About our radio campaign and decision to use GetRadioPlay
In Fall 2011 we began our search for a major radio promotions company that had the ability to get our songs played on major radio.
We talked to many radio promotions companies prior to selecting GRP in February but chose to use GRP was based on strong public and written representations that GRP could, and would, get our songs played on major radio stations for us, in fact guaranteed they could!
GRP publicly claims (GetRadioPlay.com):
"GetRadioPlay is a cutting edge global Radio promotion company with the know-how and contacts to get your songs played. With a money-back spin guarantee and great prices, say good-by to guesswork, legwork and paperwork."
GRP publicly claims (GetRadioPlay.com/about.php):
No more hollow promises and cheap internet radio networks. Getradioplay gets you played on the major nationwide radio stations. Simple!
GRP publicly states "Money Back Guarantee" (GetRadioPlay.com/about.php):
"The acceptance of your music by Getradioplay.com indicates that your music has passed a rigorous review process by our A &R staff. This review is essential, as the goal of Getradioplay.com is not to pollute the airways with bad music. Also this review process allows us to maintain our "money-back guarantee" service." GRP's Money Back Guarantee, also weighed heavily on our decision to work with them.
We submitted several songs initially for review by GRP and our decision to start the campaign with the song we did came at GRPs recommendation, calling the song chartable. We followed their advice because they claim to be the experts and also claim their review process is very rigorous, as stated above under the "Money Back Guarantee", and designed to protect the airways from bad music.
We offered GRP a budget amount greater than any of their fixed package options but we acted on GRP's recommendation to start with a 1,000 spin weekly guarantee, at an amount less than our stated budget. GRP stated 1,000 spins is a good startwe have a few major stations we are very close to in NYC and NYC is the #1 market in the country.
GRP also states the 1,000 spin guarantee are PAID spins only and does not include and free extras.
GRP claims it takes up to 3 weeks for a song to gain momentum and be picked up by major radio stations everywhere and this why they suggest a minimum 8 week campaign. They further state that by the 4th week your song is on "cruise control".
GRP claims to serve customers by email, live chat and phone, if necessary, due to "high volume of inquiries and customers".
The results of our campaign:
Overall, the campaign was a complete disaster and waste of time and money. GRP grossly overstates their expertise and capabilities and lacks the ability to get our songs played on major radio, as claimed.
The only spins we received from GRP's campaign came from internet radio stations, stations you can get songs played on without paying a radio promotions company like GRP! We seriously questioned the integrity of the internet radio stations they provided in GRP's weekly spin report because many stations were in completely different genres. For example, our song was a "pop" song, "top 40" type material, but many of the internet stations GRP reported to us came from "country" stations. Additionally, we followed up with some of the internet stations GRP reported to us and most said they didn't play our song, or never heard of it.
NONE of the 1,000 guaranteed spins were actually PAID SPINS as advertised and guaranteed!
During the 3rd and 4th week of the campaign we sent many email inquiries to GRP questioning when we would see the major stations start playing our song. All of those communications went completely ignored/unanswered by them.
After 2-3 weeks of being ignored by GRP they finally responded to one of our "stern" emails trying to claim that they responded to all of our emails and even suggested they got dumped in our spam folders. Of course the emails didn't get dumped in spam folders because they never sent them. Ironically, all communications they claimed they responded to had to do with issues like "spin guarantees", "paid spins", "major radio", etc, all items they were failing to deliver on. GRP said they would resend all of their responses that we claimed went ignored/unanswered, which we requested, and they never did!
In one of their email communications during the campaign GRP told us a major radio station in Germany wanted to do a live interview with the band, but of course this never happened. When confronted about it they ignored us.
When the campaign ended, and failed miserably, we requested a refund under GRP's "Money Back Guarantee", but as expected was immediately rejected. GRP used stall tactics and other methods to avoid the topic of refunding our money. GRP also attempts to avoid the money back guarantee by hiding behind the fine print of the terms and conditions of their website. And as a last ditch effort by GRP they tried to offer us the same campaign for another song but why would anyone accept a second campaign as "reimbursement" when they already proved their campaigns are worthless!
During the entire campaign, and after it ended, GRP hid behind a computer and not once offered a phone number to speak with any representative of the company, even when confronted with serious concerns/issues that typically warrant such contact.
GRP claims to make live chat available but the service is always offline.
GRP claims to be a cutting edge global Radio promotion company with the know-how and contacts
but they have proven to be nothing more than "smoke and mirrors", a company hiding behind false and misleading statements with the ability to deliver nothing more than internet radio, something bands can do on their own AT NO COST!
As of this filing GRP has completely ignored us and our communications and still has not provided any refund.
The music industry is filled with too many con artists and scams. We are hopeful our efforts here will protect other bands like us who work hard every day pursuing a dream.
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