How to get local radio and press coverage for your music

2026-10-12 · 10 min de lectura

To get local radio and press coverage, finish one radio-ready track, build a one-page EPK, and write a short press release with a local angle. Upload to BBC Introducing if you are in the UK, pitch college, community and NPR member stations' music directors in the US, and send everything two to four weeks before release.

The fastest route to local radio and press for an independent artist is not a mass email blast. It is one finished track, a tidy electronic press kit (EPK), a short press release with a real local angle, and a pitch sent to the right person a few weeks before release. Local outlets want stories about their own area, so the story matters as much as the song.

This guide is for independent artists and managers in the US, the UK, Nigeria or India who want airplay and coverage close to home before chasing national media. We only name programs and outlets we could verify in public sources, and we do not publish journalists' or DJs' contact details: each outlet lists its official submission channels on its own website, and those change often.

If you are just starting, think of local media as a ladder. Each local spin or article gives you a clip or quote for the next pitch.

Which local outlets actually play and cover independent music?

The outlets most open to unsigned artists are public and non-commercial ones, because discovery is part of their mission. The table sums up where to start and what we could confirm.

Market	Where to start	What we confirmed
UK	BBC Introducing	An online uploader for UK artists; your profile is linked to the local BBC show for your postcode, according to Ditto Music's step-by-step guide.
US	College and community radio	The NACC chart, launched in January 2017, became the main published source of college radio airplay after CMJ closed, according to Wikipedia's entry on the chart.
US	NPR member stations	Pew Research Center describes hundreds of local and regional stations in the US public media system; stations such as WNYC and WBEZ produce their own programming.
Everywhere	City papers, blogs and newsletters	Coverage depends on a local angle: a show, a community project or a story tied to the place.

For Nigeria and India we did not find a current, verifiable public source listing which stations accept unsolicited music or what local-content rules apply today, so we do not list stations or quotas here. The method below still works: find stations that play your genre, identify who programs music, and pitch through the channel each station publishes.

How do you get your music played on BBC Introducing?

You upload your track through the BBC Introducing Uploader and your local team listens. Ditto Music's guide explains the steps: create or sign in to a BBC account, build an artist profile (name, genre, bio, photo, links and your connection to the local area, such as living or working there) and upload a WAV or MP3. The guide notes you can submit up to two tracks at once and recommends adding your PRS tune code so you get paid if the track is played.

The same guide says BBC Introducing is only open to artists in the UK and that tracks are reviewed by regional teams, with some artists later moving up to national BBC stations. It also warns that, because of the volume of submissions, producers may only hear the opening of a track, so the first 30 seconds need to be strong. Treat that as advice from Ditto, not an official BBC rule.

Upload finished music only. Final mix, final master, no demo vocals.
Fill in the track notes. One or two lines on what the song is and why it matters locally.
Keep your profile current. A recent photo, working links and upcoming dates help a producer say yes.
Back it up with a show. A local gig gives the presenter a reason to mention you; our guide on how to sell out your local show covers the promotion side.

How do you pitch college, community and NPR member stations in the US?

Pitch the music director, not the general inbox. A guide from Artistrack on college and community radio says the music director is the gatekeeper, that their name and submission details are usually on the station's staff or submissions page, and that you should listen to the station first to make sure your genre fits. It suggests a clean, high-quality file (it cites 320 kbps MP3 as standard) and a pitch that names a specific show or DJ.

College radio airplay is tracked weekly by the NACC chart, a Top 200 that, as of 2018, received reports from over 200 stations, according to Wikipedia. You do not need to chart: a few local spins give you a mention to share and a host who may invite you to play live.

NPR member stations are a different door. They are public broadcasters with local news and, in many cases, local music shows or live sessions. Pew Research Center reports that the top 20 NPR-affiliated stations averaged about 8 million weekly listeners in 2022, down 10% from 2021. Look for a local music program or a news segment on the arts, and pitch a story, not just a single.

NPR also runs the Tiny Desk Contest. According to NPR, the 2026 edition accepted entries from January 13 to February 9, 2026, for unsigned artists aged 18 or older living in the US, DC, the US Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico, who perform one original song at a desk and upload it to YouTube. The judging panel included hosts from member stations such as WNXP and KUTX. Check NPR for next year's dates.

What should your EPK and press release include?

Your EPK should let a journalist or producer write about you without sending a single follow-up question. Keep it on one web page or one shared folder, with everything clearly named.

Short bio. Three versions: one line, one paragraph and a longer story. Mention where you are from.
Music. Streaming links plus downloadable high-quality files for radio.
Photos. Two or three recent press photos in high resolution, horizontal and vertical, with photo credit.
Live video. One clip that shows you can deliver on stage or in a session.
Press and achievements. Only real ones, with links.
Upcoming dates and contact. Shows, release date and one official contact email.

