I’ve just replied to probably the 150th up & coming artist this month who’s asked how best to send me music. As it’s probably the most frequently asked question of me (alongside track requests) I thought I would write on here too. I’m sent A LOT of music from artists & producers and to be brutally honest, most of it isn’t ready for national radio exposure. I’m mainly sent links to someone’s “album” or “mixtape” that I’m never going to download. If I’m sent a link from someone I don’t know, call me old fashioned, but I don’t click it. Spyware, malware & hacking is rife (just ask any PS3 fans!) plus listening through an entire album to try and listen to 2 tracks that I may be into simply won’t happen. My advice to anyone who wants to get my attention and send me music:

1) Choose your BEST and STRONGEST FINISHED song. One that, after listening to my radio shows, you think I may be into the most. Remember, I don’t play demos on my show so you’re best to make sure you’re sending me purely finished material. I also tend to not play bootlegs or “mixtape freestyles” on my show so do your research – is it something I may want to play?

2) Find out the best way to send me your track. This isn’t hard at all. Simply google “sending MistaJam music”. Since Twitter & Facebook, people seem to forget how to use google! If you’re really google phobic, the contact page on this very website contains the full breakdown of how to get in contact with me. There’s a link at the top of the page.

3) Send me that one track as a 320 kbps mp3 whether it’s to my soundcloud, my music gmail account or a finished CD. I’d personally recommend either the email or soundcloud dropbox route. Make sure the MP3 or CD is properly tagged. I have 234 gigs of music on my laptop, if it’s not correctly marked; it will probably get lost.

4) If I like it, when I get a chance to hear it, you’ll get some feedback. If I don’t feel the need to feedback, I won’t. Once again, this is simply down to the sheer amount of music I’m sent. If I fed back to everyone, I would have NO time to do anything else. If you send it to Soundcloud, you’re told when I get the chance to listen to it. On Soundcloud, I also give priority to anything that’s sent exclusively to me. On the email address, I have set up an auto reply that will let you know that I’ve recieved the track. There’s absolutely no need to pester me into listening to your track as from experience, those who pester simply have the worst music!!

5) I’d also go to the BBC Introducing uploader and put music up there. Your local BBC Introducing team would be sent the track and once again, will feed back if they like it. They regularly feed tracks into us here at 1Xtra and also to Radio 1 and 6 Music so there’s always a chance it could make some headway. Just because I don’t like the track doesn’t necessarily mean other DJ’s wouldn’t and may not play it on their shows.

6) The BBC isn’t the ONLY route. Are the DJ’s on pirate and community stations playing you? Have the specialist DJ’s within your world been supporting you? Have you built up a fanbase that will make me take notice of you? Do you have YouTube stats to back up your claim that you are the hottest thing on road? All of these things NEED to be alongside your great finished record otherwise it will make things harder for you.

YOU NEED TO MAKE YOURSELF AN UNDENIABLE PROSPECT!

Don’t forget, it’s not just unsigned & up and coming artists that are vying for airtime on radio shows so competition is fierce to get a spin. Make sure you’re sending me ‘A game’ material that sonically can stand up next to anything I’m playing.

Good luck!

**UPDATE: If you’re an up & coming UK DJ wanting to take part in 1500 Seconds of Fame, the info is on the 1Xtra site. Don’t send your mixes to me, send them via the methods detailed here