BBC Introducing

What are the BBC Uploaded User Generated Content Terms?
See the BBC Uploaded User Generated Content Terms FAQ

What is this?
If you're an artist or are in a band, BBC Introducing invites you to upload your music, so that it can be considered for airplay on BBC radio shows all over the UK. We launched the Upload Your Music section of the BBC Introducing site in February 2009.

How do I use this system?
When you first use this system, you need to go through the following steps:

1. Register a membership account with BBC Online
2. Enter the your details as an artist/band

Once this is set up, you will not need to do this again. From then on, you can simply log in and upload tracks.

If you would like to see how this all works before getting started, watch the video tutorial.

Do I have to live in the UK?
Yes. You can only upload music to BBC Introducing if you're based in the UK. You'll need to enter a valid UK postcode, so that we know where you band is based and can work out which Introducing radio show is closest to you.

If you're based outside the UK and still want your music to be heard by the BBC, you can of course send a demo CD to your chosen programme or DJ, or email them a link to a site where they can hear your tunes. You should find the relevant contact details on the radio station or programme's web pages.

Why do I need to register?
We need to store certain details about you as an artist, such as your name, location and email address. The system stores this information so that you don't have to repeatedly re-send it when you upload more tracks. Registering also helps us to keep in touch with you about how your music is progressing once we receive it.

The registration bit looks different from the site, why?
The BBC has a registration system that everyone who makes sites on bbc.co.uk can tap into. It lives on a different server, which is why it looks slightly different.

This registration system will be changing soon, but don't worry if you're already registered, you will be able to use the same username and password in future.

I forgot my login details - can you help?
If you can't remember the username or password which you set up to log into your BBC Online membership, please read this advice.

Can I upload a cover or remix?
No. We can only consider original material for airplay on BBC Introducing shows or podcasts, so please don't upload covers or remixes of songs written by someone else.

Can I upload songs which feature swearing?
While you can upload tracks with swearing or adult content, it makes it tricky for our radio shows to play the tracks on air without first having to edit them. So, if you have clean radio edits that you can upload instead, please do.

Is there a limit to the size of file I can upload?
Yes - each MP3 file you upload must be less than 15MB in size. There is currently a BBC-wide limit to the amount of data that can be uploaded by each user, each time. We realise that 15MB can be restrictive for longer tracks and hope to change this in the near future.

In what format should I upload music?
Please upload your music in MP3 format only. Any other formats will be rejected. Remember, your music may end up being played on a BBC radio show, so try to send the highest quality MP3s you can.

The bit rate of your tracks should be 192kbps or higher (ideally, 320kbps, but there is a 15MB file size limit per track, so this may not always be possible for longer songs - we are working on this!)

Why can I only upload 3 tracks per month?
The 3 tracks per month limit is designed to keep things fair for everyone, and to make sure that BBC producers aren't overloaded with more music than they can listen to. We reckon most bands/artists know which three of their tracks are the best, and those are the tracks we want you to send us. Think of it like a virtual demo tape. Remember, you don't have to upload three at once; you can split your tracks over the 30 days, if you like.

What happens when I submit my music?
Using the postcode data you gave us when you registered, we will automatically determine which local BBC Introducing show is closest to you. The presenters and producers of that show will be notified that there is some new music waiting for them. The same will happen with the presenters and producers at the national DAB network/show of your choice (6 Music, Asian Network, 1Xtra, The Cut on BBC Switch, The Verb on Radio 3).

Will my music be sent to Radio 1?
At the moment, you cannot choose to have Radio 1 notified about your music when your upload tracks. This allows us to filter tracks upwards through our family of shows via recommendations between DJs, and not bombard the team at Radio 1 with every track in the whole country. When your music gets played on your local BBC Introducing show, Radio 1 will receive a notification.

How do I find out which Introducing show my music will be sent to?
Take a look at the shows and podcasts page, where there's a list of our shows around the country. If there isn't a show based in your home town, don't worry. We'll alert the people working on the show closest to you, based on your postcode. Please note: due to technical difficulties, music submitted to the uploader will not be sent to Adam Walton on BBC Wales. We're working on this. For now, if you're based in Wales, your music will be sent to Bethan Elfyn and her production team. You can find out how to send music to Adam here.

Will I be told if my music is played on air?
Yes. We've built a number of automatic notifications into this system, so that you will be emailed when certain things happen.

You can expect an email if:
- Your music is listened to by a presenter or producer
- We discover there's something technically wrong with your track
- Your music is given airplay on any BBC Introducing radio show
- A producer wants to get in touch to find out more about you

I've not received a response to my music, is that a bad sign?
No, not at all. If you uploaded tracks to us a while ago and haven't received a an email from a BBC Introducing show to say that someone has listened or that they'd like to play your song on the radio, don't lose heart; because of the vast amount of music we get sent every day, sometimes it can take a while before a DJ or producer listens to your track. Don't worry, your music won't 'expire', it will be stored in the system at our end so that BBC Introducing teams can listen to it in due course.

When I submit music to you, does that mean you own it?
No. When you agree to the terms and conditions you aren't signing over any ownership rights.

I uploaded something twice by mistake - can you sort it for me?
I'm afraid we can't help with this. Remember, you can only upload three tracks in any 30 day period and a duplicated track will count as two. Please check what you're uploading carefully, and don't hit refresh or F5 during the upload process. If you aren't sure whether an upload was successful for whatever reason, it's best to wait and see if you receive a confirmation email, rather than uploading the track again. If you don't receive an email and aren't sure what to do, get in touch with us.

Can I edit or delete my tracks after I upload them?
Unfortunately, no, not at the moment. We're working on adding this at a later date. Please verify that you are uploading the correct MP3 when uploading, and check the spelling of your track title carefully. You can, however, edit or update your artist/band details whenever you like by logging in and selecting Edit Your Details. If you urgently want us to delete one of your tracks from our system, please contact us using the webform.

Will I be featured on the Introducing site?
The bands featured in the Artists section of this site have either played on an Introducing festival stage, or recorded a session for one of our radio shows. Bands are chosen by the producers and presenters of BBC Introducing radio shows, so by uploading your music via the Introducing site, you're giving yourself the best chance of being heard and considered for one of these slots.

How are bands selected to play on the BBC Introducing stage at festivals?
The BBC Introducing Stages at festivals throughout the UK are there to give unsigned and under the radar artists opportunities to play at some of the biggest festivals in the UK and sometimes internationally!

Not only might you get the opportunity to play the festival but we also aim to record and film your set for broadcast across BBC Radio, online and TV.

The line-ups are chosen via suggestions from all the BBC Introducing shows across the BBC. These suggestions represent who they see as the hottest artists from their patch at that time and is normally representative of the tracks they are playing on their show, some of which are submissions that have come via the BBC Introducing Site. So if you haven't already uploaded your tracks to BBC Introducing, do it now!. We treat each stage individually, so producers and presenters can tailor their suggestions depending on the festival.

We then get a panel to listen to all the suggestions and decide upon the final line up. These vary from festival to festival but previous panel members include: Huw Stephens, Steve Lamacq, Ras Kwame, Emily Eavis, Gary Lightbody, Head of Music at Radio 1, Head of BBC Introducing. They all listen and send us their top rated and from this we get our final line up...So if you do make a stage you can see that before even playing you have hit the radar of some pretty big names in the industry.

How do I get in touch with the people responsible for this?
You can contact us with comments, suggestions or queries by using this form. We can't respond to every single email, but we guarantee your message will be read.