Amazing Radio
 | |
| Broadcast area | Worldwide: DAB, online |
|---|---|
| Branding | Amazing, CMJ, OurStage |
| Programming | |
| Format | New and Emerging Artists |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Amazing Media Group |
| History | |
First air date | 1 June 2009 |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live URL |
| Website | amazingradio |
Amazing Radio is an international radio station founded in the UK by entrepreneur, musician, and former BBC producer Paul Campbell.[1] It is credited with providing early exposure to artists who later achieved mainstream success, including Alt-J, Haim, Bastille, The 1975, Dua Lipa, and Sam Fender.[2]
History
[edit]The concept for Amazing Radio was developed by Paul Campbell.[3] Campbell worked as a musician and as a radio and television producer at the BBC before starting his own companies.[4][5] The first component of the enterprise was the Amazing Tunes website, which launched in beta in 2006 and was established as a separate company in 2007.[6][7] The platform served as a submission portal where unsigned artists could upload their music.[8] The Amazing Tunes website was later merged into the main Amazing Radio website.[8]
Amazing Radio launched its broadcast service on June 1, 2009.[8] The station began broadcasting nationally in the UK on the DAB multiplex.[8] It replaced a test transmission that consisted of bird calls.[9] The station established its headquarters in Gateshead, North East England.[4]
In May 2012, Amazing Radio ceased its broadcast on the national Digital One DAB platform and became a primarily internet-only radio station.[10] Campbell stated that the move was a choice driven by the costs of national DAB transmission compared to its growing online listenership.[10] The station later returned to DAB on a limited basis, launching services in Dublin and London.[10]
In 2020, the company expanded into the North American market with the launch of Amazing Radio USA.[11] The service was designed for American listeners and focused on emerging artists from the United States, with a roster of US-based presenters.[12][13] Amazing Radio USA is operated by an American entity, Amazing America, LLC, based in Colorado, under a license from the UK-based parent company, The Amazing Media Group.[14] The parent group owns the global "Amazing" and "CMJ" brand trademarks.[14]
The parent company, The Amazing Media Group, is privately held and supported by private shareholders. Investors include the musician Sting and AOL co-founder Steve Case.[15][16] The American operation's leadership team included Bill Hein, a co-founder of the label Enigma Records, as Chairman, and Andrew Zicklin as CEO.[12]
Disputes with PRS for Music and BBC
[edit]Upon its 2009 launch, the station announced it would not play music by artists registered with PRS for Music.[17] Campbell argued that PRS's licensing structure was unfair to the unsigned artists the station supported.[17] He stated that PRS's online license required a percentage of all revenue from the Amazing Tunes platform, including from sales of non-PRS members' music.[17] He contended this would mean taking money from independent artists to pay royalties to established PRS members.[17] After PRS reportedly changed its licensing terms, Amazing Radio signed a licensing agreement with the organization.[5]
Campbell also criticized the BBC's "BBC Introducing" platform, filing a formal complaint with the BBC Trust alleging unfair competition.[17] He argued that BBC Introducing, with its scale and public funding, constituted a "new service" that distorted the market for private companies like Amazing Radio and should have been subjected to a "Public Value Test" before its launch.[17] Campbell stated that his complaint was not in opposition to the BBC's support of new music, but against what he considered to be anti-competitive practices.[17]
CMJ, founded in 1978 by Robert Haber as College Media Journal, was a long-standing trade publication and festival organizer in the American independent music scene.[18] It was known for the CMJ New Music Report, a trade publication with college radio charts, and the CMJ Music Marathon, an annual festival and conference held in New York City from 1980 to 2015.[19] The Marathon was an event for discovering new artists.[20]
By the 2010s, the company experienced financial and legal difficulties following a series of ownership changes.[19] After a 2014 sale to Adam Klein, staff reportedly stopped receiving pay in late 2015, the 2016 Music Marathon was canceled, and the company ceased operations.[21] The company faced lawsuits from former employees over unpaid wages, and Klein later filed for bankruptcy.[19]
In December 2019, CMJ's social media accounts became active again, announcing a 2020 relaunch under new management.[22][23] On April 6, 2020, it was publicly announced that Amazing Radio was the new owner.[24] Amazing Radio announced its plans to revive the in-person CMJ Music Marathon in New York City in October 2020.[3] However, the planned large-scale revival of the physical festival did not occur.[25]
Amazing Radio's websites now feature the CMJ brand, including "CMJ TV", a live music video streaming platform.[26][27]
A launchpad for mainstream artists
[edit]Amazing Radio is known for providing early radio airplay to artists who later achieved commercial success.[28] The station maintains a "Hall of Fame" on its website that lists artists who received early exposure on the platform.[29]
| Artist | First Upload Date | First Airplay Date | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bastille | June 6, 2011 | June 13, 2011 | [29] |
| Lianne La Havas | October 11, 2011 | October 17, 2011 | [29] |
| Alt-J | January 9, 2012 | January 9, 2012 | [29] |
| Haim | March 26, 2012 | March 28, 2012 | [29] |
