Announcing: New Music Faster

collegeradioday

What if we could remind everyone that college radio broadcasters are still the best music curators out there? What if we could again bring to a wider audience the fruits of our continual musical explorations?

We want to discover new music as soon as it’s made public – within the same day, or even hour of its posting online. We want to get there before anyone else, and before it’s on any of those mainstream streaming services. We want to get there before any of those well-established website deems the music to be to be cool or fashionable enough to deserve coverage.

To those who work in college radio, music is everything, and it’s time that our ‘tastemaker’ credentials received their overdue credit.

That’s why we are starting New Music Faster. As a way to let the wider world discover new music and to demonstrate that college radio has always championed the unsung and the underground. New Music Faster is a manifestation of that independent spirit.

We are putting together a team that will help discover, curate and champion the very best independent and unsigned artists out there. If you are involved with your college radio station (either as a student, a music director, or a community volunteer for example), and are passionate about new music – then we invite you to apply to be a part of our team here:

Link: http://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/d0uA4i9Fv1z0g67

Why New Music Faster?

  1. College radio discovers, exposes and breaks new music. We have always done this. It’s just that with the internet and the streaming services, the idea has got about that we are no longer influential. Bollocks, we say.
  2. College radio brings to a wider audience the fruits of its continual explorations. Its DJs and music directors prove that college radio stations are still the best music curators out there
  3. In the local communities where they operate, college radio stations actively and enthusiastically nurture and encourage artists and bands to share their new music and to perform live on-air and at special events.
  4. College radio isn’t about making a profit. College radio is concerned with making great radio that is fueled by pure passion, and playing music that we believe you need to hear. College radio is never going to screw you.
  5. College radio is not designed to be mainstream, because the mainstream could never handle it. Our music and programming is bold and adventurous and college radio is convention-defying in what it provides to its audience.

Vinylthon 2017 – a huge success!

collegeradioday

What an incredible day! 72 stations participated in our 2nd annual Vinylthon and we have heard that at least 12 stations went for the full 24 hours of vinyl only! Thanks for all the stations who participated, and thanks to everyone who tuned in to listen!

A favorite moment was when we were told of a remarkable effort by one student, Mark Holmes at Warner University Radio (FL),  who did almost 24 hours by himself!

Apparently at a weekly student media staff meeting last Wednesday, Warner University senior Mark Holmes told his media advisor “We’re getting a golden slipmat for Vinython. Trust me.”

He almost single-handedly kept his word. For Vinylthon 2017, Holmes came on the air at midnight and played seven straight hours of vinyl. A second student relieved him for two hours, and he went on again at 9 a.m. A third student came in and went live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then he was back — and this time to stay to the end.

In all, Holmes will have sat in on 18 hours of vinyl, solo.

Mark Holmes, who did 18 hours solo!

“I just thought this would be a fun thing to do,” he said during this 13th hour. “I am a little tired though.”

His favorite vinyl so far? “I’d have to say The Wiz soundtrack,” he said. His least favorite? “To be honest, all of the vinyl hasn’t been that bad — even Kenny Rogers,” he said, “but, if I had to be honest, I’d say Good morning Sunshine by Oliver.”

Just after he hit the midnight mark – we contacted him. You can hear how that went.

Congrats Mark and all the stations who participated! Here’s to Vinylthon 2018!

In Vinyl We Trust: College Radio ‘Vinylthon’ Unites Over 70 College Radio Stations This Saturday

collegeradioday

  • Twelve stations plan to go a full 24 hours of vinyl-only for the event
  • Don McLean (American Pie) and Daniel Lanois (co-producer of U2’s The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby) have both provided exclusive interviews for the event
  • Stations will also help fundraise for the College Radio Fund that provides grants to college radio stations that need them the most
  • “Before computer algorithms and commercially-driven streaming services there was college radio – and we passionately believe that we are still the best musical curators out there!” says event founder, Rob Quicke

SATURDAY, APRIL 22: 72 campus stations across the country will come together to celebrate the unique music format of vinyl for the second college radio Vinylthon on Saturday, April 22nd. The day is also the 10th annual Record Store Day.

The Vinylthon is being organized by the College Radio Foundation and will see college radio stations broadcasting special programs entirely with music played from vinyl records. Twelve stations have also pledged to broadcast a full 24 hours of nothing but vinyl music. By doing so, they will be awarded the inaugural Golden Slipmat Award sponsored by Glowtronics, whereby they will receive an actual custom golden slipmat as their award!

