Bands to Watch in '06

[rockchick]

Okay, it's that time of year. Who should we be watching in 2006? My picks:

The Arctic Monkeys
Fort Minor
Goldfrapp
Hard-Fi
Panic! At the Disco
She Wants Revenge
Subways
We Are Scientists
Youth Group

Others?

 

[BlueMartyr]

> Okay, it's that time of year. Who should we be watching in
> 2006? My picks:
>
> The Arctic Monkeys
> Fort Minor
> Goldfrapp
> Hard-Fi
> Panic! At the Disco
> She Wants Revenge
> Subways
> We Are Scientists
> Youth Group
>
> Others?
>


Anberlin
The Working Title
Omnisoul
Strike.Fire.Fall

those are my picks



Hopefully this thread won't degenerate into "your bands suck! mine are better! i'm cooler for listening to (__________)!<P ID="signature">______________
"Growing old, and living for the moment."
~Rufio</P>

 

[buzzrock]

> > Okay, it's that time of year. Who should we be watching
> in
> > 2006? My picks:
> >
> > The Arctic Monkeys
> > Fort Minor
> > Goldfrapp
> > Hard-Fi
> > Panic! At the Disco
> > She Wants Revenge
> > Subways
> > We Are Scientists
> > Youth Group
> >
> > Others?
> >
>
>
> Anberlin
> The Working Title
> Omnisoul
> Strike.Fire.Fall
>
> those are my picks
>
>
>
> Hopefully this thread won't degenerate into "your bands
> suck! mine are better! i'm cooler for listening to
> (__________)!
>

I really think Panic! at the disco is going to be big.

 

[epsilon]

>
> I really think Panic! at the disco is going to be big.
>

Would be nice, but I think they'll turn out to be the next Scissor Sisters.

As I posted below, my ten to watch are The Subways, The Editors, Art Brut, We Are Scientists, Magic Numbers, Babyshambles, Be Your Own Pet, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Nine Black Alps, and The Arctic Monkeys.

 

[hubcity]

> >
> > I really think Panic! at the disco is going to be big.
> >
>
> Would be nice, but I think they'll turn out to be the next
> Scissor Sisters.
>
> As I posted below, my ten to watch are The Subways, The
> Editors, Art Brut, We Are Scientists, Magic Numbers,
> Babyshambles, Be Your Own Pet, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah,
> Nine Black Alps, and The Arctic Monkeys.
>

Wow, perfect score - every one of 'em is on my "Best Of 2005" countdown. (Which happens to be airing all day New Year's Day on the web stream...)

([Mad scientist cackle] They *laughed* at my theories at the university...)

-Sean
Altrok Radio
7x24 at http://www.altrokradio.com

 

[epsilon]

> Wow, perfect score - every one of 'em is on my "Best Of
> 2005" countdown. (Which happens to be airing all day New
> Year's Day on the web stream...)

Here's mine. What's yours?

1 The Subways - Oh Yeah - Young for Eternity - Infectious
2 Graham Coxon - Freaking Out - Happiness in Magazines - EMI/Astralwerks
3 Be Your Own PET - Fire Department - single - Rough Trade
4 The Editors - Bullets - The Back Room - Kitchenware
5 Art Brut - We Formed a Band -Bang Bang Rock'n'Roll - Fierce Panda
6 The Fall - I Can Hear the Grass Grow - Fall Heads Roll - Narnack
7 Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict a Riot - Employment - Wichita
8 We Are Scientists - Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt - With Love and Sorrow Virgin
9 The Brakes - All Night Disco Party - Give Blood - Rough Trade
10 Bloc Party - Two More Years - single - Vice
11 Magic Numbers - Love Me Like You - Magic Numbers - Capitol
12 Maria Taylor - Song Beneath the Song - 11:11 - Saddle Creek
13 Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor- download
14 The Cardigans - I Need Some Fine Wine and You Need to Be Nicer - Super Extra Gravity - UMG
15 Fear of Music - Skin and Bones - Strange Kind of Terror - Blow Out
16 Goldfrapp - Ooh La La - Supernature - Mute
17 Bob Mould - Paralyzed - Body of Song - Yep Roc
18 Dandy Warhols - Smoke It - Odditorium... - Capitol
19 Raveonettes - Love in a Trashcan - Pretty in Black - Sony
20 Sons and Daughters - Taste the Last Girl - The Repulsion Box - Domino
21 Nine Black Alps - Shot Down - Everything Is - Tiny Evil
22 Echo & the Bunnymen - Stormy Weather - Siberia - Cooking Vinyl
23 Babyshambles - F*** Forever - Down in Albion - Rough Trade
24 Rilo Kiley - Portions for Foxes - More Adventurous - Brute/Beaute
25 Suffrajets - Sold - single - Tough Cookie
26 Bloc Party - Helicopter - Silent Alarm - Wichita
27 Maximo Park - Going Missing - Apply Some Pressure - Warp
28 The Rakes - Work, Work, Work - Capture/Release - Moshi Moshi
29 Kasabian - Reason is Treason - Kasabian - RCA
30 Razorlight - Somewhere Else - single - UMG
31 Turbonegro - All My Friends Are Dead - Party Animals - Abacus
32 Sleater Kinney - Jumpers - The Woods - Sub Pop
33 Paul Weller - From the Floorboards Up - As Is Now - Yep Roc
34 Mainliners - She's an Overdose - Bring on the Sweet Life - Get Hip
35 Ash - Orpheus - Meltdown - Infectious
36 Trail of Dead - The Rest Will Follow - World's Apart - Interscope
37 Clor - Outlines - Clor - Regal
38 LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk is Playing... - LCD Soundsystem - EMI
39 Morning Runner - Gone Up in Flames - single - Parlophone
40 Horrorpops - Hit 'n'Run - Bring It On - Hellcat

 

[FilmCritic3000]

> Okay, it's that time of year. Who should we be watching in
> 2006? My picks:
>
> The Arctic Monkeys
> Fort Minor
> Goldfrapp
> Hard-Fi
> Panic! At the Disco
> She Wants Revenge
> Subways
> We Are Scientists
> Youth Group
>
> Others?
>

Morningwood

Also, Rilo Kiley lead singer Jenny Lewis has a solo CD, "Rabbit Fur Coat", released this month.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by FilmCritic3000 on 01/02/06 01:28 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[hubcity]

Epsilon,

Righto - here's the big copy 'n' paste...in nail-biting reverse order. (And actually, I lied - through some quirk of list-maiking oddness, The Magic Numbers didn't make the chart. (They didn't make power rotation, because I figured there was a stateside release coming soon - then when the stateside release finally happened, I figured everyone'd heard 'em already. Still, perhaps it's time for a power add for the 2006 chart...) Similar situation for Graham Coxon and Razorlight - not here 'cause they were on the 2004 chart. And I had a few late adds, like The Futureheads and Arcade Fire in the early part of the year, that put them on this chart rather than 2004.

If ya ask me, there was a lot of good music this year. This only represents about a third of what I had in my power rotation as the year progressed.

-Sean

-------

Altrok Radio's Grind-Up, 2005

100: Bloc Party - Banquet - Silent Alarm
099: Test-Icicles - Circle, Square, Triangle - For Screening Purposes Only
098: Beck - Girl - Guero
097: Subways, The - Oh Yeah (Acoustic) - Downloadable Single
096: Harvey Danger - Cream And Bastards Rise - Little By Little

095: New Order - Waiting For The Sirens' Call - Waiting For The Sirens' Call
094: Dramarama - Physical Poetry - Everybody Dies
093: Feist - Mushaboom - Let It Die
092: Tears, The - Autograph - Here Come The Tears
091: Trembling Blue Stars - The Sea Is So Quiet - The Seven Autumn Flowers

090: Decemberists, The - Sixteen Military Wives - Picaresque
089: Aberdeen City - God Is Gonna Get Sick Of Me - The Freezing Atlantic
088: Subways, The - I Want To Hear What You Have Got To Say - Young For Eternity
087: Antony & The Johnsons - Fistful Of Love - I Am A Bird Now
086: Fiery Furnaces, The - Single Again - EP

085: Le Tigre - Tell You Now - This Island
084: Wedding Present, The - Ringway To Seatac - Take Fountain
083: Doves - Sky Starts Falling - Some Cities
082: White Stripes, The - The Denial Twist - Get Behind Me Satan
081: Echo & The Bunnymen - Stormy Weather - Siberia

080: Cribs, The - Hey Scenesters! - The New Fellas
079: Franz Ferdinand - This Boy - You Could Have It So Much Better With Franz Ferdinand
078: Maximo Park - Going Missing - A Certain Trigger
077: Jeunes, The - Never Be The Same - MP3 Demo
076: Clor - Outlines - Clor

075: Fall, The - Clasp Hands - Fall Heads Roll
074: Art Brut - Modern Art - Bang Bang Rock And Roll
073: VHS Or Beta - Night On Fire - Night On Fire
072: Nine Black Alps - Unsatisfied - Everything Is
071: Bush, Kate - How To Be Invisible - Aerial

070: Rakes, The - Animals - Capture; Release
069: Kaiser Chiefs - Modern Way - Employment
068: Brakes - I Can't Stand to Stand Beside You - Give Blood
067: Depeche Mode - John The Revelator - Playing The Angel
066: Fischerspooner - Just Let Go - Odyssey

065: Madness - Shame & Scandal - The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1
064: Cope, Julian - I'm Living In The Room They Found Saddam In - Citizen Cain'd
063: Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor - CD Single
062: Nine Inch Nails - Only - With Teeth
061: Fall, The - I Can Hear The Grass Grow - Heads Roll

060: Kaiser Chiefs - Everyday I Love You Less And Less - Employment
059: Madness - I Chase The Devil AKA Iron Shirt - The Dangermen Sessions, Volume One
058: Arcade Fire, The - Rebellion (Lies) - Funeral
057: Blood Arm, The - Say Yes - Bomb Romantics
056: Vek, Tom - If You Want - We Have Sound

055: Weller, Paul - From The Floorboards Up - As Is Now
054: Battle - Tendency - MP3 Demo
053: Louis XIV - A Letter To Dominique - The Best Little Secrets Are Kept
052: Kooks, The - Sofa Song - Sofa Song [CD Single]
051: Turin Brakes - Red Moon - JackInABox

050: Stuck In The Sound - ToyBoy - MP3 Demo
049: Sons And Daughters - Dance Me In - Dance Me In
048: Weller, Paul - If I Could Only Be Sure - Studio 150
047: We Are Scientists - Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt - MP3 Demo
046: Sweet, Matthew - Tonight We Ride - Kimi Ga Suki

045: Interpol - C'mere - Antics
044: Editors - Munich - CD Single
043: Gang Of Four - Not Great Men - Return The Gift
042: Be Your Own Pet - Damn Damn Leash - 7'' Single
041: White Stripes, The - My Doorbell - Get Behind Me Satan

040: Vek, Tom - I Ain't Saying My Goodbyes - We Have Sound
039: Sleater-Kinney - Entertain - The Woods
038: Wedding Present, The - I'm From Further North Than You - I'm From Further North Than You (CD Single)
037: Louis XIV - Finding Out True Love Is Blind - The Best Little Secrets Are Kept
036: Dresden Dolls, The - Coin Operated Boy - The Dresden Dolls

035: Chemical Brothers, The - The Boxer (Feat. Tim Burgess) - Push The Button
034: Arcade Fire, The - Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) - Funeral
033: Ratchets, The - Heart Of Town - Heart Of Town EP
032: Rakes, The - Retreat - CD Single
031: Sleater-Kinney - What's Mine Is Yours - The Woods

030: Interpol - Evil - Antics
029: White Stripes, The - Blue Orchid - Downloadable Single
028: Wolf Parade - Fancy Claps - Apologies To The Queen Mary
027: Whitey - A Walk In The Dark; Reprise - The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is A Train
026: Futureheads - Area - 7'' Single

025: Doves - Black And White Town - Some Cities
024: Gram - Hard Too Hard - Download from www.gramgramgram.com
023: New Order - Krafty - Waiting For The Sirens' Call
022: Arcade Fire, The - Neighborhood #2 (Laika) - Funeral
021: Nine Inch Nails - The Hand That Feeds - With Teeth

020: Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To - You Could Have It So Much Better
019: Boa, Phillip And The Voodooclub - Burn All The Flags - Decadence And Isolation
018: Bloc Party - Helicopter - Silent Alarm
017: Weller, Paul - Come On-Let's Go - As Is Now
016: Fall, The - Blindness [Peel Session 10-7-2004] - Narnack Records Is...; A Fist-First Sampler Of New Music

015: XTC - Spiral - Downloadable Track
014: Arcade Fire, The - This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) (feat. David Byrne) - 7'' Single
013: Depeche Mode - Precious - Playing The Angel
012: New Order - Jetstream - Waiting For The Sirens' Call
011: Art Brut - Good Weekend - Bang Bang Rock And Roll

010: Soft - Higher - The Soft EP
009: Dramarama - Try 5 Times - Everybody Dies
008: Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch - Witching Hour
007: Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict A Riot - CD Single
006: Futureheads, The - Hounds Of Love - The Futureheads

005: Sleater-Kinney - Jumpers - The Woods
004: Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc. - Demon Days
003: LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk Is Playing At My House - LCD Soundsystem
002: Forrest, Jason - Nightclothes And Headphones (with Laura Cantrell) - Shamelessly Exciting
001: Art Brut - Emily Kane - Bang Bang Rock And Roll

 

[Mittens]

Here's mine. What's yours?

1 The Subways - Oh Yeah - Young for Eternity - Infectious

11 Magic Numbers - Love Me Like You - Magic Numbers - Capitol

13 Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor-

19 Raveonettes - Love in a Trashcan - Pretty in Black - Sony

26 Bloc Party - Helicopter - Silent Alarm - Wichita

I really these particular bands. Pretty in Black is one of my favourite albums and I bought it on a whim. I'm gonna add in:

Rise Against
The New Pornographers
Hard-Fi
Cat Power
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah !
Snow Patrol (their newest single "Run" is absolutely stellar I think.) <P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Mittens on 01/02/06 05:53 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[epsilon]

> If ya ask me, there was a lot of good music this year. This
> only represents about a third of what I had in my power
> rotation as the year progressed.
>

I think 2005 was a banner year for rock'n'roll. There were a ton of great bands who made themselves heard for the first time. In terms of new bands coming to the forefront, this year was as impressive as '77-'78. The only bad spot is that most of the great music last year came from the UK and Scandinavia, as American rock'n'roll remains in a very dire state. Most American bands are uninspired and are happy to sound like whatever happens to be selling this week. (American Record Company Executive memo to: A&R Department - Go find me six bands who sound just like the White Stripes and Mudvayne.) Still, I'm hopeful for the future, especially in The Subways (average age 21) and Fear of Music (average age 17 and a half). 14 or Fight!

 

[rockchick]

> I think 2005 was a banner year for rock'n'roll. There were a
> ton of great bands who made themselves heard for the first
> time. In terms of new bands coming to the forefront, this
> year was as impressive as '77-'78. The only bad spot is that
> most of the great music last year came from the UK and
> Scandinavia, as American rock'n'roll remains in a very dire
> state. Most American bands are uninspired and are happy to
> sound like whatever happens to be selling this week.
> (American Record Company Executive memo to: A&R Department -
> Go find me six bands who sound just like the White Stripes
> and Mudvayne.) Still, I'm hopeful for the future, especially
> in The Subways (average age 21) and Fear of Music (average
> age 17 and a half). 14 or Fight!
>


I agree that 2006 was a banner year for alternative rock. In fact, it was probably the best year for the format since 1994. And while that is because of a few new acts (Fall Out Boy that popped onto the scene in 2005) or bands that came into their own last year even if they came out in 2004, like The Killers and My Chemical Romance), I think it is largely because of the number of superstar acts (most of which are American) that returned with great records:

Green Day (yes, it came out in 2004, but most of the airplay was in '05)
System of a Down (x2)
Beck
Foo Fighters
Coldplay (UK)
Weezer
White Stripes
Gorillaz (UK)
Garbage
Fiona Apple
New Order (UK)
Jack Johnson
Depeche Mode (UK)

and some less-than-fantastic albums from superstars:

Oasis (UK)
Audioslave
Dave Matthews
Disturbed
Korn
311

While Death Cab for Cutie, the Mars Volta and the Bravery managed to break thru to the mainstream, at the end of the day there was a definite ceiling for the Bloc Partys, Kaiser Chiefs and Arcade Fires of the world. When people look back on 2005, these are not the albums that will be remembered by most.

You can debate the quality of these records (this board tends to lean towards more indie bands), but if you want to talk about what was ACTUALLY big in 2005...

 

[epsilon]

> I agree that 2006 was a banner year for alternative rock.
> In fact, it was probably the best year for the format since
> 1994. And while that is because of a few new acts (Fall Out
> Boy that popped onto the scene in 2005) or bands that came
> into their own last year even if they came out in 2004, like
> The Killers and My Chemical Romance), I think it is largely
> because of the number of superstar acts (most of which are
> American) that returned with great records:
>
> Green Day (yes, it came out in 2004, but most of the airplay
> was in '05)
> System of a Down (x2)
> Beck
> Foo Fighters
> Coldplay (UK)
> Weezer
> White Stripes
> Gorillaz (UK)
> Garbage
> Fiona Apple
> New Order (UK)
> Jack Johnson
> Depeche Mode (UK)
>
> and some less-than-fantastic albums from superstars:
>
> Oasis (UK)
> Audioslave
> Dave Matthews
> Disturbed
> Korn
> 311
>
> While Death Cab for Cutie, the Mars Volta and the Bravery
> managed to break thru to the mainstream, at the end of the
> day there was a definite ceiling for the Bloc Partys, Kaiser
> Chiefs and Arcade Fires of the world. When people look back
> on 2005, these are not the albums that will be remembered by
> most.
>
> You can debate the quality of these records (this board
> tends to lean towards more indie bands), but if you want to
> talk about what was ACTUALLY big in 2005...
>

I'm not talking about what was big, I'm talking about what was important for the future of rock'n'roll.

I was disappointed with the Foo Fighters and Garbage records (neither was up to the standard they are capable of), The Bravery are a one-hit wonder (they were also terrible live when they opened up for Ash last year), while System of a Down, Korn, Disturbed and Audioslave remain mediocre suburban metal bands masquerading as "altrock" (whatever that is). I've just grown really tired of the increasing pretentiousness of the White Stripes. The Oasis album isn't as bad as everyone seemed to think it was, the Weezer album is a lot better than people think.

Years from now the Kaiser Chiefs album will be referred to as "The One That Got Away". It's six singles deep and should have been at least as big as The Killers. Bloc Party are the heir apparent to U2. They're a very good band who are going to get better.

 

[hubcity]

> > While Death Cab for Cutie, the Mars Volta and the Bravery
> > managed to break thru to the mainstream, at the end of the
> > day there was a definite ceiling for the Bloc Partys,
> > Kaiser Chiefs and Arcade Fires of the world. When people look
> > back on 2005, these are not the albums that will be remembered
> > by most.
> >
> > You can debate the quality of these records (this board
> > tends to lean towards more indie bands), but if you want
> > to talk about what was ACTUALLY big in 2005...
> >
>
> I'm not talking about what was big, I'm talking about what
> was important for the future of rock'n'roll.
>

Yeah, because those BIG bands rockchick cited resulted in a GREAT year where Alternative stations DIED across the nation. (Another one flipped yesterday.)

Talk about ignoring the elephant on the table...

-Sean
Altrok Radio

 

[epsilon]

> Yeah, because those BIG bands rockchick cited resulted in a
> GREAT year where Alternative stations DIED across the
> nation. (Another one flipped yesterday.)
>
> Talk about ignoring the elephant on the table...
>


The format is dying because the playlists have gotten as predictable and tightly formatted as the AOR playlists they were supposed to be the alternative to in the first place.

 

[hubcity]

> > Yeah, because those BIG bands rockchick cited resulted in
> a
> > GREAT year where Alternative stations DIED across the
> > nation. (Another one flipped yesterday.)
> >
> > Talk about ignoring the elephant on the table...
> >
>
>
> The format is dying because the playlists have gotten as
> predictable and tightly formatted as the AOR playlists they
> were supposed to be the alternative to in the first place.
>

That is, to belabor the metaphor, the note that's scotch-taped to the aforementioned elephant.

-Sean
Altrok Radio at http://www.altrokradio.com

 

[rockchick]

The station that died yesterday was the alternative in New Orleans. So many far more important things have died in New Orleans as a result of Katrina, that it seems disrespctful to bemoan it. However, if any alternative death can be considered an anomaly, I think this is it given the circumstances.

But to say that alternative is dying because it doesn't play the Dead 60s or the Kaiser Chiefs is naive. It ignores the things that are really undermining the format:

- Arbitron's inability to find 18-34 year olds, many of whom cannot be surveyed because they only use cell phones

- Increasing pressure from beer companies to make sure that at least 70% of the audience is over 21 (in compliance with the Beer Institute's guidelines)

- The alternative demographic's increasing time spent on other media, including not just ipods and satellite radio, but cable television, gaming systems and the internet

- The loss of Howard Stern, on the coattails of whom many alternative stations were riding

- NY Attorney General Elliot Spitzer's payola investigation, which put pressure on radio companies with current-based music formats (you don't have to worry about payola at an oldies, jack or talk station)

The alternative format has been "predictable" since Jacob's Media signed on the first Edge station back in the early 90's, and at no time more so than at the height of the rap-rock phase of five years ago. Yet it's only in the last year that the format has been losing stations.

To say suggest that alternative is falling apart only now because there aren't enough playlists with indie bands not only ignores these factors, but overlooks the fact that Indie 103 in L.A. has made no ratings dent, FNX in Boston can't pull above a one share and The End in Seattle's 12+ numbers fell dramatically after dropping Linkin Park in favor of Interpol. Outside of San Diego, there are hardly any cases of "neo-alternative" success (Portland, OR being the possible exception). Bloc Party may be the next U2, but stations would be far better off playing the actual U2, who packed arenas across the country last year. Again, it's about what was ACTUALLY big in 2005.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by rockchick on 01/12/06 02:11 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[hubcity]

Rockchick,

No disrespect intended, of course, to New Orleans - alternatives were flipping all over the place long before Katrina struck. (And in New Orleans, if I were the broadcaster, I'd put my most profitable format on the stick that went back online first, regardless of heritage. You work with what you've got.)

I don't think I said alternative's dying because it doesn't play those bands specifically; I learned long ago that there's no one artist that's a magic bullet. I think alternative's dying because it won't even entertain the notion of playing a new band until they've tested like crazy and others have added them or - as we've discovered - until someone pays them to do it. There is no gut in this format, and it's painfully obvious.

All the other things you cite as undermining the format are not specific to alternative, and indeed apply to contemporary rock formats in general. Stern, especially, shouldn't apply at all, but he is a good indicator of part of the problem: mainstream alternative isn't being programmed to appeal to an alternative music fan, it's programmed to appeal to a Howard Stern fan (who, not coincidentally, likes beer roughly as much as he likes Stern.)

Which is what it comes down to: the format you're describing is contemporary rock, in every aspect save for its name. That format has the problems you describe, but my biggest problem with it is that it's called "alternative" when it's really not anything of the sort. As a person who's actually promoting an alternative format, I'd like to take the word back.

And when I do that, I'd like to do the following with it (when they elect me Emperor):

- Disregard beer. If we get an audience they want to advertise to, fine, but my listeners aren't fans of tooling format to serve advertisers, so why should I be?

- Program with a commitment that commands fascination. The way to fight iPod-engendered attrition is to ensure that your listeners' iPods are always out of date. (And then put up podcast content that makes you the iPodders' best friend, with a hit rate you can count and use to counter a seeming lack of Arbs, which is inevitable.) You can't go half-way on programming for fascination, either - you'll piss off the people who should be your P1s, and the office listeners'll go away, too.

- PAYOLA ISN'T JUST ILLEGAL, IT'S STUPID. Listeners lose interest when they realize something besides them is driving your playlist. You may have iPods to give away, but only to listeners you're about to lose, and then you've gotta deal with Elliot. Plus, you've just put crap that someone had to PAY you to play on your playlist in a space that could have held an interesting new band, and isn't interesting always better than crap?

- Base the format on the music, and not on the listeners attracted by the guy in the morning who doesn't play any.

Naive? Sure, but it's my fantasy - get your own.

As for playing U2, I agree that they packed arenas - but because of music they recorded years ago. This new album certainly didn't bring people to the stadiums (Vertigo being - maybe - the exception.) Your classic category and your current category occupy different positions on your playlist, why not use 'em both to keep your listeners happy?

Or would you rather just keep counting the biggest fish in a rapidly evaporating pond?

-Sean
Altrok Radio at http://www.altrokradio.com
Playing When Posted: Doves, "Catch The Sun"