Album to benefit college radio

WAYNE — Grammy Award winning artists The Civil Wars and Blues Traveler, along with We Are Scientists, The Maine, Delta Spirit, Umphrey’s McGee, Soul Khan and The Front Bottoms are just some of the artists who have donated mostly unreleased tracks for the inaugural College Radio Day Album 2012, to be released on College Radio Day, Oct. 2.
“What we have achieved is truly unprecedented," said Dr. Rob Quicke, College Radio Day founder and assistant professor of Communication at William Paterson University. "This summer, I worked with a group of students spanning the country in a newly formed Facebook group to put together a remarkable album to celebrate and help college radio in the USA.”
The album has a distinct concept with Disc 1 “College Radio Sessions” featuring mostly unsigned artists performing in college radio stations across the country. Disc 2 “Artists Stand with College Radio” features signed artists who have donated rare or unreleased tracks to help the cause of college radio.
“It was amazing to experience the enthusiasm and positive reaction from well-known artists when we contacted them,” said Quicke, who lives in Hewitt and is the general manager of William Paterson's station, WPSC FM, “and I love how there are some excellent unsigned artists alongside them – a really interesting and eclectic selection of songs.”
All the proceeds from the album will go into a fund administered by College Radio Day. Financial grants to varying college radio stations will be doled out to help buy new, necessary equipment, repair existing equipment, support promotional events and provide help in other ways.
The album will be released on College Radio Day – Tuesday, Oct. 2 – when over 500 college and high school radio stations spanning 21 countries will take part in a 24-hour global marathon. Coldplay’s Chris Martin will officially launch the day with a specially recorded message of support for the unique mission of college radio.
The ultimate goal of College Radio Day is to inspire people to tune into their local college and high school radio and have them hear the particularly unique broadcasts offered across the United States, Europe, Africa and Australia.
College Radio Day 2012 also takes place when some colleges are choosing to sell off their student stations.
"The day, first and foremost, is a celebration," said Quicke. "It also aims to raise the profile of college radio, reminding people just how important college radio is in regards to its broadcast content and value."
The album will be released everywhere digitally on Oct. 2. There will also be a limited edition double CD — only 1,500 copies — individually numbered for sale from www.collegeradioday.com while supplies last.
For more information about the album, visit www.collegeradioday.com/#! — _album.
To hear the album, go to soundcloud.com/collegeradioday/sets/college-radio-day-the-album-1/s-EUoxW.