promotions - test markets

[gullyjewelz]

Anyone ever do a "test market" campaign? Where you pay the radio station for a test run on the release of a song? Or is this still considered "payola"? I was told that there is a difference and some indie labels have done it - simply as a means of raising their soundscan numbers and visisibility . . .

Any one with knowledge?

[bknot1]

havent heard of anything like that...might have to do some reasearch on that..

[gullyjewelz]

i found a couple of interesting sites - but this is not waht i had in mind - i was hoping to actually contact the radio stations themselves . . . i called 2 but have not heard anything from them yet - granted i just called this morning . . .

http://www.musicresearch.com/mr_research.php
and

http://www.hitsongscience.com/index....ccaa3c24f2c94b

[gullyjewelz]

bryan farrish radio promotions - any one heard of this company?

here is one of their statements on hip hop - do u think this is an accurate statement -

"Hip hop and rap can be described simply by: "Show me the wax!" And R&B is not far behind. Hip hop and rap are very workable to college, mixshow, and commercial regular rotation, whereas R&B is more suited to just regular rotation. Again, be prepared with the wax!

Hip Hop and rap have something that no other genre (except maybe metal) has... a strong grassroots album-buying population that does not rely on commercial radio for guidance. Yes, commercial regular rotation is a huge boost, but hip hop and rap can flourish (and sell a lot of albums) from just college and mixshow spins alone. And this not diminishing: More and more wax is being requested by stations... it is in short supply!"