Hey Bands! Time to Warm Up to a Chili Reality

August 19, 2025 33

No sponsor, no spotlight. Period.

Kevin McElroy
Editor, Tune Up Magazine

Local Radio Spotlight: A Rare Chance for Bands

This past weekend, the major rock radio station in town did something that almost never happens: they dedicated an entire weekend to local music. About two songs an hour, all weekend long. For the average listener, it was a nice change of pace. For the bands who made it on air? It was a golden opportunity.

And here’s the part that matters most—it didn’t happen by accident. A local jewelry store stepped up and put money behind it. No sponsor, no spotlight. That’s how radio works.

Why Sponsors Make Local Music Possible

If I were in one of those bands (and, in fairness, some did), I wouldn’t have just posted a screenshot saying, “We got played!” I’d tag the sponsor, thank them publicly, and maybe even take a selfie in front of their storefront. Because if we want something like this to happen again, sponsors need to feel the support.

Bands say they want airplay, but they forget that it costs money to make it happen. Radio stations aren’t charities; they live and die on advertising.

And here’s the truth: almost every song you hear on commercial radio is paid for in one way or another. Record labels spend big to get their artists on playlists. Promotion teams push songs into rotation. As much as we all like to think it happens “organically,” the reality is that radio is a business, and airplay is rarely free.

That’s why a local business underwriting a weekend like this is such a big deal. It’s basically your scene getting the kind of backing major artists have always had. The least a band can do is invest back—because without support, it won’t last.

The Cinderella & Pat’s Chili Dogs Case Study

This isn’t a new idea. Back in the ’80s, when Cinderella was still grinding it out in Philly clubs, a local business owner made a bold move. Pat from Pat’s Chili Dogs wasn’t a record exec or a promoter—he just wanted to help his friend Tom Keifer. So he bought commercial airtime on MTV for his restaurant. And instead of focusing only on chili dogs, he put Cinderella in the ad.

Pat got exposure for his business, and Cinderella ended up on national television. That wasn’t the band’s marketing genius—it was a clever business owner who believed in them. And it worked.

That’s the model: sponsors helping bands, bands helping sponsors, and everybody coming out ahead.

Here’s Tom Keifer recounting how the commercial came about — Watch here

Bars, Venues, and the Unspoken Deal

Local bands already “busk” for bars and venues by bringing their fans through the door. A $10 ticket might be cheap—or even free—but once you’ve had a couple of beers and some food, your tab is what keeps the venue alive. (If you’ve been out with Johnny and me, you know exactly how fast it adds up.)

That’s the unspoken deal: you support the place, the place supports the music.

Radio is no different.

Could Local Bands Fund Their Own Radio Hour?

If bands are serious about wanting airplay, maybe the next step is banding together to underwrite a late-night local music hour. Midnight on Saturdays, or Sunday nights. Keep it realistic. Stations aren’t handing over drive-time, but a dedicated local slot? Absolutely possible—if someone pays for it.

This wouldn’t be pay-to-play in the shady sense. It would be a community investing in itself. A few bands could pool resources, or a local brewery, tattoo shop, or record store could step in. That’s how you build something sustainable instead of waiting for the next one-off weekend.

Local Music Radio Hour

The PR Potential of Banding Together

And think of the PR potential: imagine the headline—“Local Bands Unite to Buy Back the Airwaves.”

Local TV would eat that up. So would the newspapers. A group of artists pooling resources, or teaming up with a small business that believes in them, isn’t just a music story—it’s a community story. It shows that bands understand how the game works and are willing to put in the effort to make it last.

Support the Sponsors, Support the Scene

If radio play really matters, then the scene has to think bigger than just one spin. Support the sponsors who support you. Get creative with partnerships. Learn from Cinderella and Pat’s Chili Dogs. Show the city that local music is worth investing in.

Because the truth is, one band doesn’t just rise on its own. One band washes the other.

Don’t Forget the Internet Radio Stations

While we’re talking about sponsors and sustainability, let’s not forget the internet radio stations that have always carried the torch for underappreciated and unsigned artists. We don’t have businesses lining up to underwrite our weekends, but we’re still out here spinning your music, interviewing your bands, and keeping the scene alive.

And it costs money to run our operations too—servers, licensing, promotion, gear. The difference is, we’ve been doing it without the safety net of major advertisers. If you’re a band hungry for airplay, don’t sleep on the stations that have been supporting you all along. A share, a tag, even a little fundraising to keep those outlets alive goes a long way.