John Lennon was probably a lot like the rest of us. He turned on the radio – to be entertained and informed, to pass the time, for companionship, and very likely, to discover new music.
Techsurvey 2021 is out of the field, loaded with insights about radio, technology, and of course, music. Every year, we ask our large sample of mostly radio fans – this year, more than 42,000 strong – why they still enjoy broadcast radio.
They have a long list to choose from. And one of the options that I always keep an eye on is “to discover new music.” When we look at those who are fans of a music station in the survey, we see a descending pattern. Nearly every year, a smaller percentage turns to radio for new music.
Why?
There are many theories – here are some of mine.
First, radio’s demographics are moving older. And in general, younger people are more “into” discovering new music and new artists. That’s just a fact.
Second, radio is moving further away from younger-based formats. So, less stations that cater to younger people mean fewer stations playing new music. Period.
Third, 2020 was a tough year on all of us – especially for musicians. If you’re Taylor Swift or Dave Grohl, it’s all good, of course. But for most
musicians and bands, it’s been a challenging time. And many put their plans on hold until the pandemic slows down.
And finally, nostalgia works especially well during rough times. As you’d expect, most gold-based formats performed quite well through much of 2020. On the other hand, Top 40 and Alternative, not so much.
In fact, a major discussion in Alt-world these past many months has revolved around the relative health of the format. While that’s been a perennial topic among format thought leaders since Kurt Cobain took his life, the conversations have taken a more serious turn in recent months.
Some blame it on so-called “top down” corporate radio, always a convenient scapegoat. But others are pointing to “what’s in the grooves” – the quality of new music.
So, while breezing through Twitter late last month, I wasn’t surprised to see this critical quote blaring at me:
“I hate all new rock for the most part.”
This wouldn’t surprise anyone if it was attributed to a music critic or a Baby Boomer curmudgeon.
But it’s a direct quote from Corey Taylor, main guy in both Slipknot and Stone Sour.
This wasn’t a backstage interview with the alcohol free-flowing. It’s an introspective, full-ranging interview with the Cutter’s Rockcast. And it’s a revealing look at a successful musician who calls them the way he sees them.
In the interview below, that conversation begins around 26:25, courtesy of Blabbermouth.
Not a pretty picture from someone who has enjoyed much success in the music business.
And he’s not alone. Earlier this week, Adam Levine, front man of Maroon 5, went off on bands – or the lack of them. Chatting with Zane Lowe on Apple Music, Levine let ‘er rip:
“I feel like there aren’t any bands anymore, you know?…There’s no bands anymore, and I feel like they’re a dying breed….I mean, there still are plenty of bands. And maybe they’re not in the limelight quite as much or in the pop limelight, but I wish there could be more of those around.”
OK, so perhaps that was inartfully stated. And as a result, Levine is under attack from just about everyone – Vulture, BuzzFeed, and loads of fans – for these comments.
But you get his drift. And it’s in the same zone as Corey Taylor’s laments about a dearth of new songs.
I wish there weren’t any Adam Levine bands anymore.
— Andrew Jacobs (@andrewjakeobs) March 5, 2021
Few new songs. Few new bands.
It’s hard to imagine an interview with say, John Lennon, Prince, or Jack White where these guys came up empty when asked about new music or new bands they enjoy. While all three are/were especially discriminating writers and performers, none would have been stumped by the age-old question, “Heard any great new music lately?” or “Any new bands you’ve been listening to?”
But that’s the world in which we live. And if you’ve been tasked with putting together great clusters of new/recurrent music for testing these past couple years, chances are you’ve struggled as much as Corey Taylor and Adam Levine.
So, what’s the problem? Why does music seem to be in a trough, and with it, radio formats that depend on what’s new?
I’ve talked about radio’s systemic issues, exacerbated by a rating methodology that seems to conspire against stations that focus on the new and unfamiliar.
And music discovery is fragmented across hundreds of different platforms. Everyone’s making their own playlists, and we’re all listening to different things.
And let’s not forget the confluence of an economic recession, a global pandemic, and a tepid music environment all of which set up this perfect storm of conditions that are good for the Eagles, Queen, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, and not so good for those kids practicing their craft in their garage or bands building fans by playing small clubs.
The headwinds for great new music finding its audience are stiff, despite the fact there are myriad more distribution outlets now. But back in the day when Jim Morrison, Morrissey, and Alanis Morissette all broke out, there was no Pandora, Spotify, SiriusXM, YouTube, or TikTok. Everyone heard new music from one of two sources:
Friends and family or the radio
So, technological and sociological forces conspire against the phenomenon of an artist coming on the scene, and truly enjoying the kind of mass appeal Sinatra, Elvis, the Beatles, or Michael Jackson enjoyed.
But despite the barriers to exposure, shouldn’t there be be more mainstream smash artists and songs that connect with us?
It would seem so, and perhaps it’s just one of those times.
Maybe as we pull out of this existential crisis we all find ourselves in, artists, musicians, and producers will be inspired by better times. As many have suggested, perhaps we’ll enjoy this century’s version of the Roaring 20’s once the pandemic and other societal drags are safely in the rear view mirror.
If you’re looking for green shoots, I may have a little nugget for you. Earlier this week, I heard the new single by Wolfgang Van Halen – son of the late, great Eddie. His new band is Mammoth WVH, and I thought to myself, this is one of the best rock songs I’ve heard in a long time. And better yet, it doesn’t sound like dad’s band, Van Halen.
And maybe, just maybe, it comes back to where it started – the radio – a medium that despite the speed bumps and assorted bruises, still has the ability to connect with more people than any other medium.
Maybe it’s time to stop bragging about reach, and instead demonstrate its power.
At the very top of this blog post, you can see a wonderful photo of a former Beatle tuning in a radio way back when, likely looking for a great song. And then there’s Lennon’s mates, the Who, celebrating the re-release of The Who Sell Out box set with a tribute to radio:
The Who Sell Out SDE out 23 April via UMC / UMe / Polydor. Pre-order https://t.co/QZTR5TpKk0. 112 tracks (46 unreleased) 5 CDs &+ 2 7”singles + 80-page book + notes by Pete Townshend + posters + memorabilia.
An EP of 3 of Pete’s demos streaming now at https://t.co/QZTR5TpKk0 pic.twitter.com/1pzG6p5Gxu
— The Who (@TheWho) February 26, 2021
Later in the Apple Music interview, Adam Levine added these thoughts about the medium:
“The radio’s a really valuable, cool thing to have. I’ll never not romanticize the idea of having our songs played on the radio. And I think that’s a beautiful thing, so I wanted to keep chasing that.”
But until radio broadcasters put that much-hyped reach into practice, safely scheduling a current and a recurrent per hour isn’t going to move any needles.
As unlikely as it may seem with all the digital audio around us – streams, podcasts, audiobooks – broadcast radio has a chance to play hero again. 
There’s a niche to be carved here, but someone has to fill it.
I keep looking longingly at all those clusters where there’s one perennial loser station – the one that always seems to be 16th ranked and going nowhere. The one where there’s no point in even marketing it because no one in the chain of command believes there’s a there there.
You get the feeling John Lennon, Corey Taylor, and Adam Levine see (or saw) the world in distinctly different ways.
But on this issue, I’m thinking they’re very much on the same page.
New music needs a champion.
Special thanks to Paul “Lobster” Wells for posting the Lennon Instagram, and getting this rant going. – FJ
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
- Baby, Please Don’t Go - November 22, 2024
- Why Radio Needs To Stop Chasing The Puck - November 21, 2024
- Great Radio – In The Niche Of Time? - November 20, 2024
If you can’t find something new to play, go back in time with the sounds that are fine.
Because most ‘new’ music is horribly derivative and it has become quantized to the point that it absolutely has no soul. Check out some of Rick Beato’s vids on the subject. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFaRIW-wZlw Like Dylan’s comment on techno, and I paraphrase here. “When you first hear it it’s like, wow, that sounds cool. But then you realize underneath, it has no soul.”
