a waste of money unless you're giving the plugger something concrete to work with. Is the band heading over the to the UK for dates? Is there any press to speak of? Maybe a US success story that the
plugger can talk up? What is the plan for the single in the UK? Are you releasing it commercially?
There are BBC specialist shows that you might have some luck with (i.e. getting a few plays) and you could send your track to local and regional radio. But actually "breaking" a song at UK radio needs to be part of a larger plan.
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