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Suckers Never Play Me
By Avery | March 3, 2008
Dark Star is fed up with the radio. I’m so far past that point, I forgot what it looked like. I haven’t listened to broadcast radio in years. Not on a regular basis, at least. When I did, I only listened to WIP, the sports station in Philly. Music on the radio? Not so much. I can probably list the albums I’ve bought because I heard one of the songs on the radio. They are: 1. Love Jones Soundtrack (the Dionne Farris song, Hopeless), 2. The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (Change The Game), and All In the Family by MFSB. That last one is a slight aberration because I had BEEN knew that I liked the song that I bought it for, TSOP, I just never knew the name of the song or the group.
In a way, though, that last example is probably the most typical use of the radio for me these days. At this point, all the radio can really do for me is point me in the direction of stuff I already know I like but don’t have the information about. Only thing is, the radio generally doesn’t play the stuff I like. Being that I’m much more into the b-sides and the album cuts, I know better than to think that anybody besides me is gonna program something I’d like. Now I ain’t gon’ lie, every once in a while, I’ll be between CDs in the car and they’ll throw on a song or two that slows me down, but my musical tastes vary a little too much from the traditional for me to be a fan of broadcast radio.
As an example, on the adult urban station, which I suppose is the demographic I fit into now, they’re good for playing Before I Let Go by Frankie Beverly & Maze. I hate that song. I know it’s really popular and everybody loves to sing along with it, but I cannot stand it. Like, if I was listening to the radio, I’d change the station if it came on. Or to use a positive instance, if they were to play some Al Green, there’s a 75% chance it would either be Let’s Stay Together or Love and Happiness. Can’t Get Next To You? Simply Beautiful? What? Al Green recorded those songs? And again, I know that Let’s Stay Together and Love and Happiness were big hits for Al, but they’re not his only good songs. I mean, for real-for real, I’d probably take Simply Beautiful over 2/3 of his catalog. But that’s just me. Which is why I couldn’t be a DJ.
The bigger problem, I think, is that my generation isn’t even being considered as a radio market. Most adult stations are targeted towards people who were adults when I was in high school. I mean, I like Stevie and Marv and Al and all, but why aren’t there stations that focus on classic hip-hop? By listening to the radio, you’d never know that EPMD had ever existed. Let alone Rebel Without A Pause. I find it hard to believe that there’s not a market - or that a market couldn’t be generated fairly quickly. But with the emphasis being on getting that quick cash quick fast, I don’t think it’s gonna happen.
Topics: Music |
March 4th, 2008 at 9:12 am
That’s why satellite radio is the move for guys like you (and me too). They have a niche for everything, guaranteed there’s a few for you and our age group.
A lot of car rentals these days are coming with sat radio standard and it’s been a revelation. Our next ride has got to have it.
March 4th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I don’t know.
There is more to choose from station wise and music style.
However,I find Satallite Radio to get tired quick too and the playlists get repetitive only shifting by a few hours here and there.
The specialty shows are ok,but the regular computer selected playlists are same old.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
well given that i recently topped 13k songs, my catalog is really deep enough that i don’t NEED to find any new songs. there are a few artists and genres i’d like to tighten up on, but i don’t really neeeeeed too much else. besides, 18k is mighty close.
March 5th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
I hate Before I Let Go too. I just hate it.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:27 am
There’s no way I can trackback here, but I was thinking this.
March 10th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
MIB:
Yup,spot on.\
When was the last time you heard the term “Regional Hit” when in came to radio?
So many great acts,started as local acts with local support at live shows and if they were lucky,local radio.
If the right ears were listening then they’d be called up to the big leages,with some experience under their belts.