How we promote your music
In today’s global music market, it’s becoming more and more challenging to get your music noticed. We want more great NZ music on radio and online platforms, enjoyed by more people.
The first priority for assistance from NZ On Air are songs that have been through one of our selection processes, either through our funding streams (New Music Single, New Music Project, Waiata Takitahi, etc) or on NewTracks.
Our funding and promotions work is closely linked to provide break-through opportunities to selected artists and assist a wide selection of great new NZ music to connect with NZ audiences wherever they may be listening.
We curate a number of playlists of solely kiwi music on Spotify and Apple Music which you can check out HERE
We have meetings with the Content Directors and/or Music Directors of all of the major radio networks in NZ two to three times a month.
We play those radio programmers tracks that are being released for radio airplay that week and that are appropriate to their format, in the hope that those songs will be prioritised for airplay.
We also have the ability to provide more context and information around each artist to feed into the play listing process.
We have a relationship with the main streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music Unlimited.
While the owner of the repertoire will always lead the pitch for playlist inclusion on these services, we do provide back up and NZ market context to the various editors and other staff at these services to help ensure good placement for NZ music.
We use social media and streaming services to help connect a diverse range of music from NZ artists with NZ audiences online.
On Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@nzonairmusic) we share new music videos, albums, interviews with artists and other music news.
Our Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube playlists are regularly updated with recently released singles and music videos and we also curate a number of playlists of strictly New Zealand music.
We also regularly do 'Get To Know' interview videos, which feature upcoming or established artists who have played at our NZ On Air Music showcase, on our YouTube channel and social media.
Get To Know: Kiwi Artists
We sponsor a number of new music features on a range of radio stations in order to expose brand new songs to a larger audience.
Examples of these features include ‘Uncover Discover’ on The Edge and The Edge TV, ‘Locals Only’ on ZM, 'Backyard Beats' on Mai FM and ‘Locals Only’ on Radio Hauraki.
These features also have a large presence on the stations via website and social media.
We also support specialist NZ music shows on alternative/niche radio stations around the country such as The Most FM and Pulzar FM to help support and promote a wide range of NZ music.
NZ On Air also contributes funding to the five stations of the Student Radio Network (95bFM, Radio Control, Radio Active, RDU and Radio One), in part to help support the work they do playing and promoting New Zealand music.
We create and distribute NewTracks, a compilation of new NZ music released to broadcast and online platforms each month.
The aim is to connect quality NZ songs with audiences wherever they may be listening.
Selection for NewTracks is based on the airplay and online potential for the song, and having a solid release plan around the single.
To apply for NewTracks inclusion visit New Tracks info
Supporting events, seminars and workshops is an important part of the work we do to help raise the profile of NZ music, and assist with sharing knowledge and understanding of our funding and also the wider music ecology.
We support a wide range of events and industry seminars throughout the year such as the Aotearoa Music Awards, the Pacific Music Awards, the Taite Music Prize, the Waiata Maori Music Awards, Going Global and Going Local, the NZ Music Month Summit, RockQuest and Tangata Beats, Play It Strange, and more.
Our music staff are regularly asked to speak at various tertiary institutions around the country for Music and Media-related classes/seminars.
We also organise and run several live music showcases each year to profile and expose new artists to mainstream media including radio and streaming services.
These short live performances help connect the artist and leave an impression on the key media gatekeepers so they have a good awareness of the act when it comes time to pitch new singles.
We are a major supporter of NZ Music Month which is run each May by the NZ Music Commission.
How you can promote your music
Advice, templates and resources to help you get your song funded and recorded, and to help you find an audience - on radio, on TV and online.
The Ultimate Guide to Professionally Promoting Your Music
This guide comes from Zach Hangauer, owner of Range Life Records and is a comprehensive list of suggestions on how to go about a release and all the things you need to think about when it comes to promoting your music.
11 Ways To Promote A Music Video
Music videos require a lot time and often money to produce, so it's a shame if no one ends up seeing them.
