Is Alternative on the Verge of a Comeback?

[Dkampy]

It seems alternative music may be making small strides on CHR. I don't think alternative will ever return to it's 90's heyday.... But with Coldplay and Foster the people climbing could it make a small comeback. I know those are only 2 examples...but thier are other possible signs...Adele scoring a #1 hit with a song that was 1st played in the states on alternative...Cobra Starship climbing the charts...who are consider to be a cross between alternative and dance...which makes sense...it's sort of a hybrid song that is a link to reintroduce alternative. Not too mention...much of what is alternative music today has the catchy hooks which is necessary for CHR. There are many Alternative stations that would of come across as Alternative leaning CHR's in the 90's. Plus bands like Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons, Black Keys, and Florence and The Machine have all sold well with very little CHR airplay.

 

[CHRles]

Not sure about Alternative making a comeback just yet, but it's definitely nice to see the response for records by the likes of Adele, Coldplay, and Foster as you'd mentioned. I really, and I mean REALLY, don't view Cobra Starship as even remotely Alternative, though I do like their music.

Although I'm not a big fan of Country music I'd say that's the big trend right now - Country crossovers. You may not notice it on CHR radio too much, but you can clearly see it on Billboard's Hot 100 and the Itunes chart.
There are some good records out there that would make for good ballads or balance records on CHR, and seem like a natural fit on Adult CHR and AC stations.
I can't remember the last time there were so many Country records inside the Top 40. Check this out:
http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/hot-100

Jason Aldean has 2 records inside the Top 50, Blake Shelton made the Top 20, Jake Owen inside the Top 30, Luke Bryan, Zac Brown Band featuring Jimmy Buffet, Lady Antebellum's latest, Brad Paisley's duet with Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney dueting with Grace Potter, Chris Young, and of course there's The Band Perry who have made the Top 20 on CHR radio recently.

Rock friendly CHRs might find some success with Jake Owen's "Barefoot Blue Jeans", which is reminiscent of Nickleback
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp2X1T3PCh0

I'm surprised Adult CHR radio hasn't picked up on Zac Rown Band Feat. Jimmy Buffet "Knee Deep"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJbG7256ZLY

And Lady Antebellum's "Just A Kiss" is a shoe in for AC stations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USUX9NUYvDI

 

[carolinaradio]

Speaking of "If I Die Young", I can not believe how far that has gone on CHR. What a depressing song, especially on a CHR station.

 

[TheBigA]

Although I'm not a big fan of Country music I'd say that's the big trend right now - Country crossovers. You may not notice it on CHR radio too much, but you can clearly see it on Billboard's Hot 100 and the Itunes chart.

I think the public wants it, and radio doesn't. Country now has an over-abundance of strong artists with strong songs, artists who have attracted large fan bases, who have great name recognition beyond their format, and a resistance on the part of radio in some formats to recognize this. Which is why country radio is enjoying its best ratings in years.

But I don't think Alternative is on the verge of a comeback. Instead, you have a small handful of artists who are becoming a bit more mainstream. Radio stations need to recognize that there are a handful of artists that the public likes, they might not fit narrow formats, but those artists are popular, and it's radio's job to play them.

 

[Dkampy]

I agree Cobra Starship is not alternative...but thier are those who consider them a cross between dance and alternative...which could help open the doors...at any rate I think CHR is looking up...we are seeing more variety then we were a year ago. Rather it be alternative, Country, R&B, ballads or whatever...not just electro pop.

 

[adam502002]

I think Alternative is growing alot on Hot AC, and some on CHR. It seems Mumford and Sons, Adele, Coldplay, and Foster the People have been gaining airplay on Hot AC lately moreso than CHRs...not to mention songs like Uprising by Muse last year which is still running as a recurrent on many Hot AC stations. Sick Puppies scored big time with Maybe, too. ...and the same for Kings of Leon.

The country music was also mentioned...If I Die Young, Don't You Wanna Stay, Stuck Like Glue by Sugarland, tons of Taylor Swift. I feel like Hot AC is generous with the country crossovers, and it seems like from there these songs see lots of CHR adds.

To say that Alternative is making a comeback...I'm not sure...perhaps. But I just think that a wider array of music is being accepted on "hit music stations." The regular pop music (like Gaga, Britney, Peas, Kesha,) seems to still be owning the mix, though.