If you’re interested in hearing some new music, without the quotation marks, I encourage you to check out the following independent artists:
The Judex – rock & roll
Mother Feather – rock & roll
Vajra – alternative metal
New Myths – alt rock / new wave / pop
Karen & the Sorrows – country
Eden James – classic rock
Caustic Casanova – metal / psychedelic rock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP0wuwJBdMI
I’ve really enjoyed discovering Marcus King and of course Tedeschi Trucks Band keeps putting out quality new music. Beyond that….
I know I sound like…a Neanderthal, but I long for the days when everybody could easily make a list of a dozen or more new artists. Thanks, Buck.
Thanks for the truth Fred.The thanks and best wishes in your various endeavors in a compressed mp3 world..This,in Times of Stealing Streaming Services(SSS),Boring tracks,Payola Play,Musical Mobs & Mafias,Greedy Labels,ROBOT RADIO,Very short attention spans,envious promoters,ignorant politicians,predatory publicists and compressed Music** mp3’s.(**Available on Spotify,Apple,Amazon etc.)So.No worries.Thanks for your support,feedback,advice and sharing..Sincerely, J.D. https://www.jdsage.com/whataboutme.htm
J.D., I was hoping to hear from you.
If you don’t know J.D. Sage, he is a classic troubadour. His music is timeless – wonderful lyrics, moody vocals, and strong instrumentation.
Especially for those of you on the left-end of the radio dial (as Sky Daniels pointed out in an earlier comment), take a look at – and a listen to – J.D. Sage.
“I keep looking longingly at all those clusters where there’s one perennial loser station – the one that always seems to be 16th ranked and going nowhere.”
I’ve been going one further and contacting some of those stations and the response has been underwhelming, to say the least.
Don’t I know it? The hope that consolidation would produce even a modicum of risk-taking was dashed a long time ago. Sad, but true.
Well, Fred, you have surely opened Pandora’s box here (pardon pun).
Leaving aside the thought that, during a pandemic and economic slump, more listeners take refuge in the familiar, ask yourself “What does ‘new’ mean?” Does it just mean released/published recently? If so, comparison to the icons of the past is fair: The music stands or falls on its merits, and if the “new” music sounds like recycled riffs of the beloved old, swipe left. No need to waste time or money on it when I cab already find better stuff on my shelf/in my iPod/elsewhere on the dial.
Or does “new” mean “new to me”? Where I am it does; that is what I hope to hear when I listen to the radio, and bless those stations that provide it in abundance. Maybe it’s an old bluegrass tune I am unfamiliar with, a Hank Williams track I somehow never heard before, a live Miles Davis recording that simply never came my way until now, an early Angelique Kidjo tune I’d know if I lived in Benin but I don’t. I’m thankful for my friends on the other side of the mic who bring these “new” musical wonders to my ears. There’s a ton of it.
“Nothing but the best, and later for the rest.” ~ J.L. Hooker
John, appreciate the context. And you have to admit, it’s more fun than debating Mr./Ms. Potato Head.
Hey John,
Thanks for including the “new to me” approach on this. I’m with Fred too on hoping for more risk-taking from commercial terrestrial radio too, but won’t hold my breath.
Public radio is still, (music-oriented stations anyway), largely dedicated to exposing the new music and the “new to me” stuff too. World Cafe, Undercurrents, and locally curated shows on mindful stations.
I’m trying to do a little of both for public radio in an eclectic mix on a regularly scheduled syndicated program called 10,000 GOOD SONGS that you might find fun to dip into.
The title is a riff on the number of songs on my classic iPod (which is actually getting closer to 20,000). Yes, I’m still on the iPod and not streaming – mainly because if I’m going to re-share files for broadcast, I pretty much need to own the tune, old-school. It’s more for the “new to me” listener but I am popping in new artists and bands that play well with the rock, blues, folk, soul and r+b from the archive. I would compare it a bit to The Loft on Sirius/XM (that’s been exiled to an online stream only). The gimmick is that I’m generally keeping to a no-repeat policy until I get through the whole list. In my book, at this stage in my radio making life, why play one good song a second time, when another good song is on the bench waiting to get in the game – a new one, or a quality album cut that’s been too long ignored through the ages? At one hour a week, it would take about 6 years to get through the whole list.