In this piece rapper Kosha Dillz outlines eleven different methods for promoting a music video to ensure that as many fans (or potential fans) see it as possible.
Check out the video below from Lydia Jenkin, writer for NZ Herald/TimeOut, on what's important when it comes to approaching publications and getting coverage from her experience in the media.
Branding yourself
'Branding' is essentially telling your story in a way that sets you apart from other musicians and connects you with your fans.
Check out Branding for Musicians: A Simplified Guide to Marketing - a marketing consultant and content strategist who helps artists and creatives find their voice on the internet.
Check out the video below J9 Russel, Music Publicist (Noise PR) on the best practice advice when it comes to finding publicity for your music.
Reaching out to Media
When it comes to releasing new music, it can be difficult to work out exactly how to go about promoting yourself to the right people, at the right time and with the right information. This resource will outline some of the best practices and guidelines for how to approach media effectively.
Despite the increasing use of streaming services, radio still plays a hugely important role in music discovery and exposure with New Zealanders, on average, tuning in for over 1.5 hours a day.
We use the New Tracks compilation to pitch kiwi songs to radio on your behalf - which you can apply for at newtracks.co.nz.
Check out the below resources for helping get your music on various radio stations.
Alternative Radio Station Contact
Check out the video below from Jeff Newton, NZ On Air Music Promoter for Platforms, on how to target radio with your own music.
Streaming services allow you to reach an international audience, be discovered by new fans and understand where and how your music is being consumed.
Royalties from online streams are currently the biggest generator of revenue for both the global and NZ music markets and data from streaming services now influences the single and album charts and even radio play.
Check out the below resources to help you get your music online:
Spotify:
Getting Access to Spotify for Artists
Promoting your music on Spotify
+ a tonne more here.
Apple Music:
Youtube:
Music distribution is the link between your finished record and your future fans.
Smart distribution can grow your visibility, get your music into as many ears as possible and it helps you get paid for your music. Some examples are DRM, Distrokid, Believe, and CD Baby.
This guide covers how music distribution works and the different distributers that can help you.
Everything Musicians Need to Know about Digital Music Distribution
Social media is (mostly) free, it gives you worldwide reach, helps you interact with your audience and be discovered by new fans.
This information is by no means exhaustive – social media platforms are consistently changing, so you’ve got to stay active on any given platform if you want to explore every promotional opportunity.
Check out the resources below for some info on utilising social media.
Resources and Videos
There are some incredible resources out there about the music industry in general, but below are a few of the key ones across a range of areas. These resources are updated regularly to provide context and relevant information for the Aotearoa music community.
Some wonderful resources made available by the NZ Music Commission:
Festival Lineups - Playing a festival is a great stepping stone for a band. It puts them in front of a large crowd of people, many of whom wouldn’t have seen them before. But how is an act able to get such a slot in the first place?
PR tips and tricks - Publicity and promotions are an important part of any release campaign or tour. Getting media to help promote your music allows you to reach a wider audience, which can be invaluable to both emerging and established artists. But if your budget is tight and it’s not possible to pay professionals to do your PR, there are things that you can do yourself.
Approaching a record label - Before we look at how to make contact with a label, it’s worth looking at the reasons why they might (or might not) be useful to your music career.
Industry research
Amplify Aotearoa is a research project developed by academics at Massey University in collaboration with APRA AMCOS New Zealand. APRA AMCOS is a non-profit Australasian organisation that collects and distributes song writing royalties to its 110,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members across New Zealand and Australia.
This research focuses on APRA AMCOS NZ’s membership of over 12,000 song writers and composers. This project responds to growing calls, as well as recent international research, that demand critical investigations into diversity within music industries.
Some resources made by us below:
Learn New Things - Video
Mark Rankin - Inside the Producer Series
Andrew Scheps- Inside the Producer Series
The Importance of a Producer Network
Susan Kelly - Prince's engineer talk about her experience in the music industry and shares some wonderful stories
Ria Hall, Coco Solid, and Ebonie Smith- talk about musical activism and issues surrounding gender in the music industry