A great song deserves a file that does it justice. Before you send your music to any radio station, including FnF.FM, it is worth spending a few minutes making a radio-ready MP3.
This checklist covers the practical side: format, bitrate, tags, loudness, clean edits and file size. None of it is complicated, and most of it can be done in the software you already use to export your music.
1. Start from your final master
Always export your MP3 from the final, mastered version of the song, ideally from a high-quality WAV or similar file. Avoid converting an MP3 into another MP3. Each time a file is compressed again, it loses a little more detail, and those losses add up.
2. Format: MP3 at 44.1 kHz
Our song submission process accepts MP3 files. MP3 is widely supported and easy to handle, which is why so many stations use it. For sample rate, 44.1 kHz is the standard for music and is a safe choice.
3. Best MP3 bitrate for radio: aim high, but watch the size
Bitrate controls how much data is used for each second of audio. Higher bitrates generally sound better, especially on cymbals, vocals and reverb tails.
- 320 kbps is the highest common MP3 bitrate and a good choice for most songs.
- 256 kbps still sounds very good and gives you smaller files.
- Try to avoid going much lower than that for music you are proud of.
Choose constant bitrate (CBR) if your software asks. It is the simplest and most predictable option.
4. File size: keep each MP3 under 12 MB
Each MP3 you submit to FnF.FM for free airplay must be under 12 MB. Here is a rough guide to how size relates to length:
- At 320 kbps, a file uses about 2.4 MB per minute. A 4-minute song is roughly 9.6 MB.
- At 256 kbps, a file uses about 1.9 MB per minute. A 5-minute song is roughly 9.6 MB.
So a song of up to about 4 and a half minutes fits comfortably at 320 kbps. If your track is around 5 minutes or longer, export it at 256 kbps to stay safely under the limit. Album art embedded in the file also adds to its size, so keep that in mind.
5. ID3 tags for radio: label your file properly
ID3 tags are the details stored inside an MP3 file: title, artist, album and so on. Radio systems and music players read these tags, and missing or messy tags can cause your song to show up with the wrong name, or no name at all.
Fill in at least these fields:
- Title: the exact song title.
- Artist: your artist name, spelled the way you always spell it.
- Album: the album or EP name, or the single's title if it is a single.
- Year and genre, if you can.
Keep the tags clean. Do not add website addresses, phone numbers or notes like "final version 3" to the title field. Make sure the tags match what you enter in the submission form, so everything lines up.
Name the file itself clearly too, for example artist name, a dash, then song title. It makes life easier for everyone who handles it.
6. Loudness: loud enough, not crushed
It is tempting to make a master as loud as possible. In practice, pushing loudness too far squashes the dynamics out of a song and can cause distortion. Radio and streaming systems often adjust levels between tracks anyway, so an over-loud master does not necessarily sound louder on air; it can just sound flatter.
- Avoid clipping. Check that your master does not go into the red.
- Leave a little headroom. Many engineers keep true peaks around -1 dBTP so the file does not distort after MP3 encoding.
- Compare with songs you like. Listen to your master next to well-produced tracks in a similar style, at the same volume.
If you are not confident about mastering, it is often worth paying an experienced mastering engineer for your most important releases.
7. Clean edits and tidy starts
Radio plays to a broad audience, so a clean version of your song, without explicit language, is a safer choice for broadcast. If your song has explicit lyrics, consider preparing a clean edit and sending that. Also check the start and end of the file:
- Trim long silences at the beginning and end.
- Avoid sudden cut-offs. Let the ending finish naturally or fade properly.
- Remove studio chatter, count-ins and test tones.
8. Listen once more before you send
Play the finished MP3 from start to finish on at least two systems, such as headphones and a phone speaker. Listen for clicks, distortion or anything that sounds different from your master.
Radio-ready MP3 checklist
- Exported from the final master, not from another MP3
- MP3, 44.1 kHz, 256 or 320 kbps
- Under 12 MB
- Title, artist and album tags filled in and spelled correctly
- No clipping, a little headroom
- Clean edit if needed, tidy start and end
Frequently asked questions
What is the best MP3 bitrate for radio?
320 kbps is the highest common MP3 bitrate and a good choice for most songs. 256 kbps still sounds very good and gives you smaller files. Choose constant bitrate (CBR) if your software asks.
How do I keep my MP3 under 12 MB?
At 320 kbps, a song of up to about 4 and a half minutes fits comfortably. If your track is around 5 minutes or longer, export it at 256 kbps.
Which ID3 tags should I fill in?
Fill in at least the title, artist and album, plus year and genre if you can. Make sure the tags match what you enter in the submission form.
Before you submit, please also read our Song Submission Terms. Sending a cover with your song? Our album art design tips cover size, format and design.
File ready? Submit your song to FnF.FM.
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