How can you get your music played on local radio stations? We list 13 local stations and specific shows that play new music in the Southampton and Hampshire area, giving information on who and how to contact and ways to submit your music or arrange an acoustic session.
Are you interested in getting some air time for your music? Below we’ve listed the top 13 stations in Southampton and Hampshire to get your music played on.
How to get your music on Southampton radio station
Being an unsigned artist without the backing of a record label can make it difficult to get on the radio. However, it’s not unheard of. With the rise of independent artists and bedroom producers making original material, many local radio stations see your music as up and coming and have designated shows just for unsigned artists.
You may be wondering what the point is in contacting smaller radio stations to broadcast your music. Well, as amazing as it would be to get your track straight onto Capital FM or Heart, these commercial stations are based on playlists that your music isn’t on. The variety of music played on a station depends on the size of the library the radio owns, which is why you may hear the same songs being played over and over again (especially if they’re playing the Top 40).
So, contacting smaller, non-commercial stations can act as a great platform for exposure to an audience beyond your own following. It’s also really exciting to have your song played on the radio, it can make you feel a sense of accomplishment and is a big step in your career as an artist.
Not only does airplay on your local station look good on your artist portfolio and help you be taken more seriously as a musician, but it could help you get signed as you never know who is listening.
Local radio stations in Southampton
1. BBC Introducing Southampton/Solent
If you’re a budding artist keeping up to date on the music scene, then you’ve probably already heard about BBC Introducing and what it has to offer to you. Launched in 2007, BBC Introducing is BBC Radio’s platform supporting unsigned, undiscovered, and under-the-radar UK talent.
How to submit music to radio stations
To have a chance to get your music heard on this platform, all you need to do is register with the uploader on the BBC website to create your BBC Music Introducing profile, and then upload your tracks(s). The uploader will automatically distribute your music to your nearest BBC radio show for airtime consideration, based on the postcode you enter when creating your profile.
If you’re under 16, then you need a family member or guardian to upload your tracks for you. Bear in mind that you can upload two tracks every thirty days, so don’t be disheartened if you don’t hear back after your first try. If your upload is successful enough to be played on-air, then you will receive an email informing you about your tracks status (however this may take place after your song has been broadcast).
Not only does this platform give you airtime opportunities, but there’s almost always a BBC Music Introducing stage at festivals (including Glastonbury, Reading and Radio 1’s Big Weekend) meaning you could also have the chance to play at these major events.
Get your music played on Southampton radio
2. Voice FM
Voice FM is a station that is truly local to Southampton, broadcasting from within the YMCA Youth and Community Centre on Graham Road. They are a not-for-profit company which is run almost entirely by volunteers. Voice FM broadcasts 24/7 on 103.9FM across Southampton, online at voicefmradio.co.uk, via TuneIn and are in the process of expanding their reach, by working with Ofcom, to broadcast on a local DAB multiplex.
With support from, Domino’s, Radio Taxis, Solent University, The 1865, the Wessex League, and The National Lottery Community Fund to name a few, Voice FM has a strong focus on community and supporting local talent. Voice FM radio is a great place to submit your music to as they truly support local musicians.
Artists are able to upload their music to Voice FM here. The music management team will take a listen to your track(s) and decide whether it will be selected to go on the playlist and be the ‘Homegrown Hit’ for the week. After this, your song will then move up to the C, B & A list of the playlist every week.
New music on Voice FM
New music is generally played on either New Music Wednesday (Drivetime) with Simon Wilson at 4-6 pm, this is where all the new music that week will be showcased. If not, as music generally comes out on a Friday, Matt Clewes at Voice FM plays a lot of new music on his Voice Weekend Breakfast show on a Saturday between 8 & 10 am.
Although there is no application process for live in-studio sessions at Voice FM, you may be invited into the studio to chat about your music and play your new track live in-session if the producers like what they hear. It’s a great idea to reach out to stations for live airplay around your release date, as this will draw attention to your new music and get people excited for it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9bfAtgJkn5/
What’s it like working at a radio station?
We caught up with Matt at Voice FM to find out a bit more about working on the radio.
He says, “Being able to work on community radio is amazing and it has opened up a lot of opportunities for myself, but also to be able to give opportunities for local musicians to showcase their music on our platform and share that with them is amazing. It brings a lot of rewards, artists have to start somewhere and to see them progress from doing community stations, up to the national commercial ones makes you proud to be a part of their journey.
“Apart from that, it provides a lot of fun and freedom which everyone needs and without it, I don’t know what I would be doing. I just try and create the best experience of being involved in it for myself and make it the best I can and the most of every word of rubbish that comes out my mouth when I am on air.”
3. Express FM
This radio station plays a variety of music and sometimes plays new artists. To pitch your music to the Express FM playlist, then send your track and details here.
However, the best option for new music talent is the Geoff Dorsett Soft Rocks show on Monday nights from 7-9pm, as this is not playlisted, send your track and details to Geoff by email. This show is a 4x award-winning Soft Rock Show co-hosted with colleague Adrian Collis. It’s also worth asking if you can do a live acoustic session on the show at the Express FM studios (on Monday nights).
