TOP 66 INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS CHART TO LAUNCH JUNE 1 on THEALTERNATEROOT.COM
You’re Invited to be a participating broadcaster/ station!

Bluegrass Broadcasters are invited to join!

Bluegrass music has a new, weekly bluegrass album radio airplay chart, and we’d like to invite all bluegrass radio personalities to participate by creating a free account and entering your weekly play list.  Here’s the link: http://www.thealternateroot.com/?option=com_bluegrass&task=chart.  In addition to helping the overall bluegrass music industry grow by your participation, this will also be a great way for you to advertise your radio station (terrestrial, satellite or internet streaming) to 80,000 visitors to the site each week!

Please go to the link above, look at the left margin and click on “REPORTERS” to become part of the team that determines chart placement for the “Top 66 International Bluegrass Chart.”  Then click “create an account” to enter some basic info about your show and your radio station, and follow the prompts to enter your playlist for the week.

DJs are limited to posting eight spins per broadcast hour at present, each week. This chart is for “new” albums, released during the past 12 months.  If the album you’re looking for is not in the field already, you may enter it as a DJ.  Record labels may also mail info on new albums to nu-blu@nu-blu.com.  DJs are asked to log in their play lists by 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays, and the chart will be updated weekly at 4 p.m. Eastern on the same afternoon.

We’re starting with an ALBUMS CHART, but plans are in the works for a future charts for SINGLES.  We’re also interested in a BLUEGRASS CLASSICS chart, which will include “deep catalog” songs and new music.

After releasing an independent album last year with his band, Nu-Blu and having a difficult time discovering where it was actually being played, IBMA member Daniel Routh  (http://www.nu-blu.com/) started work on an internet-based weekly chart, with free participation and sharing of data generated. The chart will be funded by online ads at www.thealternateroot.com; there are 15 available ad spots every week.  Sammy Passamano at Rural Rhythm Records has also been instrumental  in launching the chart. For advertising info, email nu-blu@nu-blu.com.

New DJ and station requests will be screened and approved by the chart administrator before they go live. A volunteer panel of label reps and artists will assist the administrator in reviewing requests to join the DJ/ Stations list.  Only DJs are permitted to enter playlists.

The TOP 66 is not intended to duplicate or compete with existing monthly bluegrass airplay charts and surveys.  It will offer a new source of information based on weekly spins of bluegrass albums. Data generated by the new chart will include number of spins by album for THIS WEEK, LAST WEEK, and TWO WEEKS AGO. We’ll also be able to find out the number of stations and spins (including specific station and program info) for individual albums.  In addition to helping to provide an easily accessible, accurate record of how many times and where new bluegrass albums are being played, the Top 66 International Bluegrass Chart will also generate useful information for bands and labels.

It’s a win: win situation for everyone, and we hope you’ll join us! For more info: email Daniel Routh at nu-blu@nu-blu.com.

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