Fred will recall that I was always trying for another 50 titles to wriggle into a 700 song list for our classic rock endeavor in Cleveland, so I’m “living the dream” of a station with a 10,000 song playlist. Programmed thoughtfully, it might be a format “gimmick” that people would stick with and talk about. Might even lift that low performer in a cluster from #16 to #14!
The general URL for my series is this. You can plug in any number from 001 to 285 currently to hear what it’s like. But a typical outing would be at this link:
https://www.paulingles.com/10000GoodSongs/10000GoodSongs-051.mp3
(NOTE: This is NOT a podcast. It’s a private link for sampling the series. I can’t issue this program widely as a podcast due to music licensing issues. It can be streamed through the Public Radio Exchange here: https://exchange.prx.org/series/37247-10-000-good-songs?order=oldest_first)
So each show is 75% new or “new to me” tunes, 25% undisputed good and great songs from music’s history. I have a “mighty” network of about 7 stations playing 10,000 GOOD SONGS once a week. But it won’t be long until we’ll break-out more hugely. (If I live to see that day — but what a way to go, living out my days trying to make my love, my hobby. my best skill into something that even a few people will get to enjoy – hearing both “new” and “new to me”!
Paul Ingles
https://www.paulingles.com
Paul, thanks to you for bringing strong content to my blog post – and these amazing comments.
Your taste in music and feel for how to deliver it has always been your “super power.” I always enjoyed our back-and-forths about music, artists, and pop culture. I appreciate this contribution & I hope our readers check it out.
I’m not a fan of much new music these days, but I’m also in my 50s and will be aging out of that 25-54 “money demo” before long.
What’s keeping the new music from getting its shot on the radio? I know it’s almost a dead horse by now, but perhaps having national “format” directors who might be playing it safe to keep their jobs might be a factor, along with the myriad streaming options.
Risk appears to have been minimized as much as possible, and the discovery of the next big thing is discouraged in order to protect stock values.
But I’m just a small market PD, so what do I know?
You know plenty, Don. And you hit on it in your first sentence. New music intensive formats were never aimed at people in their 50s. Until broadcast radio discovers the value of those under 25 (and yes, over 54), nothing will change.
Alright, I don’t even know where to start here. Let’s go with a 2 hour turnover and 7 songs that do that when on Spotify or almost ANY other app, allows you to skip songs you don’t like. We force you to listen to that popular song you hate every 2 hours, plus a ton of commercials. I’m not saying that’s bad, I’m saying that WE ARE BUILDING THIS BEAST. When markets that used to break artists and songs were pulled from reporting and the GM’s got together and decided that if small markets didn’t buy the book they wouldn’t need the book, that left only large markets and PPM’s to decide what everyone wants to hear. EVEN THOUGH folks using a ppm are not necessarily leaving a song, they’re leaving a place. BUT, since Black Dog scored a 79 we’re pulling it this quarter. It’s absolutely ludacris. Because of these two things, consultants are having a HAY DAY making radio what their market liked, because, and this is a quote from a consultant, “I’d never let a podunk effing market like this tell me what to play”. Even though that podunk station in that podunk effing market with it’s podunk effing jocks, has been winning with the same format for literally decades, EVEN after the US deregulated and saturated small markets. Now, let’s talk about how the “Veterans” speak of the new music. JFC. You all sound like my grandma talking about the Beatles. Realize, YOU MAY NOT BE THE DEMO ANYMORE. Sometimes I swear we’re just old guys telling the kids to quit playing the devil music and get off the lawn. If you don’t adapt, if you don’t admit maybe your way isn’t the way anymore, then this is how we die.
Tammie, I’m glad we got you going this morning. 🙂 Please see my response to Don Collett. Demographics, sadly, tell a big part of the tale here. If you don’t value young people and focus on 25-54 year-olds, the formats on the air will all blend together – and get blander every year.
It is less about the age of programmers, consultants, and owners (although you’re right – that plays a role), and much more about who they value from a business model standpoint. While the rest of the world chases Millennials and Gen Z, radio is content to age out, going after (mostly Xers and younger Boomers).
THIS consultant would never say that. And let me also remind you how consultants have lost their mojo in recent years. Most of us haven’t had too many HAY DAYS the past several years.
