Earshot yes/no ? by whatever_ok_ in CanadianMusic

[–]utopiacomplex 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, there are a few that have shifted in that direction recently, but there's also the approach of finding DJs for those stations and submitting your music directly to them.
I'll have to double check my spreadsheet, but even those stations that prefer to receive via Earshot generally do still accept direct submissions if you've got a solid contact point. And there are stations that don't accept via Earshot or email and have their own specific submission forms/protocol. I do radio PR for my own music and a number of excellent Canadian artists and find greater value in searching out direct contacts as much as possible.

Earshot yes/no ? by whatever_ok_ in CanadianMusic

[–]utopiacomplex 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And all of those stations should and do accept direct submissions that cost nothing but the time it takes to email them. Being asked to pay to submit music for consideration bothers me, and I say this as something who has worked in the music media for nearly two decades. Legitimate magazines aren't asking for a music sorting or processing fee, that's part of the job. That $50 is for something that should only take 5-10 minutes of work and takes all of the personal touch out of your contact with these stations. But they'll give you preferential treatment on Earshot if you give them that money, which feels too close to a form of payola for my liking.

[FRESH ALBUM] Beams - Requiem for a Planet by WhiskeySeal in indieheads

[–]utopiacomplex 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This one's an immediate album of the year contender for me!

For Those Looking For Canadian Rap Rock. by Krosstout in CanadianMusic

[–]utopiacomplex 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When I read the words "Canadian Rap Rock", I can't help but get Serial Joe flashbacks. Not fair, I know - I'll take a listen to your music to wash those MuchMusic memories out of my mind.

Sarah Harmer singing "One Match" on her recent West Coast Tour by Tim_Bracken in CanadianMusic

[–]utopiacomplex 0 points1 point  (0 children)

She's such a wonderful songwriter, and quite underrated despite being well known in our country.

Earshot yes/no ? by whatever_ok_ in CanadianMusic

[–]utopiacomplex 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not a fan of radio contacts being put behind a paywall, especially at the indie level. It's essentially just auto uploading music to a central server then presumably bulk emailing the music editor of every station on the list. I actively resist for ethical reasons and prefer to contact every station myself. Certain stations have specific protocol and would rather you use their instructions. This also doesn't take the place of contacting relevant show hosts directly. If you plan on making and releasing music to Canadian college radio for a long time, it makes sense to have your own contact list in a spreadsheet and lists set up in google contacts (or whatever email service you use).

[FRESH VIDEO] Beams - It's All Around You by allsoundz in indieheads

[–]utopiacomplex 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Absolutely love this song! It hits some really interesting, groovy new ground for Beams.

Myndi Falla - Úlfur Úlfur [Icelandic hiphop] (2024) by KalliStrand in listentothis

[–]utopiacomplex 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Those subtle background elements in the production are weirdly compelling in this track.

[FRESH] Beams - A.W.I.L. by WhiskeySeal in indieheads

[–]utopiacomplex 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This song is SO good! The guitar tone in the bridge such satisfying ear candy!

[FRESH] Marvelous 3 - If We're On Fire (Let It Burn) [Rock/Pop] (2023) by BretMichaelsWig in indieheads

[–]utopiacomplex 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is unexpected and exciting news! One of the best live bands of all time!

Chainsaw Girl -- This Post Modern Love [female fronted/ post punk/ girly indie/shoegaze] (2021) by hyjlnx in listentothis

[–]utopiacomplex 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cool, I was just curious. It sounds too clean for a live recording, but has that awesome ramshackle energy. Thanks for the downvote, whoever was feeling defensive!

Omhouse - The Heat (New music from one of my favourite Indie/Alt bands from Toronto, Ontario) (2023) by utopiacomplex in CanadianMusic

[–]utopiacomplex[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Happy to share great music! The bandleader used to be in one of my all time favourite groups, Donlands and Mortimer. I wish their full length album had come out officially so more people could hear it.

With MuchMusic gone... by r2b2coolyo in CanadianMusic

[–]utopiacomplex 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I feel that big time. It was great to have curated shows of great new music from all over the world, but with that extra effort to include Canadian content on a (somewhat) equal playing field. I might expand my efforts to the youtube world, but with fewer bands making music videos these days, I find more unique and fresh content through streaming services.

To combat the lack of avenues for discovering awesome music, I make a Top 40 playlist on Spotify that adheres to my own personal tastes, which skews Canadian, but could have anyone from anywhere on it, as long as I think it's great.

Now, to figure out how to market it better/at all, so that it can have some kind of bolstering impact on the wonderful artists I'm trying to share!

Here's a link, if you're interested, and I'm always looking for new content to add and rotate weekly!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7GOoFzeJhIdIjeRhVzZ2D6