AC in 2006

[Radiogeek500]

Well, anyone have thoughts on AC for 2006?

It was interesting that this last year(2005) I read a article that interviewed a PD(can't remember his name) that stated how he felt AC needed to develop it's own artists and not just be a oldies or take product from other formats. Could 2006 see more of a push for AC to have it's own unique set of artists ie Michael Bublay and Josh Groban?

And what about the upbeat trend? Expect that to continue as well.

Let's debate on AC 2006.<P ID="signature">______________
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[dommy]

> Well, anyone have thoughts on AC for 2006?
>
> It was interesting that this last year(2005) I read a
> article that interviewed a PD(can't remember his name) that
> stated how he felt AC needed to develop it's own artists and
> not just be a oldies or take product from other formats.
> Could 2006 see more of a push for AC to have it's own unique
> set of artists ie Michael Bublay and Josh Groban?
>
> And what about the upbeat trend? Expect that to continue as
> well.
>
> Let's debate on AC 2006.
>
Michael Buble is a great artist. But he needs to do more original songs like "Home"..and not remakes of standards. Rod Stewart, Phil Collins, and Elton John are no longer "automatic artists" for the format. Their older stuff that the target grew up with is fine..but new stuff from these artists probably needs to be looked at suspiciously. It's tough to develop new artists for this format when the currents don't spin nearly as often as a CHR. To continue to grow the format younger...it needs to get more 35-44s listening...the currents need to be songs that moms and daughters can equally enjoy...Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood's pop stuff, some of the lighter stuff from Hot A/C..ala Howie Day, Maroon Five, etc. Some of the best music being recorded today is in country so the format still needs to pull pop stuff from that format. It's great that the Eagles broke through one more time but don't expect that to be the norm. And be careful with all the remakes the format tends to receive..some work but many do not.

 

[westlife]

> It was interesting that this last year(2005) I read a
> article that interviewed a PD(can't remember his name) that
> stated how he felt AC needed to develop it's own artists and
> not just be a oldies or take product from other formats.
> Could 2006 see more of a push for AC to have it's own unique
> set of artists ie Michael Bublay and Josh Groban?

I don't know if AC can develop "it's" [sic] own artists, but it surely can develop its own artists -- or embrace ones which have had huge success overseas but are underknown and underappreciated by Americans, such as... you guessed it... Westlife!

And an old AC standby, Al Stewart, released a new CD last year which is undoubtedly his best album since "Time Passages"... yet no one is playing any of it on the radio. Why? On most AC stations we just got through hearing two months' worth of everything from Bing Crosby and Burl Ives to Britney Spears and the Barenaked Ladies, so it's not like listeners are afraid of some variety. It'd be interesting to see how typical "Lite FM" listeners would react to songs like "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" by Westlife & Diana Ross and "Anniversary" by Al Stewart... both polished radio-quality tracks which would fit the AC format perfectly. Perhaps the emergence of James Blunt and Daniel Powter will help to bring along some other artists from the British Isles to AC radio on this side of the pond.

There's also something to be said for all the songs which thrown to U.S. radio stations but didn't get enough "spins" to become hits. For example, a few months ago I was in a convenience store when John Mayer's "Why Georgia" came on the Muzak system and I was taken aback by how it could've been a massive hit, but yet is unknown except for those who have his album.

<P ID="signature">______________

"This is the New York Emergency Broadcast System satellite channel. They took the crosstown bus."</P>

 

[u-j]

> > Well, anyone have thoughts on AC for 2006?
> >
> > It was interesting that this last year(2005) I read a
> > article that interviewed a PD(can't remember his name)
> that
> > stated how he felt AC needed to develop it's own artists
> and
> > not just be a oldies or take product from other formats.
> > Could 2006 see more of a push for AC to have it's own
> unique
> > set of artists ie Michael Bublay and Josh Groban?
> >
> > And what about the upbeat trend? Expect that to continue
> as
> > well.
> >
> > Let's debate on AC 2006.
> >
> Michael Buble is a great artist. But he needs to do more
> original songs like "Home"..and not remakes of standards.
> Rod Stewart, Phil Collins, and Elton John are no longer
> "automatic artists" for the format. Their older stuff that
> the target grew up with is fine..but new stuff from these
> artists probably needs to be looked at suspiciously. It's
> tough to develop new artists for this format when the
> currents don't spin nearly as often as a CHR. To continue to
> grow the format younger...it needs to get more 35-44s
> listening...the currents need to be songs that moms and
> daughters can equally enjoy...Kelly Clarkson, Carrie
> Underwood's pop stuff, some of the lighter stuff from Hot
> A/C..ala Howie Day, Maroon Five, etc. Some of the best music
> being recorded today is in country so the format still needs
> to pull pop stuff from that format. It's great that the
> Eagles broke through one more time but don't expect that to
> be the norm. And be careful with all the remakes the format
> tends to receive..some work but many do not.


