Some Possible Upsides to Pay-for-Play

Just seeing that headline you are well within your rights to already have a chip on your shoulder going into reading this.  I would be too if I saw it being written by someone other than me.  And I want to make clear that despite what you’re about to read, I am still very much opposed to the concept of pay-for-play, regardless of the form or function that it takes on.  Let me re-state that so that I’m not besieged with emails or Instagram DMs or private messages through Facebook.  I honestly do not like the idea of pay-for-play in the music business, in the podcast world, and in other settings where it is employed.

But ya’ know what?  There are actually some possible upsides to the person paying for the “play” that they’re going to get.

As someone who has been doing management, promotion, and booking for indie artists around the U.S. for more than 18 years, not to mention hosting the “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast every week for close to nine years now, I get an array of emails around music and podcasting.  Thus, I’m privy to some of what’s going on that the average Joe or Joan doesn’t realize.

And that is one of the potential “wins” for you if you choose to spend on some of these opportunities.

I like to maintain anonymity – not to mention be clear that I’m not endorsing something – so I’ll simply say that I saw someone posting on social media about when/that their music was being played (so that people would listen in).  I know, however, from the aforementioned emails, that such song placement is pay-for-play.  So, the good news there is that (a) you do really get airplay, (b) it gives you something to post about (and show your followers that your music IS getting played), and (c) nobody is the wiser that you paid to get it on there.

I often tell clients, “Nobody has to know how much you got paid to perform somewhere, how long you did or didn’t play for, how many people were there, whether you did originals or covers” and so on.  Those are also factors to keep in mind if/when you’re considering a performance slot somewhere that is pay-for-play.  And then keep in mind the merch you might sell, the new followers you might get (Spotify, social media, or both), the new fans you might make, and the connections (new contacts) you might make.



As someone who is both a podcast host AND a publicist that looks to get clients booked into podcast interviews (among other settings, of course), I really don’t like when payment is asked for in order to be a guest on a podcast.  There are so, so, SO many podcasts out there that don’t charge you to be a guest.  (I address this in more detail in my Interview Tips Course, by the way.)  But again, if the budget is there and the opportunity really makes sense, it IS an opportunity for exposure for your business, product, or service.  And you never know if there might be potential opportunities that come out of it due to making a nice connection with the host and/or someone in the audience who gets in touch as a result of hearing the interview.

Now, as I said in a blog post I wrote six months ago, you DO, after all, have to spend money to make money.  Not to roll out all the cliches, but, more often than not, you do get what you pay for.  So, if something is free and something else is 59 dollars, conventional wisdom says that the latter is going to deliver (more) value.  Again, it’s just something to keep in mind before you take an all-or-nothing approach of “I’m not paying for anything.”

I know this is a tough blog, er, pill to swallow on the day after Christmas when lots and lots of people have overspent.  But, as you start looking towards a week from today and the new year ahead, perhaps consider taking a second look at some of the pay-for-play options that in the past you’ve said, “Oh, wait… Heck no” to and passed on.


One more time.  I am against and don’t like the concept of pay-for-play.  I’m just saying, there are SOME upsides to it now and then.

If you’re not sure which one(s) is (are) worth pursuing and want an outside opinion as you start into 2023, trying to give your career a boost, get in touch with me and let’s do a private, one-on-one, online video consultation.  Take advantage of all my years helping guys and gals just like you.  Don’t guess or Google or gamble.  Let’s have a conversation to keep you headed in the right direction.