How to Request a Song on the Radio

Last Updated: February 24, 2022

Requesting a song for a radio station has become a rare thing today. Some stations honor the tradition of listeners calling in, while others have moved to using the Internet. However, with some perseverance, you'll soon be jamming to your favorite song.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Calling in a Request

1
Decide on a station to call in to. Turn on the radio to a station that plays the type of music you like. You should understand the type of music they play before calling in. Listen out for DJs that encourage call-ins.
- Research the station and save the station’s phone number into your phone.
- Most radio shows even have a page on their site that lists the recent or most play songs. This will give you a sense of what music they prefer and if your request is relevant.
2
Know what song you want to request. Some people go through the steps and when it’s time to request a track, they freeze up and waste their call. Have a few songs prepared in case the station doesn’t have your first choice.^{[1]
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- Make sure your song selections match the genre or theme of the radio station you’ve decided on.
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3
Give yourself time. Listen to the radio station for a while before requesting your song. This will help you in case the song is played before you have a chance to request it.
- About a half hour later, you could try to call the station number.
4
Call in your request. You may get a busy signal, so hang up and try again until you reach the station’s operator. Usually you’ll speak to someone who will screen you before talking to the DJ.
- Speak clearly into the phone.
5
Talk to the DJ. Some radio stations will broadcast your request over the air. They may ask you where you are from, the station you are listening to, and your name.
- Refrain from using inappropriate language or else your song request will not be honored.
6
Listen to the radio. Listen and hopefully the song you requested will be played. Not every request will be played on air. Be patient and don’t create a grudge if they don’t play your song.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Requesting a Song Through the Internet

1
Research a radio station. Some radio stations will only allow you to request a song through the internet. After finding a radio station that you enjoy, look the station up online. Most radio stations have a website and pages for a show on that station.
2
Submit a request through a form. More and more stations set up an electronic form to request a song. The form will typically ask for your name, email, location, and information about what type of music you like. Fill these out to best of your ability.
- Depending on the radio station, you will receive information about the request you submitted. Some stations won’t send you any information about your request.
- Fill out several forms and hope for a response.
3
Request a song through social media. Many radio shows will have their own social media page that is separate from the station’s website. Look through the history of the radio show’s comments and look for song requests. If you see other people requesting tracks, you have a chance yourself.
- Be polite and enthusiastic when requesting through social media websites. The show’s web coordinator will appreciate a fan of the show and might honor a request by her.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Aiding Your Song Request

1
Compliment the DJ. Nobody will want to play your request if you comment “you never play good songs so please play Hounds of Love by Kate Bush.” Instead, you could compliment them for a specific hour you heard last Thursday after work. If you follow the latter with a song request, your chances are higher of being honored.^{[2]
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2
Know the song name before chatting. Getting in touch with a DJ for a request is not the easiest process these days. Have respect for the DJ and know the name of the song.^{[3]
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Research source} Do not sing or say something like, “it’s the song that goes “Nah de dah nah; hey hey hey.” They aren’t taking your call to be quizzed.
3
Listen to the station. After going through your steps in requesting a song just listen to the station. Part of letting listeners request a song is a ploy for radio stations to gather more listeners.
- Be patient and if your song doesn’t play, don’t sweat it. Try again if you still have the urge.

Community Q&A

Question

What do you mean that some stations will broadcast my request over the air?

Community Answer

The radio station may record and broadcast your call over the air, with your permission, of course.
Question

What do you mean that the station does not have your favorite song? Does this mean somebody already requested it?

Community Answer

Sometimes the radio station does not play the song, band, genre, etc. that you would like to hear. This is very common.
Question

While talking to the DJ about my request, can I ask him to play the song at a certain time?

Community Answer

You may ask the DJ to play a song a certain time, but he may already have scheduled content.