Have you heard Buble' with "Save the Last Dance"? It's an incredible arrangement and hearing it is almost like hearing the song for the first time. A/C is a very viable format, if it remains true to it's mission and target demographic. What other format focuses so much attention to females?
>

 

[dommy]

> > > Well, anyone have thoughts on AC for 2006?
> > >
> > > It was interesting that this last year(2005) I read a
> > > article that interviewed a PD(can't remember his name)
> > that
> > > stated how he felt AC needed to develop it's own artists
>
> > and
> > > not just be a oldies or take product from other formats.
>
> > > Could 2006 see more of a push for AC to have it's own
> > unique
> > > set of artists ie Michael Bublay and Josh Groban?
> > >
> > > And what about the upbeat trend? Expect that to continue
>
> > as
> > > well.
> > >
> > > Let's debate on AC 2006.
> > >
> > Michael Buble is a great artist. But he needs to do more
> > original songs like "Home"..and not remakes of standards.
> > Rod Stewart, Phil Collins, and Elton John are no longer
> > "automatic artists" for the format. Their older stuff that
>
> > the target grew up with is fine..but new stuff from these
> > artists probably needs to be looked at suspiciously. It's
>
> > tough to develop new artists for this format when the
> > currents don't spin nearly as often as a CHR. To continue
> to
> > grow the format younger...it needs to get more 35-44s
> > listening...the currents need to be songs that moms and
> > daughters can equally enjoy...Kelly Clarkson, Carrie
> > Underwood's pop stuff, some of the lighter stuff from Hot
> > A/C..ala Howie Day, Maroon Five, etc. Some of the best
> music
> > being recorded today is in country so the format still
> needs
> > to pull pop stuff from that format. It's great that the
> > Eagles broke through one more time but don't expect that
> to
> > be the norm. And be careful with all the remakes the
> format
> > tends to receive..some work but many do not.
>
>
> Have you heard Buble' with "Save the Last Dance"? It's an
> incredible arrangement and hearing it is almost like hearing
> the song for the first time. A/C is a very viable format,
> if it remains true to it's mission and target demographic.
> What other format focuses so much attention to females?
> >
Yeah.it's one of the better cover songs right now. The format just needs to be careful in this area. This is also a song that hasn't been played in the format for quite awhile so it does sound fresh.
>

 

[Uncle Buck]

Five For Fighting....Great A/C sound...Maybe Country is doing so well across the country because A/C radio continues to play that Crap?? and Yes it's Well past time to grow the format "down" a few years. Playing 70's stuff as gold appeals to Women who are almost out of Your Demo. But then again, I'm just a Jock, whaddaIknow?

 

[Mike Sheridan]

I'm really tired of all the '70's retreads. If I hear Elton John do "Your Song" one more time I think that will be enough for the rest of my life thanks. I like like the song but it's time to give that and others a REST.

Darryl Hall did a great job on "I'll Be Around" Carole King sounds great on "Love Makes The World" but alas it didn't get airplay. I think a lot of it is programmers playing it safe. Some people might have to hear a song a couple of times before they come around and like it.....or we could all hear "Your Song" one more time!

I'm not convinced that people only want to hear the same songs they listened to back in their high school days.

 

[radiolover78]

No one would know Carol King and James Taylor make new material. All you hear is the classics, over and over again!

 

[Jay F]

When I scan the dial and land on AC I always hope they are playing a 70s classic. I will never get tired of those songs for as long as I live. I have little interest in new music from old artists, many of them lost their voices and it's sad to listen to how they decayed. There are some exceptions, I do enjoy the Michael Mcdonald CD of remakes, he pretty much sounds the same and it's nice to hear his arrangements of familiar favorites. But overall I would rather hear new music from new artist and old musi from old artists.

I remeber in 1990 a co-worker told me we will soon never hear Seals and Crofts on the radio again. He took great joy in this prediction. Well, here it is 16 years latter and I get the biggest rush when I hear AC stations still playing songs like "Summer Breeze" or "Get Closer", not only do I love those songs, I think about just how wrong that prediction was and it puts a big smile on my face.