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How Luxembourg acts can land airplay on UK's Amazing Radio

Updated: Nov 17

Image from Amazing Radio website.
Image from Amazing Radio website.

(Here's an idea, put Amazing Radio on now and listen why you read this article 😉)

Want to get your tracks played in the UK? Amazing Radio could be a great start!


Amazing Radio is one of the UK’s best-known launchpads for genuinely new and emerging music, and is open to Luxembourg and other European artists too!


Founded from a musician-first idea in 2009, it built a submission-driven station where artists upload their own tracks and listeners (plus a small army of influential presenters and music tastemakers) help discover the next big names. That mission has seen Amazing Radio give an early spin to artists who went on to fill arenas and headline festivals, and unlike some other UK platforms, it accepts artists from outside the UK.


A short history (why Amazing matters)

Amazing Radio started in 2009 as an experiment built around AmazingTunes an upload-and-discover platform created by Paul Campbell ex-BBC Producer, and colleagues. It aimed to break the gatekeeper model by taking music directly from artists and putting it on air. The service has changed formats (DAB to mainly online), launched Apple and Google Play apps and festival broadcasts, but kept the same core idea: new music from real artists with no regional barriers, discoverable by real listeners and tastemakers, "without getting screwed" says the website.


Because Amazing Radio was early to the “artists upload, radio plays” model, it’s widely cited as a legitimate A&R stepping stone and not a vanity page. It is taken seriously by indie A&R, programmers and some national stations watching for rising talent including the BBC.


The “Hall of Fame” — real examples of breakout artists

Amazing Radio maintains a Hall of Fame of artists who got early exposure there and later broke out. The list includes names you’ll recognise: Bastille, Alt-J, Haim, The 1975, Dua Lipa, Sam Fender, Wet Leg and others. Artists who climbed from an Amazing play to mainstream radio, major labels and festival billing. That track record is powerful when you’re pitching music: programmers and bloggers notice where a band’s first spins came from.

A few "Hall of Fame" artists who started on Amazing Radio
A few "Hall of Fame" artists who started on Amazing Radio

 

How Luxembourg acts can upload music

Amazing Radio’s whole model is submission-driven. Artists anywhere in Europe can sign up, create a profile and upload tracks via the site. The first track is free, and additional features or higher-tier artist accounts are available as upgrades. The site and apps let the station staff and presenters discover, playlist and champion tracks. If you want direct contact, the music team can be reached through the station’s contact details on their site. Note that Amazing Radio has zero commercial advertising on its shows, so the subscriptions go to financing the station.

 

Why being on Amazing Radio helps Luxembourg acts

  1. Early exposure to UK tastemakers. Amazing is listened to by A&R, festival bookers and other radio programmers hunting fresh acts. A spin there can start conversations that lead to BBC Introducing plays, specialist radio shows or playlist adds. The station’s alumni list proves the pathway exists.

  2. A natural bridge to wider UK radio. Several artists who first appeared on Amazing were later played by larger UK stations; that demonstrates a pipeline from niche/new-music outlets into mainstream rotation.

  3. International reach without a UK base. Amazing broadcasts online and via apps (UK and USA streams). For Luxembourg acts, online play still reaches UK listeners, bloggers and bookers who check the station, useful for cross-border campaigns.

  4. Credibility and a story. “First played on Amazing Radio” is a tidy line to put in press releases, EPKs and social media. It signals to UK gatekeepers that your music from Luxembourg passed an early industry sniff-test.

  5. Sell music with 100% profit. Once you have uploaded tracks, they can be sold to fans and Amazing Radio won't take a penny (or a cent even).

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Free vs paid: what to expect

  • Free to join / first track free. Amazing lets artists register and upload at no cost for the first submission. That’s the low barrier for Luxembourg acts to test the waters. Amazing Radio

  • Upgrades / paid artist features. For more uploads and extra features (broader reach across their UK/US services, analytics, playlisting extras) there are paid tiers for artists. Check the “benefits” / FAQ pages for current options and pricing. Paid tiers typically give you more upload slots, profile visibility and access to additional station services. But if you're expecting it to be costly, it ain't! Currently for artists it is £3 (€3.40) or £30 (€34) a year, so it's not going to break the bank.


However, as with any platform, weigh cost vs likely return; Amazing Radio’s track record can make a targeted spend worthwhile for bands serious about UK exposure.


Practical step-by-step for Luxembourg acts

  1. Polish a radio-ready master. UK radio likes clear mixes and good loudness consistency. Send the best possible master (not a rough demo).

  2. Sign up and upload at Amazing Radio. Use the official upload flow, complete metadata (composer, publisher, genre, release date) and add a short bio in English so UK presenters can understand your story.

  3. Email the music team & target shows. After uploading, email music@amazingradio.com with a short pitch: one-line hook, why the song matters, and upcoming gigs or press. Mention any Luxembourg angles (festival slots, local radio support, bilingual story) that make you more interesting for UK listeners. Details are on their contact page.

  4. Make it easy to book you. If you hope to convert radio into shows, have a UK/Europe-ready rider, touring window, and a press pack with hi-res photos and links. Even a single UK support slot or festival appearance helps.

  5. Amplify locally. Ask Luxembourg media (scene.lu, websites, local blogs etc) to run the story of your UK spin, that creates a nice feedback loop and a press package that looks more attractive to bigger UK outlets.

  6. Follow up respectfully. If you get plays, amplify them across socials and tag Amazing Radio; presenters like when artists are active in promotion.

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Realistic expectations and outcomes

Amazing Radio isn’t a guaranteed fast track. Some artists see limited immediate stream numbers. But its unique value is discovery by industry people who are actively looking for new names. Plenty of acts get multiple plays, playlist features (Amazing Chart, Sessions) and, in a subset of cases, follow-on attention from bigger stations or labels.



Sources for this article and further reading

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