The three winners of the Australian radio Industry’s 2008 New Artist 2 Radio (NA2R) initiative Boston Shaker (rock category); Ashleigh Mannix (pop category) and Emma-Louise (adult contemporary category) have for the first time in the competition’s seven year history, each produced a CD single for sale in retail stores.
As part of the NA2R competition, MGM Distribution (MGM) has manufactured and distributed the winners’ tracks and will provide each with retail release in stores and digital release via iTunes from Saturday, 7 February.
VGM Media and Marketing (VGM) helped design the single cover and CD art for distribution and provided the winners in each genre with advice on how to maximize radio airplay and exposure.
In addition to the CD release, from 2 February NA2R winners share in a $150,000 worth of advertising across the four major radio networks down the east coast of Australia and receive airplay with an opportunity to be added to the 2009 playlists of selected radio stations.
CRA’s Joan Warner says: “The retail release of a CD single by this year’s NA2R winners illustrates the quality of our entries and the industry support young artists can receive as part of the NA2R initiative.
“NA2R has helped launched some very successful music careers since its inception, including artists like Delta Goodrem, Kid Courageous, Sarah Blasko, Thirsty Merc, Jade Macrae and the Sunpilots.”
NA2R 2008 winners’ tracks can be heard on myspace at the link below.
NA2R 2007 winners have capitilized on their free advertising and airplay. The Sunpilots, winner of the 2007 rock category, had their single “Spotlight in the Sun” achieve the #1 Most Added Song on radio in Feb 2008 and entered the Top 100 most played tracks on radio in March 2008. The album “Living Receiver” was released in August and has won three Indie Album of the Year awards from Australian music press. They have released a follow up single “You’re Gonna Be a Star” and the band kick off another national tour in February and the third single from the album, “Drones” is at radio next week.
Cassie Davis (one half of the winning brother and sister team Six O Six) has signed with Sony Music and made The Music Network’s #2 Most Added chart with strong support from 77 stations around Australia committed to play her music.
The NA2R Commercial Radio Australia initiative aims to discover the next big music star to be played on commercial radio throughout the country and is an event open to unsigned Australian artists who have not charted in the top 100 Australian National airplay chart. Call for entries in the 2009 NA2R will begin in May 2009.