| London Grammar | December 13, 2012 | December 22, 2012 | [29] |
| The 1975 | January 12, 2013 | January 15, 2013 | [29] |
| Royal Blood | February 10, 2014 | February 11, 2014 | [29] |
| Little Simz | March 6, 2014 | March 10, 2014 | [29] |
| Dua Lipa | September 2, 2015 | September 7, 2015 | [29] |
| Rag'n'Bone Man | August 26, 2016 | August 26, 2016 | [29] |
| Sam Fender | March 31, 2017 | April 3, 2017 | [29] |
| Fontaines D.C. | June 6, 2018 | August 15, 2018 | [29] |
| Wet Leg | November 19, 2019 | November 21, 2019 | [29] |
Amazing Radio has supported a number of unsigned and independent artists by giving them early airplay on the station such as The Orielles, The Step Music (band) and Model Aeroplanes, featured on shows such as Jim Gellatly’s and Shell Zenner's.[30]
Reception
[edit]Amazing Radio has received media coverage for its model. The Sunday Times described it as "A revolution, the end of the closed shop," and The Guardian called it "Truly the people's station".[31][32] Ireland's Hot Press noted its fresh music policy and its role as a platform for new Irish artists after its Dublin launch.[7]
The station has also been the subject of public discussion. A 2009 forum thread on the UK website Digital Spy included users questioning the station's policies, such as its initial stance against PRS-registered artists and its public conflict with the BBC.[33] The thread also featured direct responses purportedly from Campbell, who defended the station's model and policies.[33]
Presenters
[edit]Notable presenters have included Jim Gellatly, Bethan Elfyn, Simon Raymonde and Kathryn Tickell.
References
[edit]- ^ Barnett, Emma. "Amazing Radio launches on DAB, promoting unsigned talent - Telegraph". www.telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ Writer, Guest (13 April 2020). "CMJ, Amazing Radio, and Live (Music) in the Time of Coronavirus". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Northumberland entrepreneur acquires US music brand and launches virtual festival". Bdaily Business News. 7 April 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ a b "ONA Magazine: Issue 107". Royal Grammar School, Newcastle. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Interview: Amazing Radio's Founder Paul Campbell". Podcart. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ Writer, Guest (13 April 2020). "CMJ, Amazing Radio, and Live (Music) in the Time of Coronavirus". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ a b Newsdesk, The Hot Press. "Amazing Radio Launches In Dublin". Hotpress. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d Milligan, Kaitlin. "Amazing Radio Launches US Service Today". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ Plunkett, John (1 June 2009). "Amazing Radio gives voice to unsigned bands – but silences birdsong channel". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "Amazing Radio explains DAB disappearance". Radio Today. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "Amazing Radio Acquires CMJ, Plans To Relaunch Festival This Fall". Stereogum. 6 April 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ a b Staff, BrooklynVegan. "CMJ bought by UK's Amazing Radio, plan fall relaunch". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ "Amazing Radio and the Return of CMJ: An Interview with CEO Andy Zicklin". Performer Magazine. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ a b "SMELLS GOOD PAUL CAMPBELL". Issuu. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ "Sting lends support to campaign to bring Amazing Radio back to digital." Music Week, 22 June 2012, p. 9. Gale Academic OneFile. Accessed 29 June 2025.
- ^ Avery, Helen (17 September 2014). "Digital banking – Amazing Media: Where the love of old-school radio meets the digital age". Euromoney. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g "An interview with Paul Campbell, founder of Amazing Radio UK". Wikinews. 14 January 2010.
- ^ "The History of College Radio". Unsung History. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "What Really Happened to CMJ?" (PDF). Billboard via HGP Auction. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "CMJ Music Fest: A Listener's Guide". WNYC. 19 October 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "The CMJ Music Marathon is probably not happening this year". Time Out. 30 August 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "CMJ say they're re-launching in 2020". BrooklynVegan. 5 December 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "College Radio Watch: Is CMJ Back? and More News". Radio Survivor. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "Amazing Radio Acquires CMJ, Plans To Relaunch Festival This Fall". Stereogum. 6 April 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "NYC Music Marathon & Jack Dallas presents Repertoire 2024". New Jersey Stage. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "CMJ". Amazing Media Group. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "CMJ TV". CMJ TV. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Paul Campbell | Founder of Amazing Radio/Amazing TV | Former BBC producer | Musician". natfluence. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Amazing Radio". Amazing Radio. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Jim Gellatly Show - Amazing Radio". Amazing Radio. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
- ^ Donovan, Paul (14 June 2009). "Amazing Media sparks radio revolution". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Dee, Johnny (13 July 2009). "Amazing Radio finally hangs the DJ". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Amazing Radio - What is it for?". Digital Spy. 18 November 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
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