Frequently Asked Questions

How can I see which radio stations are included in the packages?

All stations (listed by call letters) will be included in the confirmation/invoice email you will receive after completing your order.

Do you provide the contact information for each radio station?

The DMDS Direct Terms & Conditions prevents us from disclosing end user contact information to any third parties.

I've used DMDS Direct to delivery my release to radio. When will they start playing it?

DMDS Direct provides access to your promotional release for radio programmers to stream and download in broadcast-quality (provided you upload your music as a broadcast-quality wav file). There is never a guarantee your release will be listened to by a programmer, or played on air. That depends on the quality of your music and what the radio programmer is looking for. However to increase your chances of airplay, it is strongly recommended you hire a radio tracker/promoter to communicate on your behalf about your release to the stations selected for delivery.

DMDS Direct only allows me to upload wav and mp3 files. Which type is best?

Radio holds very high standards for the quality of audio they play on-air. Wav is the standard uncompressed digital file format suitable for radio. The compression used in converting music to mp3 degrades audio quality. Distributing a less than pristine audio file will limit your chances of gaining airplay, especially with satellite and HD broadcasters. We highly recommend that your track be sent in full wav format. In short, the higher the quality of the submitted track, the better it will represent your music, increasing the chance for consideration by programmers. Note: the source must be CD quality. Converting an mp3 to wav does not improve audio quality.

I have my music on CD. How do I get a wav file for upload?

There are a number of ways to extract a wav file from a CD. One popular method uses iTunes. If you don't have iTunes, you can download/install it for free here: www.apple.com/itunes. Under preferences, select "advanced", then "importing". Change the toggle beside "Import Using:" to "wav encoder". Put your CD in the drive and iTunes will display the tracks on your CD. Select the track(s) you'd like to convert and click the "import" button. The wav file(s) will be located in your iTunes music folder.

Which people at each radio station will have access to my music?

Typically it will be the Program Director and/or Music Director that can log in to DMDS and stream/download your music. There are, however, many stations that include Specialty Show Programmers, Mix Show Programmers, DJ's, Morning Show Producers, and more.

Are radio stations receptive to receiving new music digitally?

Yes. DMDS is used by all major labels, and many independents across North America. If you listen to the radio, much of the new music played was delivered digitally. Using DMDS Direct allows delivery access equal to the major labels.

I don't have a label logo. Can I still proceed?

Yes. Enter the name of your label in text. If you don't have a label name, we recommend entering "Independent" in the label field.

What kind of pictures are typically included with tracks?

Usually the first image is the album cover or single image and the second is a photo of the artist or group.

What kind of information is typically included in the "Track Information" field?

Feel free to include any textual information that you feel will help your track get noticed or pique interest. Artist bio, album/track reviews, tour date listings, prior airplay, etc. are all common examples.

Can I use DMDS Direct to send my music to radio and other industry professionals outside of North America?

DMDS Direct only offers servicing to radio stations and industry professionals in the United States and Canada. Service may expand to other international markets in the future.

Will my personal information, eg. email, address, phone number be sold or given to any other organization?

No. The DMDS Direct Terms & Conditions prevent us from disseminating your personal contact information to any other organizations.

How are recipients notified that my music is available on DMDS?

Each user in your list of selected destinations will receive a DMDS Direct digest email on Monday morning. It will list all tracks sent to that user over the preceding seven day period. The Artist and Title of your track will be listed with a button that links the user to the track info page.

Where can recipients find my music on DMDS?

By default, all available tracks will be listed in chronological order with the most recent at the top. Users can also enter the artist name or title into the search field.

What are the browser requirements?

In order to use DMDS Direct, you must be running one of the following browsers:

  • Internet Explorer 6+
  • Firefox 2+
  • Safari 2+

In addition, please make sure that:

  • Cookies are enabled
  • SSL is enabled
  • JavaScript is enabled
  • Flash player 8 or greater is installed

I've clicked the Add Track button but nothing happens. What's going on?

If you're using a Mac running OS X 10.5 (Leopard), you may have an older version of the Flash player plugin that doesn't support our uploader. Make sure you install the latest version of the player from Adobe's web site.