Promotional recording facts for kids

Not to be confused with Single (music) A promotional recording, often called a promo, is a special audio or video recording. It's given out for free to help promote a new song or album. Think of it like a sneak peek or an advertisement for music!

Music companies send these promos to people who can help make a song popular. This includes radio stations, television stations, DJs, and music journalists. The goal is to get the song played on the radio, reviewed positively, and generally noticed by lots of people. This helps the artist become more famous.

What Do Promos Look Like?

Promos often come in very simple packaging. They might not have fancy cover art or much text on the cover. Many promos are marked with a clear message like "Licensed for promotional use only. Sale is prohibited." Sometimes, the record company might even ask for the promo to be returned to them.

Even with these labels, it's not against the law to sell promotional recordings. While it's rare, some promos have been "recalled" (asked to be sent back), but this isn't usually forced by the music labels.

Are Promos Rare?

Yes, promos are usually made in much smaller numbers than regular CD singles that you can buy in stores. Because of this, they are sometimes seen as special collector's items. You won't find them for sale in music stores.

Promotional recordings can appear on certain music charts, like the US Hot 100 Airplay chart, which tracks how much a song is played on the radio. However, they usually don't appear on the main Billboard Hot 100 chart. This is because the Hot 100 chart often includes sales, and promos are not sold physically to the public.