What is BBC Introducing?
BBC Introducing was created in 2007 and brought to America starting in 2025 to support unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar musicians. We’ve brought all of the BBC’s supporters of unsigned music together under one brand to nurture and give great exposure to the freshest artists across the UK and US. Your music could be played on broadcast throughout the US every week.
Is there a limit to the number of tracks I can upload?
As of Dec 2025, the upload limit was updated to 2 tracks every 30 days. This takes effect from the date you upload your first track. Our message to you is clear: we want you to send us your very best tracks. The Uploader is your window of opportunity to really impress our producers and it shouldn’t be wasted.
What is the Uploader?
The Uploader is a tool that allows you to upload your own tracks to us, and in turn distributes your music to radio shows for producers to listen to.
How can I use the Uploader?
In order to upload tracks, you need to do the following:
Artists under the age of 16
If you are under the age of 16 you must not upload any recordings – a guardian, family member, teacher or carer must upload on behalf of anyone under 16 and therefore they will need to use their email address for all communication between BBC Introducing in America and the account holder. They will also need to agree to the Terms and Conditions of the BBC Introducing in America Uploader as the “artist” on your behalf and to have the rights and permissions in place to agree to the terms and conditions set out.
What are the Terms of Use?
There are a few rules to stick to when using the our services and they are in the College Radio Foundations Terms of Use. There are also some Extra Terms of Use that apply specifically to using the BBC Introducing in America Uploader.
You should also read the College Radio Foundations Privacy & Cookies Policy and the BBC Introducing America User Privacy Notice.
When I submit music to you, does that mean you own it?
No. When you agree to the BBC Introducing in America Extra Terms of Use and upload music to us, you aren’t signing over any ownership rights.
Will my music be used on podcasts and music mixes?
If your track is played by your local BBC Introducing in America show, it could be included in one of our free podcasts. These include music and features from various artists, and are available during a set period of time (typically 30 days) to download and listen to online. A great example of this is Emily Pilbeam’s BBC Introducing Mixtape which makes every track featured in her radio show available together in one mixtape as a free podcast from BBC Sounds.
If you are invited to record a session with your local BBC Introducing in America show, then that may also be made available on the College Radio Foundation website for people to watch.
Do I have to live in the US?
Yes. You can only upload music to BBC Introducing in America if you’re based in the United States. You’ll need to enter a valid State (We are currently only accepting submissions from the state of Tennessee), so that we can work out which Introducing radio show is closest to you. The information you put here is useful for our local producers.
Can I upload tracks as a songwriter?
We welcome uploads from songwriters. Feel free to upload – just make sure that it’s clear in your Bio that you are uploading as a songwriter and that it’s clear on the individual tracks you upload who is performing.
What information do I need to provide and why?
When you create your Introducing artist submission, there are a number of fields for you to fill out. This is your opportunity to tell us about yourself, your band/collective and your music. You can tell us as much or as little as you like, but bear in mind it helps our DJs and producers get a feel for who you are and what you’re all about. Some of the information you provide might therefore be read out on air if you get broadcast, so make sure it’s up to date.
The Artist Name, Real Name, Phone Number, Contact Email Address, Genre, one social media link and connection to local area fields are mandatory, along with your lyrics but all others are optional.
As per the College Radio Foundation Privacy Policy, we will keep all your information confidential and generally we will only use your information within the BBC and College Radio Foundation. However, we sometimes use third parties to provide services on our behalf, for example independent producers who make programmes for us. We may use the information you give us to contact you in order to check your content or obtain further information about your work. We may also contact you in relation to particular projects or to seek your consent if we want to use your work for a different purpose. More information about how we handle your personal data can be found in the BBC Introducing in America User Privacy Notice.
“Please could you provide more information about your connection to this local area?” – what should I put in this field on my Profile?
In this section please write a line or two about how you are connected to your local area. For example this could be as simple as “I’ve lived here all my life” or “I’m studying at university here”, etc.
When you upload a track it goes first and foremost to the radio show in your local area and it’s useful for them to see this sort of contextual information, particularly if they play your track and want to talk about you on the radio!
How do I delete my information from the system completely?
You can delete your information by simply sending us an email. Please read the BBC Introducing in America Privacy Notice for details on how your personal data is handled.
Can I upload a cover or remix?
Generally, no. We can only consider original material for airplay on BBC Introducing in America shows or podcasts, so please don’t upload covers of songs written by someone else. We accept mixes that are specified as ‘DJ/Producer’.
If you’ve remixed a song, you can only upload it to us if you have obtained all the correct clearances and permissions for any samples you have used from the original writer(s) and copyright holder(s).
Can I upload songs which feature swearing?
Our radio shows cannot play tracks that feature explicit language. If you have clean radio edits that you can upload instead, please do.
The uploaded tracks must not contain anything that conflicts with the BBC guidelines on harm and offense.
Is there a limit to the size of file I can upload?
Yes – each file you upload must be less than 100MB in size.
What file types can I upload?
The Uploader can accept WAV and MP3 files up to 100MB in size.