Geoff is syndicated on 79 stations in 24 countries so he’s a great contact to have and he works across two local stations.
Here’s Geoff with a guest icon Tony Hadley in the Bournemouth Pavilion.
What local radio stations can I get my music on in Southampton?
4. Forest FM
Geoff Dorset also has a Saturday nights Soul & R&B show on Forest FM which sometimes features new music. So, if you a have Soul/Dance/R&B track you want to get heard on the radio, you should email it over to Geoff as an MP3 file.
5. Eagle Radio local showcase Hampshire
Eagle Radio based in Guildford, and covering Surrey and Hampshire, is another great station to reach out to. Jack Johnson hosts a local showcase every Wednesday from 9 pm-11 pm, where artists in and around the Hampshire area have the opportunity to get their tracks played alongside other artists.
Partnered to ACM (the Academy of Contemporary Music), Eagle brings you the hottest artists in your local area. To upload your music for consideration simply submit your track and details here
The ‘Local Artist Spotlight’ is another great platform provided by Eagle radio which showcases artist and bands profiles on the station website. Live, in-session interviews at their Guildford studio are a great way to gain broadcast and interview experience. Jack Johnson supports artists by sharing their social media titles on his Instagram page a few hours before broadcasting live on his local showcase.
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6. AND RADIO Southampton
This station is owned, built and produced by working musicians to showcase new artists, so it’s a great radio to get your stuff heard on.
There are 3 ways to get your music heard on AND RADIO:
- For FREE on “Black On Track” new music and unsigned artist showcase show.
- By winning a studio session for our Live Lounge (contact Black Room Studios) which is part of River Studios in Southampton.
- By being accepted for the General Playlist – see cost packages.
To be included on the General Playlist will cost the Early Bird rate of just £25 per track accepted. The cost covers the entire year or part of. Which means your track will be to be played on the General Playlist and included in other genre-appropriate playlists and features until December 31 of that year.
For a track to be entered onto the playlist, it first needs to be sent for consideration. If the producers think the song suits AND RADIO they’ll get back to you to start the ball rolling to get you playlisted.
Email them to upload your track (MP3 format is best).
For more information visit their website.
7. Radio Sonar
Radio Sonar is Solent University’s student radio station so they’re completely student-led. During term time, shows are run from 9 am-10 pm daily. For artists to get in touch, send over your details and music to them by email.
Danny Humby at Radio Sonar says, “We’re always keen to help local artists, and we have things like our playlists that always do that. There’s a lot of Solent Uni bands we get on the airwaves normally!”
8. Skyline FM Hampshire
Oldie station by day, country and new music by night. Skyline FM is located in the county of Hampshire. Skyline Gold is a community radio station that broadcasts a mix of contents: music contents of various genres and talk contents. This is a great station to reach out to, whether that be to showcase your music or volunteer as a radio host to gain experience in the industry.
9. Sam FM South Coast
Sam FM South Coast is a sister station to Breeze FM, a playlist based station playing relaxing feel-good favourites. They to the South Coast from Southampton and describe themselves as, “cheeky and quirky with great talkability!”
Although both of these stations don’t have a regular local showcase, it’s worth getting in touch on their website to reach out and look out for opportunities as they often have local events and gigs.
Local radio stations near me, Southampton
And of course, why not aim high? The next three stations are great to get played on but they work on playlists orchestrated nationally so local submissions won’t work for these.
10. Wave 105.2 FM
Wave 105 is commercial station broadcasts along the south coast from Dorset to Sussex. They have set playlists but this is something you can aspire to as your career develops.
11. Capital FM South Coast
Part of the Capital FM group, this is one of the UK’s biggest radio stations and is obviously playlist led. Once you’re being played on Capital, you’ve made it.
12. Heart Hampshire
Heart Hampshire is part of Heart’s national coverage, it’s a network of 13 local radio stations which is dominated by pop playlists.
Volunteering for radio stations
Volunteering for local radios is a great way to broaden your book of contacts, and gain some experience behind the scenes in the industry.
Southampton General, Royal South Hants and Princess Anne hospitals
A great place to start is by reaching out to your local hospitals listed above in the Southampton, Hampshire area. Volunteers run this station from the top floor of Normand House along Tremona Road, which is on 24 hours, 7 days a week.
It could be a great bit of work experience volunteering at your hospital radio over the summer. Even though you may not be trained as a radio host, you could offer your services as a musician and get some air time that way. Why not suggest (if there’s not one already) that they have a showcase for local artists to send in their tracks and spread positivity to the patient’s through new music.
Volunteers may also have the opportunity to visit wards and gather patients, friends and family radio requests- which could be a great time to share your music and social media platforms with a wider audience.
Make contact with the station about volunteering here:
- Telephone: (023) 8078 5151
- email: at hba@sohba.org
So, there’s a musicians guide to local radio stations in Southampton, Hampshire. Remember it’s always useful to keep in touch with your stations DJs and producers, as their shows are sometimes syndicated and they may also move between stations giving you more opportunities and further airplay. They will also know the local music scene and be very well connected.