One point I'd like to add to this post... 1) You'd be surprised how MUCH of what comes into college radio actually DOES get played and into rotation. I've worked at a college station here for 5+ years and quite a bit of indie rock and self-released stuff makes into our charts (www.kscu.org). Many brave commercial rock stations are slowly integrating indie artists into their regular format. Live105 (as an example) in the SF bay Area were adding artists like Hot Hot Heat, The Rapture, Interpol, The Postal Service, FischerSpooner, and others while they were also hot in the college/CMJ market. As far as "what it takes" to make it... alot of work, alot of touring, alot of self-promotion. If you don't do much of this, you'll have to rely on alot more luck! FYI...you don't even have to make a polished record anymore or spend a fortune on your "demo". Just look at the White Stripes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs!! Jeff << Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2003 23:41:19 -0700 From: deedlemusic@sbcglobal.net To: audities@smoe.org Subject: What it takes Message-ID: Matty wrote: >>>actually, the music scene today is overflowing with acts who tour >>>and sell in the 5,000-to-100,000 range >>>a few are on majors; most are on indies. >>>but most of the ones >>>i listed have amassed their audience in the past few years, while napster and kazaa were in full effect, while radio and record companies were super-consolidated, while the national economy was going to pot.>>> they just care that this is what they want to do. and this is the way it has always worked, napster or no napster, clear channel or no clear channel, avril or no avril. they're invested their lives in this. and that's exactly what it takes to make it. i don't know of any artistic pursuit that works any other way. and i'm not aware of any time in the history of rock and roll when it was any harder or any easier.>>>> I absolutely agree that you've outlined what it takes to "make it" (lord, I hate that phrase!). But, what you're talking about is the college and public radio markets. Those have been pretty much untouched by the label mergers and Clear Channel -- with the rather huge exceptions of indie distribution nearly dying off, retailers suffering, and the fact that nowadays college and public radio stations are so inundated with releases, they can only play a fraction of what comes in. Significant issues which exist because of the changes in the industry. >>