Promo to DJs · 4 min read
How to get DJ support for your track
A DJ supports a track when it is easy to play and clearly fits what they already play: a club-ready file, BPM and key up front, room to mix in and out, sent before release to someone who plays that sound. Ask for a listen rather than a favour, and make replying a one-click job. NeedlePool shows who listened and what each DJ wrote; whether a DJ plays the track in a set, only they can tell you.
What “support” looks like
It comes in a few forms: a DJ plays the track in a set or on a radio show, adds it to a chart or a playlist, writes back with feedback, or quotes it publicly. They are not equal. A play in a set is the strongest, a written reply is the easiest to get, and each one has to be earned by making the track easy to say yes to.
What makes a track easy to support
- 1A file a DJ can useStream first, then a full-quality WAV or a high-bitrate MP3 for the DJs who ask. Name the file clearly (artist, title, mix name) and tag BPM and key where you can.
- 2A version they can mixA DJ needs a beat-only intro and outro to mix in and out of. If the radio edit is all you have, say so; if you have a club or extended mix, send that one.
- 3The facts up frontGenre, BPM, key and release date in the first two lines. If it has vocals, say so, and mention an instrumental if you have one.
- 4The right DJA DJ supports what fits sets they already play. Read their tracklists, listen to a couple of recent mixes, and write one line on why this track is for them.
- 5A small askAsk for a listen, or for feedback on one thing. Asking for a guaranteed play puts a DJ in an awkward spot, and nobody can promise it for them.
- 6A reason to answerMake replying one step: a rating and a line on the page, not an email they have to compose. On NeedlePool’s promo page a DJ can rate the track and write a few lines, and it is attached to the release.
After the first send
Thank the people who answered, including the ones who passed; a short note keeps the door open for the next release. A DJ who played your track is the best person to send the next one to, so keep a list of who answered and write to them first.
Don’t send the same track twice. NeedlePool skips anyone who already received that release from you, so a second wave reaches new people.
Seeing who supported it
The campaign report lists, by name, who pressed play, who downloaded and what each person rated and wrote. A written line from a DJ is the part you can reuse: any rating and quote can become a share card with the DJ’s words, sized for a post or a story.
The report can’t see sets. If a DJ plays the track out, you will hear about it from them, so make it easy for them to tell you.
Be wary of anyone who sells guaranteed support. Nobody can promise that a DJ will play a track, and NeedlePool doesn’t guarantee placements or label signings.
Questions
Can I get feedback from DJs on an unreleased track?
Yes. Each DJ who opens your promo page can rate the track and write a few lines, and those collect against the release. Some will pass without writing; you will see who listened either way.
Do DJs download the track?
They can download the WAV, AIF or MP3 you uploaded to the promo page, and every download is counted by name.
Should I send the track before or after release?
Before. A DJ can only be among the first to play a track if they have it before it is out. After release, send the streaming links with Link Promo to your own lists instead.
What if nobody replies?
Silence is the usual answer, so check the report. If few people opened the email, look at the subject line and the sender name. If they opened it and pressed play but didn’t reply, shrink the ask to a one-click rating. Then try a better-matched list with the next track.
What does it cost?
Starting is free, with no card and no time limit: you send to your own contacts. Paid plans open our Promo pool in any genre and start at $14.99 a month (Starter).
Keep reading
- How to send promo to DJsThe sending side: what to write, whom to pick, how to follow up.
- How to send a demo to a record labelEight steps from a finished track to an A&R’s inbox.
- NeedlePool for artistsSend music to DJs, radio and labels and see who listened.
- NeedlePool for DJs and curatorsWhat the person receiving the promo sees.
- Promoly vs NeedlePoolDJ promo pools compared: free plan, prices, label pitching.
- PricingWhat each plan includes.
See who listened to your next track
Send it to your own contacts, and the report names each one who played it. No card. The Promo pool opens with Starter, $14.99 a month.