Legendary singer-songwriter Don McLean will provide an exclusive interview for the event that stations can play, as well as an interview with 11-time Grammy Award winner Daniel Lanois. Lanois is an accomplished musician and producer who has worked with artists such as U2, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel, to name just a few. Both McLean and Lanois support the Vinylthon efforts of the stations.

Founder of College Radio Day, Dr. Rob Quicke, says “the idea of this Vinylthon in conjunction with Record Store Day makes sense because college radio is still probably the only remaining broadcast medium that regularly plays music on vinyl. A lot of college students still buy vinyl at record stores and then bring them to the studio to play them on the air.”

“We want to remind everyone that for college radio, vinyl is still very important,” says Quicke.

The event is being organized by the College Radio Foundation, a non-profit charity based in New Jersey, that also organizes the annual College Radio Day event (this year on October 6). The CRD event unites hundreds of USA college radio stations every year and has been recognized and supported by such luminaries as President Obama, Moby, Coldplay, Wilco, Andrew WK, Aviici, The Lumineers, and Wyclef Jean, among others. TIME has called College Radio Day “a nationwide movement, illuminating the cultural significance of student-run radio.”

Daniel Lanois to be Vinylthon 2017 Keynote Interview

collegeradioday

We are very excited to announce that Daniel Lanois will be the featured keynote interview for this year’s Vinylthon event.

Canadian-born Lanois, is is best known for producing albums for a wide variety of artists, including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, and Brandon Flowers. Lanois also collaborated with Brian Eno: most famously on producing several albums for U2, including the multi-platinum The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. Three albums produced or co-produced by Lanois have won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Four other albums received Grammy nominations.

As well as discussing his award-winning production work, in his interview with College Radio Day founder, Rob Quicke, Lanois also talks about his remarkable solo work, his experiences in the studio,  as well as his friendships with many of the most well-known artists of today.

The interview will be made available to all participating stations that are taking part in the 2nd annual Vinylthon, happening nationwide on Saturday, April 22nd.

For those stations with the guts – here’s the glory!

collegeradioday

We are delighted to announce that for the first time, those stations that go vinyl only for the full 24 hours on April 22nd for our 2nd Annual Vinylthon, will be presented with a very special award!

The Golden Slipmat Award is an actual slipmat that will be sent to all stations that pull off this remarkable feat! We are also grateful for Glowtronics for their official sponsorship of this award. The slipmat is a professional grade custom slipmat, made from only the highest quality 21oz felt material, with high-quality full color sublimation printing on both sides.

The rules to receive this award are as follows:

1. A college or high school radio station must have registered to participate in Vinylthon 2017 (it’s free).

2. Any pre-recorded music to be played from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM (station’s local time) on April 22nd must be played from vinyl only.

3. Stations can still play imaging and also pre-recorded documentary/speech material (such as our Vinylthon feature) during this time – but all pre-recorded music must be from vinyl.

4. Stations can still have live performances and interviews from bands during the 24 hours.

5. At the end of the day, both the faculty advisor and a student involved with management (such as Station Manager or Program Director for example)  must verify via an online form to confirm that these rules were adhered to. Then you will receive the award you have earned!

Last year six stations went the whole 24 hours – this year, who will join them in the eternal ranks of glory?

“College Radio. Now. More Than Ever” PSA series now released nationwide to college radio

collegeradioday

A new radio PSA campaign is being launched by the College Radio Foundation today. The series, called “College Radio. Now. More Than Ever” is a PSA series created to be played by college radio as a reminder to its audience of the importance of college radio to those that make and listen to it. The campaign will see several PSAs launched throughout the rest of the year that highlight just how vital college radio is as a medium in its own right.

LINK TO PSAs: https://soundcloud.com/collegeradioday/sets/college-radio-now-more-than-ever-psa-series-for-college-radio/s-rLGq2

The series is also designed to challenge the assumption that college radio is perhaps dying or diminishing. “This is a timely reminder to those on and off campus that college radio is still changing lives and providing music and programming that you won’t hear anywhere else,” says Lori Quicke, Executive Director of the College Radio Foundation. “With this series we will be making the case that college radio changes the lives of those who are involved with it, and connects with local communities in ways that no other medium does.”

The PSA series will feature the voices of students and staff involved with college radio today who speak openly and passionately about how college radio has impacted them. “For many, college radio is the starting place for their career, and college radio gives them the communication skills and confidence to be successful in many career paths, not just in broadcasting,” says Quicke.

The College Radio Foundation is dedicated to promoting and supporting college radio in all its forms. Their signature event is College Radio Day (October 6, 2017), which typically sees hundreds of college radio stations participating across the country to raise the profile of college radio.