No matter where we are or what we do with regards to our favorite music we always seem to remember the “songs of summer”. From the 60’s during the Summer of Love to the current music of today, this time of year brings the strongest connection to us and our music. From the classic “Summertime”, to “Summer In the City”, “Hot Fun In the Summertime” to the more recent “A Little More Summertime”, the titles abound in our music catalog and in our memories. You don’t even really need to use the word Summer in your song title but when all is said and done it most certainly doesn’t hurt.

This is also the time of year for recording artists and bands to cash in with Summer Concert action. From the newer artists to the more established, the music audiences come out in droves to attend music events from coast to coast.  Even artists and bands that haven’t had a radio hit in years from Queen, to the Eagles, Crosby Stills and Nash among others can still pack an arena or outdoor venue. This is also the time to sell lots of merchandise from shirts to posters, mugs and just about everything under the sun. Make no mistake about it, this time of year is the real bread winner for most artists and bands.

Independent artists also take full advantage of this time of year as well. In addition to building their stock at radio it also means some road trips in the van, truck or vehicle. With the weather prime for travel, many bands and artists are also hitting the road for everything from station visits to a free concert in the park. They too have the opportunity to cash in and sell merchandise and other items as they go from town to town. This is the one time of year that you can pull this off without travel fears.

Many of our music and program directors also love this time of year. Some have events and if you are an artist looking for something productive to do, radio stations are almost always looking for music talent. This is especially true if you have a song out at radio and need that extra bit of love and attention. Stations do quite a few remotes during this time of year and are always looking for promotional items to treat their live audiences. Some may even have concerts in the local park or Summer events that could use some original music talent. We’re not suggesting that you just drop in unannounced but if you set things up in advance it could mean a good time for all.

If you missed the beat on the Summer of 2017 have no fear, there is still hope for things in the future. Artists and bands that really want to take full advantage of this time of year actually start planning now for next year. It could mean releasing your CD, album and or single this Spring with the hopes of doing a tour to follow. That way you can plan with your promoter or local booking agent to make things go far more professionally than just showing up without a plan. Radio programmers are always willing to consider a station visit or event but it all has to be planned well in advance to make it work for all parties.

If the cost of a Summer event or tour seems to be just too much to deal with, one suggestion is to take a smaller version of what you do out for a road trip. Many upstart Country artists for instance take an unplugged version of what they do on the road and many times that becomes a smart move. If you have talent many times a stripped-down version of what you do is even a better way to sell what you are doing musically. You can take that small unplugged version right into a radio station control room and give a local audience a real taste of what you are all about. Many times this can even help to build your audience by allowing for the music to come across real and without over production.

Planning is the real key to having a successful Summer in music. Take the time now to map out your travel plans and set your goal for taking full advantage of the best time of year to get out there. New Music Weekly magazine is here to help you in every way and we’ll let our radio stations know you are coming to town. Happy Summer of 2017 to all.