Charting at a commercial College Station

[collegeradio]

Hello--

We are a commercial college station that has been charting music with CMJ for years. The problem is we are going more mainstream Alternative. As a commercial station, it is important to play what our listeners (and advertisers) are used to hearing....

My question is: Are any other college stations having luck charting with other sources. Because we have been charting with CMJ for years, we get plenty of "indie--college" music--we want to start getting new alternative music...mainstream stuff..

Any suggestions?

 

[radiomike]

You can still chart on CMJ. R&R does this as does Billboard and FMQB. However, you have to be in a market or at a large college to report, or have some other significant impact.

 

[AllMightySting]

We have tried for years to chart to R&R and have been turned down time after time. Something about needing a certain amount of listeners tuned in at all times, and us not meeting that criteria. I think the number is somewhere in the 15,000 range. It seems that there are different criteria for different formats though. If we wanted to chart as a Christian station we could, or a AAA, but not alternative.

We have never had a big problem getting the more mainstream stuff....although there have been a few occasions where we have had to just go out and buy it from the store. One thing we did was subscribe to the "Rock Tracks" CD service. For $90 a year you get a CD every month with about 20 of the newest "mainstream alternative" songs, and a few of the more non-mainstream stuff that may still be going for commercial adds and stuff. It's helped us out more than a few times.

 

[Kris_Henderson]

go with a service like promo-only or ERG music
They usually have the music before it has hit the masses

Kris Henderson
WMPH PD/MD
<P ID="signature">______________
http://wmph.org</P>

 

[mlaura1224]

> go with a service like promo-only or ERG music
> They usually have the music before it has hit the masses
>
> Kris Henderson
> WMPH PD/MD
>
Kris is correct on this. Promo Only and ERG have a nice selection of music. I prefer Promo Only over ERG. Check out the Promo Only site. They have the music list available. You can see if it fits your program structure.
It is a little bit more expensive, but well worth it in the long run.
Good luck!

Mark Laura
General Manager
WSHR

 

[xmusicmatt]

I recomend TM Century Hit Discs, those are always an option!

http://www.tmcentury.com/

<P ID="signature">______________
Lenks
Program Director/Music Director
X Music Online
The X
Today's Best Music
http://www.xmusiconline.com/</P>

 

[timstask]

> I recomend TM Century Hit Discs, those are always an option!
>
>
> http://www.tmcentury.com/
>
Lenks is right, I've had great success with HitDisc's at WXIN, for the price and what you get, its not too bad. We get both As and Bs, As being Top40/Hip Hop Crossovers. and Bs being Alternative/AAA. Pretty good bang for your buck.

Tim

=======================================
Tim Staskiewicz ::: Program Director
90.7 WXIN-FM ::: Providence, R.I.
"Your Station... Your Music..."
http://www.ricradio.org
[email protected]