20 Tips For Getting Your Music Played On BBC Introducing

BBC Introducing is a platform that supports new and emerging music talent by playing their music on regional and national radio, organising events and enabling artists to make contact with DJs and music programmers within the BBC. It has kick started a successful career for many artists, such as Jake Bugg and Blossoms. Getting your songs played on the radio can be a great first step towards finding a larger audience for your music.

This post talks about how to prepare your tracks, how to upload them, what you need for your profile, and how the submission process works.

1 - Sign Up For a BBC Account

Submitting tracks to BBC Introducing for consideration involves using the BBC Introducing Uploader. You will need to register for a BBC account to use the uploader.

2 - UK Only

BBC Introducing is for UK residents only.

3 - Under 16s

If you are under the age of 16 you cannot use the Uploader directly. A guardian, family member, teacher or carer must create an account and submit tracks on your behalf.

4 - Upload Your Bio

Make sure your bio is concise and covers your musical journey, style of music, releases, influences and any significant gigs or festivals you have played. Add links to your website, YouTube channel and social media accounts.

5 - Add a Photo

The standard image size used on BBC websites is 1920x1080px, so your photo should be at least this size. Landscape orientation is preferred, with the focus in the middle of the image. Imagine the photo cropped to a square and make sure it would still work.

6 - Artist Type and Genre

Select the correct artist type and genre on your BBC Introducing profile page. This ensures that your music will go to the right person and show.

7 - Postcode

BBC Introducing gives tracks to DJs and producers depending on your local region, so make sure you use your personal location with a valid postcode. If your band has members from different regions, decide on one where you are most active and have the best following.

8 - Choose Your Tracks Wisely

Choose only your top songs. Original material only, although remixes are allowed if you select "DJ/Producer" as artist type in your BBC Introducing profile. You can upload 2 tracks every 30 days, so only select your best stuff.

9 - High Quality Files

Your music might end up being broadcast on the radio, so make sure you use high quality, well recorded files. The BBC Introducing Uploader can accept WAV and MP3 files up to 100MB in size, ideally 320kbps at Constant Bit Rate (CBR).

10 - The 4 Minute Rule

Make sure the tracks you are going to submit are well under four minutes long. If that is a problem, then consider creating a radio edit of your tracks, with a condensed intro or outro, or a shortened verse or chorus. Anything longer than four minutes will have a hard time getting considered for being broadcast.

11 - No Swearing

The BBC aren't going to play any of your tracks that have swear words. If necessary, record a special version with the words replaced by something more radio friendly.

12 - Update Your Profile

If anything significant has happened, like a spot on a great festival, then make sure you login and update your profile on BBC Introducing.

13 - Fresh and New

Remember, BBC Introducing are looking for new, upcoming acts, so anything from a more established artist is likely to be ignored.

14 - The Process

Once you have uploaded your tracks they will be assigned to someone from your local radio station. There are many regional, home nation and national shows that play tracks from BBC Introducing. You will get a notification on your BBC Introducing profile when someone has listened to your music and can see the activity on each track.

15 - Be Patient

BBC Introducing receive thousands of tracks each month, so it may take a while for your submission to be listened to. These are busy people. It would be counter productive to keep emailing your local radio station if your music isn't immediately picked up.

16 - Don't Re-upload

Don't re-upload the same track multiple times as the BBC system will identify it as a duplicate rather than a new submission.

17 - Don't be Disheartened

You may have been unlucky and your music didn't reach the right eyes at the right time, or your genre of music just might not fit in the shows that play BBC Introducing tracks. I’ve had whole albums ignored and other tracks played within days.

18 - Keep Trying

If you first few tracks don't get played then step back and consider whether the music you are uploading is ready for the radio. If you're confident, have another go and upload some more new tracks.

19 - Broadcast

If you're lucky enough to have your track selected for broadcast you will be notified on the BBC Introducing dashboard. You may receive an email from the producer or presenter of the BBC show selected as well.

Well done! Your music has reached thousands of new listeners who hadn't heard it before, and it has caught the attention of people at the BBC who can significantly enhance your career.

20 - Promote

Now your tack is on the radio, let your fans know. Post links to the show on BBC Sounds and the BBC website, build a buzz around the broadcast, record a video of you listening to your track on the show, and, if possible, set up an interview with the host of the show.

Conclusion

Having your music played on the BBC is a great achievement. It can open the door to more plays on other regional and even national radio shows. It can even get you on the BBC Introducing stage at major events and festivals, or a filmed recording session at one of the BBC's studios. Planning your submission, selecting the right tracks, and following the process are well worth the effort.