As the post hopefully pointed out, radio is definitely a co-conspirator here. We are the only medium that (still) has the reach to have a macro impact, but we give up that advantage when we’re afraid to go for it with a signal that is now the third AC or the second Classic Rock station in a market. Most of the time, these are largely unsuccessful stations, so why not do something truly innovative with them?
Thanks for the comment, the passion, and for adding to the convo.
I love that you ask these questions then listen and respond. You’re top notch sir!
Tammie, when I started this blog, I thought the best part would be these dialogues on the days I’d write a post that would resonate. So, I love days like today. You were one of the first to engage, and I really enjoyed reading your comments. All the best to you.
Love the indictment.
Whenever these discussions come up on our group, my theory is that it doesn’t suck, it’s just not mass appeal – and there is little incentive to be that today.
We’re about 20 years into the concept of personal playlist (iPod to Spotify) and while I LOVE my personal playlist, it would not be mass appeal. This is different from the “mix-tape” era when people still had to hear the hits on radio or find those CD’s at the record store. As we hit an entire generation who grew up on cultivating a personal sound, mass appeal almost feels like a “sell out”.
As radio is the big tent medium, we are looking for the next Smash Mouth / All Star. Anything that mass appeal today would be mocked by the personal playlist generation. I have two 18+ children who grew up in a radio family but can’t imagine sitting through songs not personally a favorite. It’s the same way with TV. When they visit, there is no mass appeal thing we can all watch … so we usually end up going for nostalgia with something like Finding Nemo or The Incredibles that was popular when they were kids.
Radio needs to stop worrying about new music discovery – that’s a “hill” we can’t own in the 2020’s. Let the other mediums bring songs to the surface. Then like a good fisherman – we hook the big ones and mix them with localism and lots of camaraderie. The knock we get about playing the least offensive songs goes away if we offer companionship with those sellout/mass appeal songs.
We need to build communities, not playlists.
I agree with many of your points, Bob. Our playlists “radio.” We don’t design them to win audiences. We put ’em together to satisfy our needs and moods.
But if we even remotely care about new music anymore, where does THAT need get fulfilled?
So, where we differ is that I believe radio could still play a music discovery role – not a 12+ format, because there was never such thing. But by focusing on a target lifestyle.
Of course, this would require an entirely new approach, different ways of understanding and researching, and actually hiring people who live that lifestyle.
Otherwise, here’s some Queen to get you into the weekend!
Very well said. Thank you.
No excitement. You never hear the jock ‘breaking’ something new and exciting. That’s me as an old radio guy. Hoping for radio-action. And then there’s the music itself. I can see how the social/economic/media/technological and even /political milieu can be choking up the system in various ways, but as a musician myself the new stuff seems over-hooked, overcooked, and often just whiny. I want to hear a good song.
You’re right, UL. A new show on Netflix carries more excitement than a new release from _______________. And then there’s the music itself.
Thanks for chiming in.
Years ago when album rock stations ruled,the pile of music that arrived weekly was often without much merit. I keep that in mind as I start my weekly hunt for music new and interesting. It’s not unusual to listen to 20 to 60 new pieces and come away with nothing to barely ok. Why? Music shows that are artist centric and open to giving an artist at least one play for their effort aren’t the rule anymore. So where is the carrot for going through the creative process? I am seeing sparks and flashes of trends developing but oh so slow. My audience probably trends older but I play a lot of new music and my audience is growing which I see as encouraging.
Dan, you have been there & done that. If you didn’t know, Dan was one of the original “Air Aces” on the legendary WABX in Detroit. Also on KLOS, WNEW-FM, and a host of other legendary rockers. Now he’s hosting “The Everything Show” & it’s a tasty journey through great stuff from the past & lots of new picks. You can check it out here. The Everything Show – Dan Carlisle
Fred:
I’ve thought about this over the years, at least from an FM rock POV. My take:
1) With very few exceptions, almost every great rock radio band or artist still creating new music has simply run out of ideas that rival their previous work. I don’t have to name names; the lack of airplay for new music from the biggest names in rock from 70s-80s-90s is evidence enough.
2) There’s a programming mentality against new stuff–even if it’s worthy of airplay–just as there’s an aging mentality against new music from anybody.
