DJ Pet Peeves

Here are some recommendations from a radio DJ to recording artists:

Don't have music play automatically when someone navigates to your webpage. Yes, that includes MySpace. Some DJs play music directly from a computer to the airwaves. Thus, if we want to check out your website while a song is playing (usually to find out where you're from), your music comes in over top of the song we're playing, and everybody loses. Especially you, because now the DJ is mad at you.

When you send a cd to a radio station for airplay, make sure the cd package itself clearly indicates where you're from. Even though we're now supposedly in the "global village" that the multi-national media conglomerates have taken over and made "borderless" (that is, American), people like to know where the artist they're hearing comes from. Also, the CRTC insists that radio stations play 35% Canadian content. So if you're from Canada, and your cd clearly says where you're from, you're more likely to be played.

On your cd cover/jacket, don't make the text so artsie that it's illegible. That will make you less likely to be played and more likely to sound like you're a pretentious "indie" art-band who's more concerned with being creative than with making any sense to people hearing or reading you.

On your promo cd, indicate which tracks have "explicit language" on them. (I call that "swear words".) Again, a DJ will dislike you if he or she plays your cd and you swear on air.

Clearly indicate on your cd which is the artist name and which is the album name, on the spine and the cover. In these free-for-all 21st century days, it could very frequently go either way.

Thanks for helping DJs by helping yourself.