Audacy Launches Over 350 New Digital Music Stations

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://news.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/headline_id=n40715

Note according to the release the some of the new music stations will be powered by Napster.

Audacy has launched a portfolio of new exclusive music stations, available immediately to all listeners, that will build upon existing format offerings and bring new variety to its digital platform. The exclusive station collection is designed for fans by fans and will range widely across various music genres, moods and activities, enabling users to discover new music driven by their interests, favorite artists and upcoming events.

"Exclusive stations underscore Audacy's commitment to a roadmap of innovation, with many more features and interactivity to come over the coming months," said J.D. Crowley, Chief Digital Officer, Audacy.

The initial launch group of over 350 new stations are expertly curated by iconic Audacy brands, on-air personalities and influencers from across Audacy's nationwide portfolio and collectively leverage millions of hours of human music compilation and audio production experience. Audacy's exclusive stations will add more depth to existing formats on the platform and introduce new and unique genres to listeners. Stations will also be built by some of the biggest stars in the music industry, including Coldplay, Tiësto, Sofia Carson and Jake Owen at launch, with additional artist-programmed stations added in the coming weeks. Curators will leverage various listener usage data to continuously evolve and enhance the stations.

 

[kevtronics]

The choices are way too fragmented. Want to listen to a Classic Hits format? Too bad -- you have to choose between '60s-only, '70s-only, or '80s-only. Want an AC format playing the usual mix of '80s through current hits? No such luck -- it's split up into six channels. There are twelve different channels dedicated to '80s music. There are more Alternative than mainstream Rock channels -- how's that for ironic! But there are only two Classical music channels.

 

[boombox4]

I'll give 'em props for trying. That other corporate music entity Radio Disney gave up on streaming. And that was just one channel, with an already made audience.

 

[Kelly A]

The choices are way too fragmented. Want to listen to a Classic Hits format? Too bad -- you have to choose between '60s-only, '70s-only, or '80s-only. Want an AC format playing the usual mix of '80s through current hits? No such luck -- it's split up into six channels. There are twelve different channels dedicated to '80s music. There are more Alternative than mainstream Rock channels -- how's that for ironic! But there are only two Classical music channels.

I find your post amusing and ironic. How many people on this very site have complained about the lack of variety and choice from traditional radio? Now they can get it on streaming, but there's too many choices.

 

[kevtronics]

I'm not arguing against having a vast array of channels. I'm just saying I wish they had more broad-based channels as well, instead of making everything so fragmented. For example, iHeartRadio has Real Oldies ('60s-'70s), Big Classic Hits ('70s-'90s), Soft Rock (AC), Sunny (Soft AC), etc.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

There are some of those iHeart stations I listen to, in lieu of the XM app when their mix is a bit more appealing. Totally get that. And I’d love to hear a more Jack-like station, sans commercials and other filler (acknowledging that Jack and his ilk vary from location to location, but still).

It’s an interesting step and one that will get me to use the Audacy app to see if there’s anything that would become a favorite.

 

[Kelly A]

I'm not arguing against having a vast array of channels. I'm just saying I wish they had more broad-based channels as well, instead of making everything so fragmented. For example, iHeartRadio has Real Oldies ('60s-'70s), Big Classic Hits ('70s-'90s), Soft Rock (AC), Sunny (Soft AC), etc.

Research has shown that the oldies gap isn't much wider than a single decade. Most listeners who prefer the 60-70's, don't care for the 80's.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Research has shown that the oldies gap isn't much wider than a single decade. Most listeners who prefer the 60-70's, don't care for the 80's.

Yeah. Broadcast radio has forced the 80s on us. Has anyone ever said those songs sounded good mixed with the 60s and 70s? Huey Lewis and the News, Billy Joel, Elton John and a few others are exceptions.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

They didn’t force anything on you.

 

[vchimpanzee]

They didn’t force anything on you.

What they have done is make it necessary for anyone who turns on a radio to hear 60s and 70s music to put up with 80s songs or change stations when they come on.

 

[kevtronics]

Yeah. Broadcast radio has forced the 80s on us. Has anyone ever said those songs sounded good mixed with the 60s and 70s?

Back in the '80s and early '90s they did, when numerous songs from the '60s and '70s were re-released due to their popularity in movie soundtracks. "Unchained Melody", "Twist and Shout", "Do You Love Me", "Bohemian Rhapsody", etc.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

What they have done is make it necessary for anyone who turns on a radio to hear 60s and 70s music to put up with 80s songs or change stations when they come on.

So exercise your choice. It works for the companies, and it's a business. You're not forced to turn it on.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Back in the '80s and early '90s they did, when numerous songs from the '60s and '70s were re-released due to their popularity in movie soundtracks. "Unchained Melody", "Twist and Shout", "Do You Love Me", "Bohemian Rhapsody", etc.

These are among the exceptions I mentioned.

