Doing It Indie: Clear Channel and the Unsigned Artists

Independent artist Alycia Nichole has climbed to #2 on the iHeartRadio Hip-Hop/R&B music charts after being on the site for only 10 short days.

Breaking onto the airwaves is a huge challenge for any independent artist. You are up against the major record labels and a huge monolith called Clear Channel Radio.

In 2008, Clear Channel brought its 350+ radio stations online into a portal called iHeartRadio (iheartradio.com). Come 2009, they added a new section to the portal to help listeners discover new music called "Discover & Uncover" which included a category for unsigned artists. Finally there was a way for unsigned artists to get heard by program directors and fans alike. The newly formed section quickly drew over 300,000 artists, all hoping to get their music on the airwaves.

"I heard about iHeartRadio from a fan on Twitter and I submitted my single 'Suddenly'," states Alycia Nichole.

"After the first few days, my plays started rapidly increasing, and then I discovered myself on the charts! I asked myself, 'is this for real?'"

This was only the beginning. In 10 short days Alycia Nichole went from being an unknown to #3 on iHeartRadio's unsigned "Hit" list and to #2 on their charts for the top unsigned Hip-hop/R&B artists. "Suddenly" is spreading like wildfire through the online portal.

"Suddenly" made it's first FM debut on Santa Barbara's KJEE 92.9 FM on September 6th, 2009. Local radio DJ Cool Ruler invited Alycia Nichole into the studio for a 20 minute interview and to personally introduce her debut single.

"I have the most amazing and supportive fans and management a musician could ask for. The chart success would not be possible with out them," states the artist.

"Suddenly" has been released digitally through iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster and eMusic

For more information, contact:

Luke Archer
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T. (805) 963-3592
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