 

[justpassingthough]

I think country's resurgence on the pop charts is inevitable. CHR is in flux right now, electro seems to be displacing hip hop as the rhythmic sound du jour, pop is still going strong, but with the exception of the few artists you mentioned from alternative, rock is sorely lacking at CHR. Most of the country songs and artists that are charting are strongly rock influenced- Jason Aldean, Zac Brown Band, etc- are all reminescent of old Southern rock like Lynyrd Skynyrd.

 

[atlantaboy]

Most of the country songs and artists that are charting are strongly rock influenced- Jason Aldean, Zac Brown Band, etc- are all reminescent of old Southern rock like Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Not sure what you guys are talking about - these acts aren't anywhere on the pop charts

The only country artist making any grounds at CHR whatsoever is The Band Perry, and they're definitely not "rock-influenced"

 

[justpassingthough]

Most of the country songs and artists that are charting are strongly rock influenced- Jason Aldean, Zac Brown Band, etc- are all reminescent of old Southern rock like Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Not sure what you guys are talking about - these acts aren't anywhere on the pop charts

The only country artist making any grounds at CHR whatsoever is The Band Perry, and they're definitely not "rock-influenced"

We were speaking in reference to the Billboard and iTunes charts- not the airplay charts. Country has seen a resurgence on these charts, especially within the past 6 months. The question remains as to whether the door has been opened for more country crossover to CHR. Certainly the success of Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift and the Band Perry are noteworthy, but these are country songs that all have Hot AC and AC appeal. Whether it applies to songs that lean country-rock is what is up for debate. If Jason Aldean can duet with Kelly Clarkson, then have Ludacris rap a verse in "Dirt Road Anthem", then someone is angling for crossover success...

 

[atlantaboy]

Honestly, I think the resurgence of County on the ITunes charts (and hence the Hot 100) is probably just a result of IPods becoming readily purchased in more rural areas of the country - three years ago, I just don't think as many country fans had IPods

 

[justpassingthough]

Honestly, I think the resurgence of County on the ITunes charts (and hence the Hot 100) is probably just a result of IPods becoming readily purchased in more rural areas of the country - three years ago, I just don't think as many country fans had IPods

It must be nice in your bubble Country music is wildly popular in the suburbs as well as rural areas, and country music listeners tend to have higher incomes than fans of almost every other format of music....

Yes, country music listeners probably aren't early adapters like people who listen to hip hop or alternative (who also tend to skew younger), but I don't know if the availability of more iPods at the local WalMart Supercenter in Backwoods, Alabama alone can really account for an increase in country songs on the iTunes charts...

 

[atlantaboy]

country music listeners tend to have higher incomes than fans of almost every other format of music....

Are you making that up lol?

Most markets with the highest rated country stations tend to have the lowest median income numbers - of course there are a lot of suburban/wealthy country fans that had IPods five years ago, but we're talking about an increase in sales, and country is a rural-based format

 

[justpassingthough]

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Radio_46/For-country-a-big-disconnect-with-fans.asp

No, I didn't make it up. Above is an article about country music listeners, their income and their tech savvy. Feel free to Google it, though, as this isn't the only article.

Back to the original discussion, wouldn't it be nice, for variety sake, if more alternative and country made it to the CHR charts?

 

[TheBigA]

I've looked at playlists for a number of AC stations, and was surprised to see more than a dozen country acts on them. Sure, none of them wear cowboy hats, but the fact is that Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, LeAnn Rimes, Sugarland, Martina McBride and more get airplay outside of country radio. There are other harder artists, like the aforementioned Aldean and Zac Brown, who may start showing up in other formats. Their music is simply too popular to ignore.

 

[justpassingthough]

I've looked at playlists for a number of AC stations, and was surprised to see more than a dozen country acts on them. Sure, none of them wear cowboy hats, but the fact is that Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, LeAnn Rimes, Sugarland, Martina McBride and more get airplay outside of country radio. There are other harder artists, like the aforementioned Aldean and Zac Brown, who may start showing up in other formats. Their music is simply too popular to ignore.

If more country by 'harder' acts like ZBB or Jason Aldean starts to show up on CHR, it will be interesting to see if it plays on the coasts, or if its restricted to smaller and medium markets only. I was at a sold out Zac Brown Band show at the Hollywood Bowl a few months back, but in a giant metro area like LA, you should be able to scare up enough country fans to at least sell one concert.

