A college radio DJ opens your email, plays your new single, and likes what they hear. Then they open your download folder and find two files called “final” and “final2.” Which one is the clean edit?

You can spare them the guesswork. A good submission helps someone hear the song, see where it fits, and find the version they can play. Here’s what to put together before you send your first pitch.

1. Check the station’s submission page

Find out how the station wants to receive music. For digital submissions, NC State’s WKNC uses a form and prefers WAV files. Princeton’s WPRB accepts email and gives priority to physical releases. See the WKNC submission FAQ and WPRB music submission guidelines.

Listen to a show or look at a few recent playlists while you’re on the station’s site. A specialty show that plays music like yours gives you a concrete reason to pitch that station. Use the contact or form the station lists for submissions.

2. Put the essentials in one place

• Track details. Include your artist name, song title, hometown, release date, and the running time of the version you’re sending.
• A short description. Give the programmer a sense of the sound in one sentence. “Jangly indie rock with a power-pop chorus” gives them something to go on.
• A listening link. When the station accepts streaming links, point to the single itself so the reviewer can press play right away.
• A downloadable audio file. Use the station’s requested format and label the version clearly. If you have a clean edit, a filename like Glass Mileage - Exit 14 (Clean Edit).wav tells the DJ what they’re getting. Flag explicit language if the track contains it.
• A contact. Include the name and email of the person who can answer questions or send another version.

3. Send a short, specific pitch

If the station takes email submissions, put the artist and song title in the subject line. Give the reader a reason you chose their station, then put the listening and download links on separate lines. Attach audio files only when the station asks for them. Here’s an example using a fictional band.

4. Test the links before you hit send

Open your links in a private browser window. Can you play the song and download the right file without signing into your own account or requesting access? Play the downloaded file, too. It’s an easy way to catch an old mix or an explicit version that landed in the clean-edit folder.

Once you’ve sent the pitch, record the station, date, and version you sent. If the station accepts follow-ups, you’ll know exactly what it received. For more on where airplay can fit into your release plans, see Why College Radio Matters for Indie Artists.