Remember that scene from the Big Chill in 1983, when Kevin Kline put on that Temptations album?
Michael (Jeff Goldblum): Harold, don’t you have any other music, you know, from this century?
Harold (Kevin Kline): There is no other music, not in my house.
Michael: There’s been a lot of terrific music in the last ten years.
Harold: Like what?
There’s still a lot of Harolds out there.
3) Music of every genre has long been running into a wall, not unlike the marching band in the Animal House parade finale, and not really getting anywhere.
4) Record companies have all but stopped curating and cultivating bands beyond an album or two. The Steve Miller Band released SIX(!) albums, none charting higher than #22 in the halcyon days of album rock, before hitting it big with The Joker. Bob Seger released EIGHT studio albums before Night Moves. Those days of patience and belief in an artist are long gone.
It just comes down to this for me: very few are making relatable, catchy music that’ll make me turn up the volume anymore. Cheap Trick and Foo Fighters still do. The Stones–who still show how it’s done–gave radio the perfect song for the times with Living In A Ghost Town. Who’s got next?
Gary, this is a wonderful, well-thought-out comment & I appreciate you sharing it with us. The pop culture references help you tell your stories – we can relate to them.
So, let’s make it official: you’re off “double secret probation.”
Thanks for this.
Fred,
As you know, I usually interact with you privately regarding the Jacobs Blog posts. But, since the Blog is now officially 16 years old, I can avoid interstate legislation in our relationship and respond publicly.
I recently shared an anecdote with Dave Richards, the Entercom format Captain and head of KISW/Seattle during their 50th Anniversary celebration. When I became Program Director at KISW in 1988, I was told “Seattle is not a New Music city”. Just like I was told when I went to WLUP/Chicago, and yes, WWWW/Detroit. in hindsight, we all recognize the folly of that wisdom.
In my experience, there is a plethora of great New (Rock-based) Music being made today. It just isn’t as popular in streaming services as Rhythmic Pop and HipHop amongst today’s youth. Ergo, it is not promoted and marketed as strongly by labels, as streaming currently rules their roost, not radio (at least, in perception and their revenues).
Commercial radio cannot withstand the ‘risk’ that comes with exposing new music, which you and I lament every time a Monthly Nielsen report appears. As such, when you do a survey of ‘Broadcast Radio” listeners, you will find a lot of uninspired ears.
So where do you find good, if not great, New Music if you are a Radio fan? As The Replacements once extolled, “The Left Of The Dial”. Check out The Current in Minneapolis, WXPN/Philly, KUTX/Dallas, WAPS/Akron, and, yes, KCSN/Los Angeles. Music Discovery is their driving mission. Heck, WRLT/Nashville, a commercial outlet, quit subscribing to the ratings because they connected with Music City listeners in droves playing a lot of great New Music.
Seek, and ye shall find…
OK, so true confession – I thought about you when I was writing this post. And you are absolutely correct that success in the new music frontier is dependent on the level of energy and passion a station – and its talent – brings to the party.
That’s your cue, Sky Boy. I’m hard-pressed to think of another talent I’ve ever encountered who brought so much to your radio stations. And I think about your experience at 88.5 in Northridge, and what you did to transform & energize that brand – in spite of everything.
You are correct that the true adventurers are on the left side of the dial (I heard from Owen at KEXP earlier today, another good example.) They are out there, but still in just a handful of markets. And if your theory is correct, it could happen anywhere, right?
I’m stubborn. I still imagine a scenario where commercial radio actually does this in a market that matters. And maybe things need to reach that point where ownership is ready for just about anything. Come to think of it, all my original Classic Rock stations in the mid-late 80’s were desperate, damaged brands. When you’ve got nothin’, you’ve got nothin’ to lose.
Thanks for bringing your gravitas and spirit to this conversation.
I’m still managing to find new bands and music, but by reading. Rolling Stone, Metalsucks, listening to guys like Tom Morello and Jack White, Dave Grohl…
New music/rock is subjective, one girl’s trash is another’s treasure, and as you and others note, there are several reasons radio’s music discovery scores have been trending down. Making matters WORSE is YouTube and Spotify have the new Mammoth WVH song right now, but radio won’t have it for a few weeks. That says a lot about how the ‘other side’ of the music business is focusing its resources. Sadly, Radio couldn’t break the Mammoth WVH song right now even if it wanted to … but that’s not always the case, of course.
