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Radio Pluggers - Who are They?:
Radio pluggers are the people who try to make sure that your
record is played on the radio. Getting a good plugger can make the
difference between a single becoming a hit or a flop and between a
band having a successful career or disappearing into obscurity.
Radio pluggers are the link between bands/labels and radio station
managers, producers and DJs.
What is a Plugger's Job?:
Basically, the job of a plugger is to get the acts they're
representing exposure on the radio. The different kinds of exposure
they might try to get include:
- Radio plays for the act's music. Depending on the act, this
could mean inclusion on the stations' playlists, spot plays or
plays on specialist music shows.
- Live performance sessions and interviews for the act on
radio
- Organizing competitions on radio that give away the act's
CDs, T-shirts, posters, gig tickets, etc, as prizes
- Getting the act's releases and upcoming live shows mentioned
on air.
The Internet:
When it comes to the internet there's a blurred line between
press and radio plugging. Many radio stations will have a presence
online, plus magazines may have an online radio station and there
are internet stations and MP3 blogs. The plugger should be aware of
the differences between streaming, podcasts and downloads. Some
internet stations ask artists to waive their royalties to avoid
paying a licensing fee, but many large labels won't allow this, nor
will they allow their material to be used in podcasts or as
downloads. Many smaller labels and acts are happy with the publicity
that these avenues provide.
How Do I Become a Radio Plugger?:
Plugging companies often take on interns, which is a good way to
build up contacts and experience. To set yourself up as a plugger
you'll need to build up your contacts list. Station websites will
often have show contact details, but if not, you can often hazard a
guess (e.g. showname@xyzradio.com would be a good start).
There are many bands looking for a plugger, but be picky. Don't
necessarily start working with the first band that approaches you,
or the one that will pay the most. It's important to build up your
reputation as a plugger, and that will be best done by working with
an act you believe in.
Making Money as a Radio Plugger:
It's up to a plugger to agree a fee with the client. This is best
done before the campaign starts, to avoid any dispute later on. Some
clients will pay by results - the plugger will get a certain fee
when a certain level of exposure is reached. The problem with this
model is that a radio plugger can put in a lot of work, yet the
track could get very little (if any) exposure. Conversely, a track
to get a huge amount of exposure even though the plugger has done
hardly anything. A good compromise is that the plugger gets a basic
fee, with bonuses for achieving certain results. On top of any fee,
the client will be expected to pay the costs of the campaign -
postage, phone calls etc. What is included in the costs and what
isn't should be agreed before the campaign starts. Sometimes, the
artist or label will put a cap on these approved costs as well. For
instance, postage may be an approved cost, but if the total cost of
postage surpasses X amount of dollars, the artist/label must clear
the expense.
Many new pluggers will do a campaign for free, or for a greatly
reduced rate, allowing them to get experience. Even established
pluggers will do jobs for cost, or cheaply, if they really believe
in an act. They may work for free if they think the band are going
to go on and become successful, so that they get work from the band
later on in their career or for the kudos that will be associated
with working for the act.
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