 

[CTListener]

The choices are way too fragmented. Want to listen to a Classic Hits format? Too bad -- you have to choose between '60s-only, '70s-only, or '80s-only. Want an AC format playing the usual mix of '80s through current hits? No such luck -- it's split up into six channels. There are twelve different channels dedicated to '80s music. There are more Alternative than mainstream Rock channels -- how's that for ironic! But there are only two Classical music channels.

Sounds exactly like what SiriusXM is doing with its online-only channels -- fragmenting genres into micron-thin strands, loading each channel with 250 to 300 songs, then putting each one on shuffle play. If Audacy is trying this approach, too, there must be industry-conducted research available showing that listeners (or in SXM's case, paying subscribers) love it and want more such channels added as often as possible. Country hits of the '80s, '80s country party mix, mellow country of the '80s, patriotic country hits of the '80s, rockin' country anthems of the '80s, big country artists of the '80s with five letters or less in their first names ... there's no end to what can be done. I'm just afraid it WILL be done.

 

[CTListener]

Yeah. Broadcast radio has forced the 80s on us. Has anyone ever said those songs sounded good mixed with the 60s and 70s?

They do to me. I'm 66, listened to Top 40/CHR heavily from 1965 through around 1988, so most of the songs sound just fine together to me. It's the introduction of the '90s hits that I'm having trouble with -- but that's to be expected, given my age and the fact that I was listening mostly to country during that decade.

 

[powers]

There are some of those iHeart stations I listen to, in lieu of the XM app when their mix is a bit more appealing. Totally get that. And I’d love to hear a more Jack-like station, sans commercials and other filler (acknowledging that Jack and his ilk vary from location to location, but still).

It’s an interesting step and one that will get me to use the Audacy app to see if there’s anything that would become a favorite.

If you don't care so much about being inside the iHeart/Audacy ecosphere, there is a station like Jack called Jeffro Radio - it's on TuneIn, RadioBox and maybe some other streamers, and at www.jeffroradio.com . Exactly what you want - no commercials, 1980-today in the general rotation, plus some specialty weekends that delve back further, full of variety, train wrecks and surprises! I love it.

 

[vchimpanzee]

They do to me. I'm 66, listened to Top 40/CHR heavily from 1965 through around 1988, so most of the songs sound just fine together to me. It's the introduction of the '90s hits that I'm having trouble with -- but that's to be expected, given my age and the fact that I was listening mostly to country during that decade.

The ideal, of course, is a station like WERT Van Wert, Ohio, which someone mentioned in a Facebook group for people who share my musical taste. There are some strange choices there, but for the most part they don't do anything from after the 70s, and it's mostly easy listening or big band with some doo wop and early rock and roll.

Does Audacy have anything like this? The truth is WERT is all over the road, as opposed to middle of the road, and so far it sounds like the Audacy stations don't play wide range of music.

Okay, there is no logic to this whatsoever. Whose idea was "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears? Have they HEARD the rest of the music?

 

[vchimpanzee]

Sounds exactly like what SiriusXM is doing with its online-only channels -- fragmenting genres into micron-thin strands, loading each channel with 250 to 300 songs, then putting each one on shuffle play. If Audacy is trying this approach, too, there must be industry-conducted research available showing that listeners (or in SXM's case, paying subscribers) love it and want more such channels added as often as possible. Country hits of the '80s, '80s country party mix, mellow country of the '80s, patriotic country hits of the '80s, rockin' country anthems of the '80s, big country artists of the '80s with five letters or less in their first names ... there's no end to what can be done. I'm just afraid it WILL be done.

One reason I don't have SiriusXM is that it would take six of their channels to cover everything I like.

WHVN is not online and they're about to be sold, but I have enjoyed listening over the past several months when I have been in range of their signal. I did write the new owners to suggest an online broadcast of the same music (the previous owners did fund-raisers) and I have told SiriusXM about them but it seems unlikely anyone would listen to those ideas.

 

[kfbkfb]

Using the analogy of Image tags (sunset, beach, ocean etc.), why not provide multiple tags for the songs (pop, disco[like], ballad, country, year of release etc.) and then each listener could have a custom playlist of songs of just the type they feel like listening to at that time (this info might be of use to advertisers in building a listener profile and thus what products/services they might be interested in).


Kirk Bayne

 

[Kent]

Does Audacy have anything like this? The truth is WERT is all over the road, as opposed to middle of the road, and so far it sounds like the Audacy stations don't play wide range of music.

Okay, there is no logic to this whatsoever. Whose idea was "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears? Have they HEARD the rest of the music?

I haven’t listened to any of the new channels, but I doubt Audacy has one like WERT.

There is some logic in what they’re trying to do. How many people who want big band and easy listening even know how to stream from a mobile device let alone fall into a demo the advertisers want? I doubt it’s very many.

When you're offering free programming, you still have to get advertisers, and you generally know exactly who your customers are because most of them answer demographic questions when they sign up. So, advertisers have an easier time excluding the 55+ listeners.

Also, when you play a bunch of unfamiliar tunes, the audience is still going to respond, “God, this sucks,” just like they do on traditional radio. That they have a couple skips isn’t going to make much difference after awhile. A long playlist is still the business equivalent of suicide.