Remember, your music may end up being played on a BBC radio show, so try to send the highest quality files you can. The bit rate of your tracks should be 192kbps stereo or higher – ideally, 320kbps – at Constant Bit Rate (CBR).
Note: the Uploader cannot currently accept ‘extensible WAV’ files. Standard WAV files are fine
Can I edit or delete my uploaded tracks?
Yes. For any tracks you have already uploaded, you can send us an email with the proper title and songwriter names. If you uploaded the wrong MP3 file, you can email us the corrected version.
Can I reupload a track I’ve already uploaded to improve my chances of being featured?
No.
The Uploader has a system in place to automatically recognise tracks that have previously been uploaded. If you reupload the same track it will inherit all the data that it previously had, including the amount of plays and broadcasts, plus the local radio show it was assigned to when it was originally uploaded.
This means that if you delete a track and reupload it, it will simply return to the place it was in before and there will be no benefit.
I’m in more than one band / have more than one music project – should I upload under a single profile?
No.
Each distinct artist should have their own profile.
For instance, if you are a solo artist who is also a member of a band, your solo music should be uploaded in one profile and your band’s should be in another.
Can I get feedback on my tracks?
Unfortunately we cannot provide individual feedback on the tracks you upload.
Should I upload my track before its release date?
Bear in mind that it’s possible a radio producer may listen and choose to broadcast your track before your planned release date. For this reason we recommend you only upload a track if you are happy for it to be played out on the radio from the point at which you upload.
Can I send you my tracks on YouTube / Soundcloud / Spotify / etc.?
Please note we will only consider tracks uploaded to the Introducing Uploader.
I am trying to upload a track but it keeps failing – what can I do?
Is the file you’re trying to upload bigger than 200MB? Our system will not be able to handle it. You need to try uploading a smaller file.
Are you trying to upload a file that is not a WAV or MP3? Our system cannot handle any other file types.
Is the file an MP3 with an image embedded in the metadata? Currently our system cannot handle MP3s with more than 4MB of metadata. Try uploading a version of the MP3 without an image attached to it.
Is the file in ‘extensible WAV’ format? The Uploader cannot currently accept this file format. Standard WAV files are fine.
If none of the above applies, when you get in contact with us, please do the following:
provide your artist name
tell us what operating system you are using
tell us what browser (and version) you are using
confirm the file size and type of your audio file
try uploading one of the files and tell us the time of the attempt
send us a screenshot of the site when the upload fails
What happens when I submit my music?
Your tracks will automatically be assigned to your nearest BBC Introducing in America show based on the State you entered. If your type of music falls into one of our more niche genres then we may also send it to a show that specialises in that type of music.
Who will listen to the music I upload?
We have a collective of music-loving teams making the radio shows across the UK and US, the Presenters, producers and apprentices working on our local and national radio shows all have access to listen to the music you upload via a system at our end.
Your tracks are most likely to be listened to first by someone working on your local BBC Introducing in America show or the national programme you chose to target when you registered. As soon as this happens, we’ll send you an email to let you know.
The decision to broadcast your song and forward it onwards rests with show teams.
How long does it take to listen to my music?
Because of the volume of music submitted through the Uploader we advise artists that it can sometimes take up to 6 months (and occasionally longer) to get heard. The local Introducing radio show assigned to your upload listen to as much new music as they can.
My track has been listened to – does this mean it will be broadcast?
No. A listen doesn’t guarantee your track will be played on air. However, if our producers do decide to broadcast your music, you’ll be notified.
There isn’t a set amount of time to expect between a track being listened to and then being broadcast. However, if it’s been months since your track was listened to, it’s quite likely that it hasn’t been chosen to be broadcast.
Will I be told if my music is played on air?
Yes, providing you have given us your correct contact email address. If one of the songs you’ve uploaded to us gets broadcast on the radio, you should receive an email from us. This may take place after the show you’ve been played on has been broadcast.
How can I improve my chances of getting airplay?
There’s no easy answer here. Obviously, we can’t play every track that we receive. So try not to be too discouraged if your tracks are listened to but don’t get broadcast. There are plenty of other avenues out there to explore.
Remember, first impressions count. If the first thing a producer hears is a badly recorded demo, it might put them off considering the tracks you upload in future. On the other hand, if the song isn’t good enough quality to broadcast, but shows the making of a great song, the producer might get in touch with you to ask for more. Weigh this up – and if you really want to upload tracks which aren’t quite polished yet, you might want to consider emailing your local show in advance to warn them and explain your approach.
So, think carefully about what you submit. Make sure you’re 100% happy with the tracks you’ve recorded before you upload them to us, and fill out the Biography section on your Profile with a decent amount of info about you and your music, enough to give our radio teams a flavour of what you’re all about and something to read out on air.
Will you share my music with third parties?
Currently we only use your music at the BBC or College Radio Foundation. However, we are always exploring opportunities to share music with potential partners, you will be contacted if this happens.
If you can’t find the answer you are looking for, you can contact us by email at rob@collegeradioday.com. Due to the large volume of emails that come in this may not be immediately. Please include your artist name, track titles and screenshots where relevant. It is also useful to email us from the email address associated with your upload.
