Ngā Arawātea Whakatairanga Puoro - Music promotion opportunities

In today’s global music market, it’s becoming more and more challenging to get your music noticed. While there are many ways NZ On Air can support your music to reach audiences, it all starts with you, the artist, your song and building your fan base.

Our NZ On Air Music team can assist with pitching your music to New Zealand radio. We meet with the content and/or music directors of all the major radio networks twice a month.

The best way to get your music heard by the Music Team is by submitting your music into our NewTracks monthly compilation.

More about our NewTracks compilation

From these NewTracks compilations, local singles are then pitched to radio programmers that are:

• being released for radio airplay that week
• have a plan around the single release
• would be appropriate to the radio station's format.

We are also able to provide more context and information about each artist to the programmers.

We use social media and streaming services to help connect a diverse range of music from New Zealand artists with New Zealand audiences online.

Facebook and Instagram

On Facebook and Instagram we share new music videos, albums, interviews with artists and other music news. Our username is @nzonairmusic and you can find all of our social media links at our LinkTree here.

Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube

Our Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube playlists are regularly updated with recently released singles and music videos. We also curate a number of playlists of strictly New Zealand music.

Get To Know videos

Our 'Get To Know' interview videos feature upcoming or established artists who have played at a NZ On Air Music showcase, on our YouTube channel and social media.

Sponsored radio features

We sponsor Music Features on radio stations to expose brand new local songs to a larger audience. Examples include:

• ‘Kiwi Discovery’ on The Edge and Mai FM
• ‘Locals Only’ on ZM and Radio Hauraki

These features also have a large presence on the stations via their websites and social media.

Specialist New Zealand music shows

We support specialist New Zealand music shows on alternative/niche radio stations around the country, such as:

• The Most FM

Student radio stations

NZ On Air also contributes funding to the five stations of the Student Radio Network:

• 95bFM
• Radio Control
• Radio Active
• RDU
• Radio One

This helps support the work they do playing and promoting New Zealand music.

Supporting events, seminars and workshops is an important part of the work we do to help raise the profile of New Zealand music.

Events and industry seminars

Examples of events and industry seminars include:

• Aotearoa Music Awards
• Pacific Music Awards
• Taite Music Prize
• APRA AMCOS NZ Silver Scroll Awards
• Waiata Māori Music Awards
• Going Global
• Going Local
• NZ Music Month Summit
• Smokefree Rockquest
• Tangata Beats
• Play It Strange

Live NZ On Air Music showcases

We organise and run several live NZ On Air 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 with key media so they have a good awareness of the act when it comes time to pitch new singles.

NZ Music Month

We are a major supporter of NZ Music Month which is run each May by the NZ Music Commission.

More about NZ Music Month

Advice, templates and resources on how to promote your music and your brand.

Planning and researching

When releasing music, understand your target audience and cater your release plan to this.

Ask yourself:

• Who listens to my music – age, gender, interests, location?
• What is my story? What is the song about?
• Who helped me with my song and new release? (e.g. producers, instrumentalists, mixing, mastering, visuals, video content)
• Are you working towards an EP, album, projects or body of work?

Engage with, read or listen to the platforms which may feature your song. This will help you understand where your audience is and where best to promote your music release.

Goal for releasing music

What is your goal? Reach and build new audiences? Build on the success of previous releases? Introduce a new sound?

Timeline with key dates and deadlines

This could include:

• a social media plan
• when your distributor needs the final single assets
• when you should pitch your songs to media or platforms
• when you need to have a media release finished.

Plan for marketing or social media

Do you have a marketing or social media plan for your release, and how will you achieve this? For example:

• Boosted posts
• Streaming advertising via distribution or social media platforms.

Releasing and marketing

What are some interesting ways you can release and market your music? What is your angle?

We update these resources regularly to give context and information to the Aotearoa music community.

Branding yourself

'Branding' is essentially telling your story in a way that sets you apart from other musicians and connects you with your fans.

Getting on streaming platforms

It’s more important than ever for your music to be available online.

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 New Zealand music markets, and data from streaming services now influences the single and album charts and even radio play.

Getting Access to Spotify for Artists
Getting your music on Spotify
How to pitch to editors
Promoting your music on Spotify
More Spotify resources for artists
Apple Music For Artists
YouTube tips for creators

Music distribution

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
• help you get paid for your music.

Some examples are:

• DRM
• Distrokid
• Believe
• CD Baby.

Everything Musicians Need to Know about Digital Music Distribution

Social media guide

Social media:

• is free, mostly
• gives you worldwide reach
• helps you interact with your audience
• helps you be discovered by new fans.

Stay active on any given platform if you want to explore every promotional opportunity.

Musicians guide to social media PDF 12.0 MB

Kids Music Resource- Social Media PDF 89.5 KB

More resources

Getting on a festival lineup – New Zealand Music Commission
PR tips and tricks – New Zealand Music Commission
When and how to approach a record label – New Zealand Music Commission