If radio wants to increase it’s music discovery trending, the strategy needs to be different, but that’s a different discussion.
It is painful these other platforms get these songs before radio. But maybe we’ve made our own beds in this with lack of airplay and interest.
The labels may think they can more mileage out of Spotify than radio. I would challenge that. Especially for a new artist like Mammoth WVH that needs branding and host enthusiasm as much as they do airplay.
Hey Fred…
I do have an issue with the labels thinking they get more mileage from Spotify than radio. Thing is, sales have tanked. We see that. We know physicals and even downloads don’t happen. People don’t want to actually own but “rent” their music.
The labels slash themselves by not working to radio. Promotion was never easy. Ask anyone how hard it was to get Guns N Roses played on the radio. Paradise City, anyone?
But once they get stations to play the right records, we can help them with their Spotify game. Promotion still works. If the record gets a lot of radio play, you can’t tell me that won’t push the plays on Spotify. That’s how people listen to “their own music,” now. They don’t buy it. Spotify is their own music. Radio can still be where things are exciting. But we have to make it so.
And as Sky says, on the left of the dial (although both of WEXT’s frequencies are squarely in the commercial part of FM), we are making a point of finding cool new music. There is a ton of it.
Try Laura Marling, The Staves, Jade Bird, Kaleo, Lucero, Israel Nash, Devon Gilfillian, and the aforementioned Marcus King and Tedeschi Trucks, just to name a few. I could fill your pages with some really great artists.
Sure, what I think is great may not be what others think, but isn’t that our job? We are supposed to find ways to connect with people using music, songs, albums, etc. Listeners who identify with what you’re doing is what creates your community. Go out and find them!
Chris
Chris, I believe you’re raising a key point – a differentiator for radio – that is simply not being appreciated by many labels. Curation, information, context – all elements that a great radio station with tuned-in personalities can bring to the table. Your playlist services? Not so much.
Spotify (and Youtube) has a simple edge over Radio in music discovery – algorithms.
While Radio caters to your broad tastes, Spotify knows exactly what songs and artists you like.
I may listen to a Classic Rock Station when I hear “Rocks Off” but nothing can make me switch quicker than when Journey comes on next. We have always known people create their own variety with presets.
Spotify knows I like Chuck Prophet, so they serve me up Alejandro Escovedo and the Bottle Rockets as simpatico acts.
When you switch genres, the acts switch as well. Their algorithms can learn better than any PD what each individual likes.
Our advantage? Most people like but don’t love music. They want the familiar and comfortable and if they know our frequency when they are in the mood, we do a good job or curating for them.
But for the people that really like music, we can’t satisfy that itch like Spotify.
If we do our jobs right, we don’t have to.
Great comment, Mike. As you point out, they are very different platforms. And they can be great when they’re well-executed.
This is an interesting conundrum, one exacerbated by how music is listened to today. In the “old” days, we would listen to an entire album and hear a broader scope of the artist’s intentions. As music is consumed today, it’s more like being fed through an eye-dropper, one drop/song at a time. Pandora and Spotify encourage this through their algorithms. “If you like this…” That will reveal other arists, but with the same limitation of one song provided.
There have been too many albums where the chart topper eclipsed other songs in that same album, some even better. Recently, I discovered a group I’d not known of based on one song I heard on the radio. Upon purchasing and listening to the entire album, I found other songs even better (IMHO). I also realized what the artist(s) were striving for. One tune will not reveal that.
This is nothing new. But until blocks of a groups’ music are played consecutively, this will not change. Changing tastes and attitudes have contributed to this as well as a growing inability or desire of the listener to invest the time to – listen.
Bruce, good comment. But it’s worse than you’re thinking. Many don’t even listen to ONE song – they listen to the first 15 seconds of that song, and then make a decision.
It’s a very different landscape than someone buying an album and tracking every song on Side A.
