The "IdOMusic" Blog (Powered By PatchWerk): Talking To The Radio

There are thousands of radio stations in operation in the United States, programming in dozens of different formats. What exactly is your format? Maybe you don't like to categorize your music. "Its Feel Good Music!" That is fine and but don't look for radio play. What governs the choice of format? If you don't have the answer to this, you need to put your glasses on and understand what makes the radio maneuver. This in turn will tell you why creating a song today without fitting a format will garner you no airplay on national commercial radio.

Radio stations chase market share. That is a significant portion of the targeted audience. The larger the market share, the more money the station can charge for advertising. Arbitron, a firm that collects data using controlled samples of listeners, determines the portion of listeners who have their radios turned on at a given time. An Arbitron rating is the radio equivalent of Nielsen ratings.

Check out the following music formats that have proven to be the most commercially viable:

Commercial Hit Radio(also known as Contemporary Hit Radio and Top 40)
Rock
Classic Rock
Alternative Rock(also called Modern Rock and New Rock)
Adult Contemporary:
Adult Top 40
Adult Album Alternative
Soft AC and Easy Listening
Smooth Jazz
Country
Urban
Urban Adult Contemporary
Classical
Oldies
Pre Teen
Jazz
Nostalgia
Religious
International
Latin
Variety

Radio stations change formats quite frequently. Depending on changing market trends, the amount of competition from other stations, and the preferences of new owners. The names of formats change over time as well. Urban at one time was classified as Rhythm and Blues. Keep up to date by checking on Billboard, Radio and Records and other informal sites.

Remember the station formats and demographics will be your guide in choosing target stations for your music.

Don't forget to come out and experience "I do Music" for yourself on the 1ST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH!