Could Michael Jackson's death give a boost to dance music again?

[TonySantiago]

I wrote this on the coalition board (posted on MySpace and Facebook).

Could Michael Jackson's death give a boost to dance music again?

Just as it happened in 1982 with the release of "Thriller", Michael Jackson revolutionized the music industry by fusing R&B, dance, rock and developed it all into a pop sound that was also known as "crossover". He revolutionized music videos by being the first African-American performer to appear on MTV, since "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" were so huge, MTV couldn't ignore it. He also revolutionized the radio industry as more pop & Top 40/Urban (aka: dance) stations came about in the 80's throughout the country because of the "Thriller" influence.

With his untimely death, there has been a renewed interest regarding his music. To the point of "explosion". Online stores such as Amazon have SOLD OUT of his albums. Retail stores (such as" fye" and "Best Buy") have been seeing major sales of anything Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson is number 1 in terms of iTunes sales. With radio stations such as 'KTU running a Michael Jackson weekend, and SiriusXM devoting an entire channel to Michael Jackson (for XM, it's on 62), his sounds, which were mainly R&B/rhythmic pop in nature, is being heard all over again...almost in the same way he dominated 1982/83 music charts.

Could his death spark a renewed interest in dance music again? Time will tell on that, but if people are hearing his rhythmic, high energy dance sounds again, it could have a positive effect whereas people may want to hear MORE of it from other artists.....especially the teens and twenty-something generation that wasn't alive or too young during the pinnacle of Michael Jackson's career.

People at the Apollo theater have been dancing to his music, doing the moonwalk, and just celebrating (not mourning) the life and music Michael Jackson has given us. Despite his personal problems, Michael Jackson was a true entertainer, the likes of which I don't believe we'll EVER see again in our lifetime. He also branched cultures together with his music. MJ's music wasn't "black", "white", "Asian", "Latino". It was music that everyone can enjoy....something that has been lost over the years as radio stations and the recording industry "target" specific groups as opposed to being general, thus music being created as a "target" instead of for what it is.....music.

If this fury of Michael Jackson music continues on, even months down the road, I could foresee more terrestrial stations giving contemporary dance an opportunity as a format. His death may just spark that.

This may be a different time now then it was back then (no vinyl records, very few record stores around, MTV NOT playing music videos, the explosion of the Internet) but somehow I think a renewed interest can happen again! For Pulse 87 and the 6 terrestrial stations in the country playing our brand of contemporary, edgy, dance music, more listeners that may not have thought about dance before, but being exposed to Michael Jackson's music, may give it a chance!

What do you think? Possibly?

 

[Wildstyle K]

I doubt that it will have any large affect on the direction music is already going into today. Unless this entire situation inspires an upcoming or well known artist to do something and that person just happens to also make a huge impact with that production, I doubt much will change. I'll say the same for Madonna when her time comes. There may be higher chance that this could happen now because of the direction music is currently going, but I don't see it as a very high probability.

Most likely, if anything, any upcoming songs based on MJ inspiration will help out the pop scene, and may also contribute to the electro-pop scene. How likely it is for someone to result in producing and releasing a NEW and ORIGINAL dance record from this (without remaking one of his songs), I don't know.

Hip hop was going to go the direction it went whether or not Notorious BIG or Tupac died when they did. I believe the same thing happened during Elvis's time. I believe the same will happen this time as well. If anything, we may get a few songs about Michael, similar to the hip hop song I just heard about him moments ago on KZON. The same thing happened with Notorious BIG, when Faith Evans and P Diddy did something as a result to Biggie's demise.

I don't even thing this generation of youngsters really know Michael Jackson musically. He's probably more like "one of those famous artists from back in the day that I know and hear through my parents" in the minds of today's youngsters. MJ might be somewhat similar to what the Seinfeld show might look like to people born in the mid 90's and later. Still a bit relevant, interesting, catchy, widely known and commonly used and referenced, not ancient, but you can tell it's a bit old/past generation entertainment. The emotion in this situation for many mostly comes from the subconscious feeling of being deeply aware of his presence and talents for over a period of time through constant media coverage and having this "connection" break once news is out to let our minds know that life is no longer present in the body. The power of music on the mind only intensifies this connection.

So, getting back to the main point, I don't think Michael's death will directly give a booth to dance music. Maybe it will feed some new generation pop, which may even lead to some electro-pop, and just maybe.. maybe... those pop hits that were inspired from MJ may cause somebody to think up a dance track, being inspired from the pop hit that was inspired from MJ. It could happen indirectly, but I doubt it will lead to a direct boost in any ORIGINAL dance tracks without someone actually remaking or resinging any of his past hits. Hopefully, some of his uptempo tracks could inspire some people to create more modernized sounding uptempo beat hits WITHOUT using or trying to copy the same exact beat patterns and arrangements (and lyrics) Michael used on any of his tracks.

As far as radio play, I don't think it will open up any doors for dance, anymore than what's already been going on when it comes to dance or dance sounding tracks massively sneaking back in to radio.....

What will and can give a boost to dance music is people like 3oh!3 and others who have dance leaning hits to start making their hits straight up dance hits to begin with instead of brushing off of dance and having a bunch of dance remixes on the side, or more people thinking like David Guetta and Kelly Rowland. Today, I believe we could get by with some Jody Den Broeder remixes being used as an original version... and I'll just leave it at that.

 

[CHRles]

I don't even thing this generation of youngsters really know Michael Jackson musically. He's probably more like "one of those famous artists from back in the day that I know and hear through my parents" in the minds of today's youngsters. MJ might be somewhat similar to what the Seinfeld show might look like to people born in the mid 90's and later. Still a bit relevant, interesting, catchy, widely known and commonly used and referenced, not ancient, but you can tell it's a bit old/past generation entertainment. The emotion in this situation for many mostly comes from the subconscious feeling of being deeply aware of his presence and talents for over a period of time through constant media coverage and having this "connection" break once news is out to let our minds know that life is no longer present in the body. The power of music on the mind only intensifies this connection.


What will and can give a boost to dance music is people like 3oh!3 and others who have dance leaning hits to start making their hits straight up dance hits to begin with instead of brushing off of dance and having a bunch of dance remixes on the side, or more people thinking like David Guetta and Kelly Rowland.

Agreed

 

[TonySantiago]

Granted, this is not scientific, but on the subway heading to and from work young people were blasting Michael Jackson tunes out of their digital media players!

Being underground, you can't pull in the FM radio stations so to hear Michael blaring from the headphones of twenty-somethings and teens was a very interesting sight.

 

[Dancerev889]

Granted, this is not scientific, but on the subway heading to and from work young people were blasting Michael Jackson tunes out of their digital media players!

Being underground, you can't pull in the FM radio stations so to hear Michael blaring from the headphones of twenty-somethings and teens was a very interesting sight.

They are listening to it because its major news. Everyone is talking about it. I think we get too caught up on who is going to be the savior for dance music. Just a few months we thought it might be Flo Rida, Lady Gaga, David Guetta and the list goes on. It isnt one person its the sound that is changing. In the next few months you are going to see a ton of MJ remakes, heck the mega mixes have already started. Plus not all of his music was dance, he had a lot of ballads too. The man was an icon and helped change the music industry. Embrace that and not him being a savior

 

[Silkie]

Don't let his body get cold or anything before you use him to get popular. LOL

 

[TonySantiago]

Granted, this is not scientific, but on the subway heading to and from work young people were blasting Michael Jackson tunes out of their digital media players!

Being underground, you can't pull in the FM radio stations so to hear Michael blaring from the headphones of twenty-somethings and teens was a very interesting sight.

They are listening to it because its major news. Everyone is talking about it. I think we get too caught up on who is going to be the savior for dance music. Just a few months we thought it might be Flo Rida, Lady Gaga, David Guetta and the list goes on. It isnt one person its the sound that is changing. In the next few months you are going to see a ton of MJ remakes, heck the mega mixes have already started. Plus not all of his music was dance, he had a lot of ballads too. The man was an icon and helped change the music industry. Embrace that and not him being a savior

For the record, I never said he was a savior. Nor was I looking for one.

However, when you go back to 1983 during the peak of "Thriller", many changes happened all over. Radio, TV, recording industry all changed due to this one album. I can't answer for Philadelphia but in New York, Z-100 was created that year. WPLJ, which was a rock station in 1983, flipped format to CHR. Later on, Hot 103 came about with their Top 40/Urban format. And yes, I do recognize he made ballads. Very pretty ones at that.

Yes, it is major news and the shock is still there. But if the teens and twenty-somethings, who weren't BORN or were too young to realize the peak of Michael Jackson, are tuning in and staying with it then I think its a great thing. The real test will be if those teens and twenty-somethings embrace more dance down the road, in part because of this. That's where Michael Jackson may be the influence again...not a savior, but an influence.

 

[Dancerev889]

Granted, this is not scientific, but on the subway heading to and from work young people were blasting Michael Jackson tunes out of their digital media players!

Being underground, you can't pull in the FM radio stations so to hear Michael blaring from the headphones of twenty-somethings and teens was a very interesting sight.

They are listening to it because its major news. Everyone is talking about it. I think we get too caught up on who is going to be the savior for dance music. Just a few months we thought it might be Flo Rida, Lady Gaga, David Guetta and the list goes on. It isnt one person its the sound that is changing. In the next few months you are going to see a ton of MJ remakes, heck the mega mixes have already started. Plus not all of his music was dance, he had a lot of ballads too. The man was an icon and helped change the music industry. Embrace that and not him being a savior

For the record, I never said he was a savior. Nor was I looking for one.

However, when you go back to 1983 during the peak of "Thriller", many changes happened all over. Radio, TV, recording industry all changed due to this one album. I can't answer for Philadelphia but in New York, Z-100 was created that year. WPLJ, which was a rock station in 1983, flipped format to CHR. Later on, Hot 103 came about with their Top 40/Urban format. And yes, I do recognize he made ballads. Very pretty ones at that.

Yes, it is major news and the shock is still there. But if the teens and twenty-somethings, who weren't BORN or were too young to realize the peak of Michael Jackson, are tuning in and staying with it then I think its a great thing. The real test will be if those teens and twenty-somethings embrace more dance down the road, in part because of this. That's where Michael Jackson may be the influence again...not a savior, but an influence.

Radio started changing prior to that album. It was called the Hot hits movement. This format changed the way Top 40 was delivered and eventually became the CHR we see today. At the same time as Thriller there were a lot of records that had that vibe and were blowing up just look at the top 100 of 1983. Flashdance, Men at Work were an upbeat tempo, Sweet Dreams, Come on Eileen, She works hard for her money, Hungry like the wolf and David Bowie's Lets dance.

The teens and twenty year olds are already embracing the upbeat music. Pitbull's Calle Ocho is a major hit right now. Listen to the Top 40 stations and check their BPMS compared to a year ago. The movement is happening.

 

[CHRles]

Tony, I've always viewed Michael Jackson as the quintessential Pop star of the 80s, not the definitive Dance artist of the era. If anything, 80s Pop princess Madonna helped keep crossover Dance at the forefront. A number of other big 80s Pop stars, like Prince, also helped push Dance forward.

During the summer of 83, NYC still had 92KTU playing plenty of Dance music when Z-100 debuted, 95.5 WPLJ was already evolving from Rock to a true CHR, and if I'm not mistaken 107.5 WBLS was a very unique sounding Urban Contemporary station (Frankie Crocker managed to sneak in some Rock and AC titles on the station). Z-100 managed to shoot to the top of the NYC ratings in 74 days due to proper timing and execution, and went on to become the decade's quintessential CHR.
Hot 103 didn't arrive on the scene until the mid 80s. Its format was heavy on Dance, similar to L.A.'s Power 106, though ratings-wise Hot 103 (and later Hot 97) never acheived the kind of stellar ratings seen by Power 106.
BTW, earlier in the 80s decade 77 WABC was still doing Top 40 (till 1982), as were FM 99 WXLO and 66 WNBC (albeit they were more Adult CHRs).
In Philly, you had CHR 98 WCAU through much of the 80s, and in the early part of the decade you had Wifi 92 and 56 WFIL. The latter part of the 80s belonged to Eagle 106, which saw its ratings jump almost towards the top of the Philly ratings in 1988. That lasted until Q-102 came on the scene with a format similar to Hot 97, yet customized for Philly.
BTW, it looks like I-95 Miami was pretty Dance friendly in 84-85, moreso than rival Y-100. A good amount of Europop, some Freestyle, and some Rap (very few CHRs played Rap in the first half of the 80s) were played alongside the big hits of the day.

 

[TonySantiago]

Tony, I've always viewed Michael Jackson as the quintessential Pop star of the 80s, not the definitive Dance artist of the era. If anything, 80s Pop princess Madonna helped keep crossover Dance at the forefront. A number of other big 80s Pop stars, like Prince, also helped push Dance forward.

During the summer of 83, NYC still had 92KTU playing plenty of Dance music when Z-100 debuted, 95.5 WPLJ was already evolving from Rock to a true CHR, and if I'm not mistaken 107.5 WBLS was a very unique sounding Urban Contemporary station (Frankie Crocker managed to sneak in some Rock and AC titles on the station). Z-100 managed to shoot to the top of the NYC ratings in 74 days due to proper timing and execution, and went on to become the decade's quintessential CHR.
Hot 103 didn't arrive on the scene until the mid 80s. Its format was heavy on Dance, similar to L.A.'s Power 106, though ratings-wise Hot 103 (and later Hot 97) never acheived the kind of stellar ratings seen by Power 106.
BTW, earlier in the 80s decade 77 WABC was still doing Top 40 (till 1982), as were FM 99 WXLO and 66 WNBC (albeit they were more Adult CHRs).
In Philly, you had CHR 98 WCAU through much of the 80s, and in the early part of the decade you had Wifi 92 and 56 WFIL. The latter part of the 80s belonged to Eagle 106, which saw its ratings jump almost towards the top of the Philly ratings in 1988. That lasted until Q-102 came on the scene with a format similar to Hot 97, yet customized for Philly.
BTW, it looks like I-95 Miami was pretty Dance friendly in 84-85, moreso than rival Y-100. A good amount of Europop, some Freestyle, and some Rap (very few CHRs played Rap in the first half of the 80s) were played alongside the big hits of the day.

Agreed, but Michael Jackson did in effect "start it" for the 80's.

MJ is the "King Of Pop", no question. But you can't deny that his flashy presence and moves, with his tracks, was the catalyst that created a dance buzz along the way that eventually Madonna and Prince would latch on to. Madonna came in just at the right time; she was "hot, young" and just the person that would take MTV to the "next level" after MJ. Her music was great but it really was the videos that "made her". Regarding Prince.....yes, he was around before "Thriller" and had popular tracks before and during that time, "Controversy", "1999", just to name a few. But with all that was going on in 1983 as pop was beginning to resurface again, and yes with MJ and Madonna, it also helped catapult Prince to major stardom with "Purple Rain" (1984) and all of the tracks that came along with the movie. MJ may not have been the definitive dance artist per se, but his influence helped generate things.

Regarding NY radio, yes, 'KTU was still around in 1982 though the disco peak of that station was just about "gone". There were rhythmic tracks then but 'KTU sounded more like 98.7 Kiss (which was more on the urban rhythmic tracks and early "rap") and 'BLS at the time, a far cry from the disco era though people still regarded 'KTU as "disco". Even 'KTU went CHR around 1984, bringing on the legendary Dan Ingram as an on air personality. Z-100 launched in 1983 and though they didn't get to the top of the ratings initially, they "rode" on with the explosion of pop happening, even with the 2nd "British Invasion" as Brett was tapping on to along with a realtively new concept known as "the Morning show". 'PLJ couldn't ignore what was going on, that's why they did the flip to CHR not too long afterwards. Granted it was years later, but I did mention the Hot 103 launch in 1986 because even though pop was still riding high, it eventually led to the different variations of the format with Hot 103/97 leaning rhythmic.

But I have to give it to Frankie Crocker. He was WAY ahead of his time crossing over music from other genres into the urban contemporary fold. The first time I've heard The Police "Voices Inside My Head" was on 'BLS and it worked somehow! I don't think we'll ever see another program director like him.

 

[TonySantiago]

The teens and twenty year olds are already embracing the upbeat music. Pitbull's Calle Ocho is a major hit right now. Listen to the Top 40 stations and check their BPMS compared to a year ago. The movement is happening.

I believe so.

Right now hip-hop is going through its struggles, more artists such as Flo Rida and Kanye West have their music with a rhythmic lean. Kim Sozzi and David Guetta are on the charts now. I'm hoping for more artists to get CHR airplay. Things appear as if they are coming back.....not as fast as I would like for it to, but yes, coming back.

However this time around, while terrestrial radio MAY be giving the music a boost, I'm also seeing how more Internet streams going "mainstream" with apps on iPhones and other smartphones are a big catalyst as well. And yes, that includes the terrestrial stations that have streaming as well. More people are tuning into Pulse from outside of the NYC region on their smartphones than those within the city or nearby, where they can't pull the terrestrial signal in. Add to the online streamers out there (Fusion Radio, Radio Danz, Energy 98, etc.) dance is starting to get recognized once again.

Hopefully more cities will latch onto this as a format. I know for a fact that Boston is "dying" for it.

 

[CHRles]

It's always great to read your posts Tony b/c you know so much about Dance and about New York radio.
Sunny Joe White, who was the PD at Kiss 108 Boston was another one of those one of a kind programmers.
I hope one of these days we'll see these kind of programmers resurface on CHR, Urban, and Dance radio stations.
Right now the best PD in the country, imo, is Kevin Weatherly out in L.A. The guy's done a brilliant job with 97.1 Amp Radio, and with heritage Modern Rocker 106.7 K-Rock. He also used to be the MD at KIIS-FM in the early 90s, the PD at now-defunct Q-106 San Diego, and was part of what made 104.7 KZZP Phoenix great in the 80s.

Brett made some good points here about the importance of online Dance radio, and how it's smartly taking advantage of new cell phone apps. He even mentioned Radio Danz, which always seems to be under the radar here on the boards, but is currently one of the best sounding Dance stations online (in my opinion).

 

[BJSteigner]

I don't think it would boost dance radio at all. It's going to stay the same way it has been.

As for dance radio..It needs a good kick and the you know what to wake them up.