Within the 18 to 34 crowd that CHR primarily services, I think there is room for more country and alternative acts, as its been pointed out that some people feel disenfranchised by the rhythmic/pop/electronic that overwhelmingly rules CHR right now.

 

[atlantaboy]

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Radio_46/For-country-a-big-disconnect-with-fans.asp

No, I didn't make it up. Above is an article about country music listeners, their income and their tech savvy. Feel free to Google it, though, as this isn't the only article.

That article explains that country music fans are of ALL income levels - it doesn't say that "country music fans tend to have higher incomes than fans of almost every other format of music", or even imply that

 

[MattHollidaye OnAir]

Well while we're on the subject of Country music, while I disagree that its listeners have more income, the format DOES generate more revenue than any other station, especially in a market where it's the only Country-formatted station.

I mentioned that because Market 11 (Detroit) is a perfect example of my above statement. WYCD (a Country-formatted station) is currently, as of the latest Arbitron book, the #1 station in Detroit, mainly because (as I mentioned earlier) it's the ONLY station of its kind on the radio dial. Therefore, seeing that it's the top-rated station, it generates more revenue, allowing it to gain more listeners through its promotions that they do.

As for Alternative, it's the same with Rock....there has to be a big "boom" of Alternative artists impacting the charts like the Grunge movement of the early 90s did. It can't be just the same two or three artists releasing big hits; it has to be newer artists that develops a cult following (so to speak) and garner heavy rotation for it to truly make a comeback.

 

[justpassingthough]

Well while we're on the subject of Country music, while I disagree that its listeners have more income, the format DOES generate more revenue than any other station, especially in a market where it's the only Country-formatted station.

I mentioned that because Market 11 (Detroit) is a perfect example of my above statement. WYCD (a Country-formatted station) is currently, as of the latest Arbitron book, the #1 station in Detroit, mainly because (as I mentioned earlier) it's the ONLY station of its kind on the radio dial. Therefore, seeing that it's the top-rated station, it generates more revenue, allowing it to gain more listeners through its promotions that they do.

As for Alternative, it's the same with Rock....there has to be a big "boom" of Alternative artists impacting the charts like the Grunge movement of the early 90s did. It can't be just the same two or three artists releasing big hits; it has to be newer artists that develops a cult following (so to speak) and garner heavy rotation for it to truly make a comeback.

Hopefully, a new "boom" happens with alternative. While there are plenty of great new bands out there, none of them are making a big enough of an impact to press for more play of alternative at CHR. Occassionally, great songs like "Pumped Up Kicks" or "Rolling in the Deep" sneak through but we need a second wave of alternative bands to really kick start the format and allow it to impact CHR like it did in the 90s.

Many of the bands selling albums, singles, and concert tickets for the format today are bands like Foo Fighters, Incubus, and RHCP. Well they're all great bands, they've all been around for 15+ years, so formatically, they appeal to the upper end of the demo and 18 year olds don't have as big of a connection to these groups. It signals problems down the road for this format.

 

[TheBigA]

As for Alternative, it's the same with Rock....there has to be a big "boom" of Alternative artists impacting the charts like the Grunge movement of the early 90s did.

Couple things about the Grunge movement: It was basically a small group of artists. They each had a few hits. They didn't get widespread radio airplay. So I wouldn't call it much of a boom. Their impact has been viewed more in retrospect than in real time. And I think a lot of current acts might be seen the same way. Ten years or more from now we'll be looking back on them fondly, and their ballads will get airplay on Lite.

 

[atlantaboy]

As for Alternative, it's the same with Rock....there has to be a big "boom" of Alternative artists impacting the charts like the Grunge movement of the early 90s did.

Couple things about the Grunge movement: It was basically a small group of artists. They each had a few hits. They didn't get widespread radio airplay. So I wouldn't call it much of a boom. Their impact has been viewed more in retrospect than in real time.

They sure did get a lot of airplay, and a lot of hits - the problem is you're looking at it from a CHR perspective, and CHR targets females, while most of these bands targeted males

That's like claiming that Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd weren't that big, because they only got a couple of CHR hits

Since this is a CHR thread though, I agree that grunge didn't have a huge impact on pop