Fred,
Hasn’t new music always “sucked”? Isn’t that a big part of the Classic Rock story?
In addition to the way radios business model changed, the record industry business model underwent a massive change in the 90s when service like Napster came to the forefront?
Finally, I like the Mammoth Wolfgang song but while the singer is no DLR or Sammy soundalike and nobody will mistake the drummer for Alex VH, the guitar – especially the solo – could be vintage Eddie.
Andy, you’re right of course, that the secret sauce of Classic Rock (and other gold-based formats) is that the music you grew up with is the best ever made.
OK, that’s a function of aging. It’s probably been that way since the beginnings of pop culture.
The condition that perhaps seems different today is how many young people are either tepid about new music or their tastes are so fragmented that the consensus we’ve become accustomed to about new music has all about disappeared. \
As for Wolf, there’s hope here. He is one to watch. Thanks for weighing in.
There’s no easy answer to this and the foundation of why new music- and all of music, to be quite frank- is in the state it’s in- has many layers and many causes.
However much anyone wants to criticize Spotify or any other streaming platform, I’d remind them to consider cause and effect as well as cause and demand: this thing would not be sustained if the majority did not prefer it. I also do not relate to the Adam Levine bands. Or Miley Cyrus being seen as an artist worth following and documenting like Rolling Stone does. But clearly so many do, or it couldn’t keep standing. So who chooses what rises to the top? It’s very easy to blame soulless corporate owned media but who enables their influence? Why do very good bands cease to find the proper funding? My band has gotten nothing but good press but I often feel like Orson Welles- endlessly complimented but never able to find proper funding to bring my projects to fruition.
We have a music culture now of instant accessibility, a generation that didn’t come up with a ceremonial connection to live gigs, a media that has to ensure maximum clicks so therefore puts lesser artists in their releases- this didn’t happen overnight. It was like the death of a thousand cuts. Apply this to any medium and there’s a similar evolution.
And what of bands? Don’t they have a heavy role to play in their own lack of public awareness? Too many bands are passive and entitled. They believe their work stops when they release an album, they think people should come to them. They don’t hustle, they wait for social media posts to do their jobs. Believe me; I’ve met these artists, some of whom are more talented than myself but have one tenth of my willingness to put the miles in. Other musicians use their art as a device to promote themselves; the work is secondary to TALKING about the work- this also creates flaws in a system where *community* would ensure maximum effect for greater group awareness.
William, you raise some very good – and very troubling points. And as you demonstrate from your perspective, it’s complicated. You’re on the ground level with a band trying to get noticed in a world where getting attention has become the hard part. Back in the day, you could call yourself “Alice” or paint your faces, stick out your tongue, and wear platform shoes – and you’d garner attention. Today, you’re just another lame video on TikTok. Thanks for adding to the conversation.
Thank you for the response Mr. Jacobs. If I can clarify, I did not mean to come across as frustrated due to lack of notice- although it’s there, as with any artist, in what I would consider are healthy amounts. I still have some press, I work with a Bowie producer, we have airplay- it could be worse. What I meant to get across and failed to articulate is simply that the avenues to get your work out there are clogged and diluted due to special interests in the media as well as a fading music press in the States. As with what I said about Spotify, I don’t blame TikTok as it’s something which couldn’t be sustained if people didn’t prefer it; we have a generation of people who have grown up with the accessibility of apps. It’s troubling because there’s no easy answer to any of these questions, if there’s an answer at all.
I hear more confusion about how to read the current “weather” our there, rather than frustration. Although for everyone trying to work the system – musicians, labels, radio programmers, and streaming execs, the answers are far from obvious. Nor are they linear. Thanks for engaging on this.
I can think of so many great new artists that I enjoy.
Artists that write their own songs. Artists that will stand the test of time. Artists whose music would fit into many different formats.
And you know what? NONE of them are played on commercial radio. Instead, we get manufactured, bland, monotonous garbage flogged 10 times a day.
No wonder listeners aren’t turning to the radio for their fix of great new tunes. PDs really need to lose their “play it safe” mentality, otherwise music radio is going to look like an outdated relic.
(BTW, I’m speaking from an Australian perspective here, but I’m sure it applies to the US as well.)