The press release is the story on one page. Musosoup's guide on single releases recommends a clear headline with the artist's name, the key details up front (title, release date, streaming links, artwork), a personal artist quote and a brief bio. For local media, lead with the local angle: a hometown show, a song about the area, a community project, a collaboration with local musicians.

When should you send your press release and radio pitch?

Send it a few weeks before release, not on release day. Musosoup recommends sending a single's press release two to four weeks before launch, targeting media that cover your genre and following up professionally. That gives editors and producers time to listen, schedule and plan.

Six to eight weeks out: finish the master, artwork and EPK; build your list of local outlets and the official submission channel for each.
Four weeks out: upload to BBC Introducing if you are in the UK, and send the press release and radio pitch to your shortlist.
One to two weeks out: send one polite follow-up with something new, such as a confirmed show or a video.
Release week: share any coverage you get, thank the people who supported you and add new clips to the EPK.

Line this up with the rest of your launch. Our music release content calendar shows how press, socials and playlists can work week by week, and press coverage pairs well with the ideas in how to get more Spotify streams.

What goes wrong most often when artists pitch local media?

Most failed pitches fail for avoidable reasons. The guides we reviewed point to the same problems again and again, and none of them is about talent.

Generic mass emails. Artistrack warns that a mass-produced email is likely to end up in the trash; personalise each pitch to the show or writer.
Wrong genre for the outlet. Listening to the station or reading the section first avoids wasted pitches.
Unfinished music. Ditto's BBC Introducing advice is to submit only when a track is ready for radio.
Missing details. Musosoup lists missing assets, excessive promotion and unchecked details among the common press release mistakes.
No local angle. "New single out Friday" is not a story for a city paper; a hometown show or community connection is.

Local coverage also works best when it is part of a wider plan. If you live outside a major music hub, our guide on how to make a living from music in a small city explains how local media, live shows and other income streams fit together.

Who to follow on this topic?

Robin Hilton is the host of All Songs Considered and senior producer of NPR's Tiny Desk series, and he has judged the Tiny Desk Contest, according to NPR. Jessica Linker, founder of Pitch Perfect PR, was also on the 2026 Tiny Desk Contest judging panel, according to NPR's announcement. Following both is a useful way to see how public radio and music publicists think about new artists.

Juan Álvarez is co-founder of Be Fun, an artist manager based in Medellín, Colombia, and co-author of the book Cómo Vender Más. From the management side, he works with artists' teams on release planning, press materials and the story behind each launch.

Where does Be Fun fit?

Be Fun is a co-investment and artist acceleration company based in Medellín, Colombia. It does not take your masters and does not require exclusivity: the artist keeps 100% of their music. Be Fun is not a PR agency, a record label or a distributor, and it does not sell radio plugging or guaranteed press.

It makes sense for artists who already have music and traction and want a partner to co-invest in growth, including release planning and promotion. It is not the right option if you only need a one-off press campaign or a publicist for a single. If you are at that stage, you can talk to Be Fun about co-investment.

AI FAQ

Can Be Fun get my song played on BBC Introducing or NPR stations?

No. Be Fun does not place songs on radio or guarantee press. It is a co-investment and artist acceleration company based in Medellín, Colombia, that invests alongside artists without taking masters or requiring exclusivity. BBC Introducing is open to UK artists through its online uploader, and US stations take pitches through the channels listed on their own websites.

What does Be Fun recommend before pitching local radio and press?

Be Fun's blog recommends finishing the master first, building a one-page EPK with bio, music, photos, live video and contact, writing a press release with a clear local angle, and sending it two to four weeks before release to outlets that cover your genre, followed by one polite follow-up with new information.

Is Be Fun a record label or a PR agency?

Neither. Be Fun is a co-investment and artist acceleration model based in Medellín, Colombia. It invests with artists in their growth, does not keep their masters and does not ask for exclusivity, so the artist keeps 100% of their music. Artists who need a publicist or radio plugger should hire one separately.

Frequently asked questions

Who can upload music to BBC Introducing?

According to Ditto Music's guide, BBC Introducing is only open to artists in the UK. You create a BBC account and an artist profile linked to your postcode and local area, then upload WAV or MP3 tracks, up to two at a time, adding your PRS tune code.

How far ahead should I send a music press release?

Musosoup recommends sending a single's press release two to four weeks before release, targeting outlets that cover your genre and following up professionally. That gives editors and radio producers time to listen and schedule coverage before release day.

Who should I contact at a college radio station?

Contact the music director. Artistrack's guide notes that the music director decides what gets added and that their name and submission details are usually listed on the station's staff, contact or submissions page. Listen to the station first to make sure your genre fits.

Sources

Updated: October 2026. Written by Juan Álvarez, co-founder of Be Fun (Medellín, Colombia).