Is Metallica really alternative?

[sdh483]

I'm confused when a certain Houston station that bills themselves as "alternative," not only throws Metallica into their playlist, but has a "Mandatory Metallica" half hour segment nightly. Is this something that happens on other alternative stations? I have never thought of Metallica as alternative, more like metal or hard rock.

 

[SoulCrusher]

I would guess that you can thank CBS for that. They were really late to give NYC an Alternative station with K-Rock ('95, I believe), but when Metallica came out with Load which was clearly their attempt to hitch their wagon to the grunge movement, K-Rock was all over it and it stayed that way. Now K-Rock is pretty much a Chicken Rock station, and Metallica's latest is one of very few new songs that they're willing to play.

You want to hear something even worse? AC/DC's "Rock N' Roll Train" has received so much airplay from stations that report as Alternative that it's currently in the Top 30 on the Alternative Charts. There is no excuse for any station that calls themselves Alternative to be playing AC/DC. I would definitely suggest that they begin labeling themselves as simply "Rock" stations going forward if they're going to play straightforward arena rock acts like that.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

I dont consider Metalica or AC/DC alternative in any means, but THE X here in Indianapolis bills itself as Indys New Rock Alternative... They have always been heavy on Metalica and they have had Mandatory Metalica for like 15 yrs.... Hey Indy,,, Its 10 O clock,,, Time to Rock.... Then the sound of a dark Bell Gong, but they usually play the deeper album cuts during this time slot. It may not be true alternative, but the audience loves them,, its no different than a station that bills itself as Hip Hop, but plays POP and Dance music as well... Its all in what the stations target music tastes relect, not so much on the format anymore,,, If you ask most people around town what kind of music The X plays, they would simply say Rock, or Hard Rock,,, Kids used to call it Alternative back in the day, but I hardly ever here that term used to describe a Rock band anymore.

As for AC/DC,,,, Definately not alternative, but most the demos will like it.. I think this AC/DC track will cross over to some Mainstream CHR stations as well, Its their big come back, and alot of young teens love AC/DC even though they werent around to hear them when they were new,, same with Pink Floyd, which ive also heard on a station in the Carolinas calling itself the New Rock Alternative,, but this station 93.3 The Planet also plays AOR staple classics about one third of its playlist, and its a dual reporter to Active and Alternative radio.

 

[WBIMDJ]

No, no and no! Metallica belong on the alt charts and stations as much as Seether and Disturbed, aka not at all! Metallica have always been a METAL/HARD ROCK band that belong on active rock and AOR/Rock stations, NOT modern rock/ alt! Yet they continue to put these bands on so called "alternative" stations.
If you look at the playlists of REAL alternative stations (not the CC cookie cutter stations) such as KDLE LA, WFNX Boston, WWCD Columbus OH, WEQX Vermont, WBRU Providence, KNDD Seattle etc. you will see no such bands because they don't belong there, period. Not hating on Metallica at all but they don't belong on those types of stations.

 

[franksandhotdogs]

Altenrative is just that... the Alternative to pop, lite rock, and anything else on the radio dial.  For awhile, it was lined up closely with Modern AC (Nine Days, Third Eye Blind, Smash Mouth), and for a while, it turned Active Rock (Disturbed, Korn, Limp Bizkit).  In the past year or two, Alternative has been able to balance itself back out to the Alternative sound it started with, being pretty independent of the other charts (there will ALWAYS be crossover).

The problem with the format is that it's a tough sell and hard to garner ratings if you're "too hip for the norm", but you're not really "alternative" and you lose credibility with the music elitists if you play Creed 2.0...err *cough* Nickelback, Metallica (while Death Magnetic not one of their best albums, it more than washes the taste of St. Anger out of your ears), etc. to appeal to a larger audience to garner better ratings and be more sellable.  (In other words, you risk alienating your audience either way.)

But I seriously think that the Alternative format is hurting because of the attitude.  If you don't like this band, then you get a nose turned up at you.  If Spin magazine likes it, then it must be good.  If Indie 103.1 is playing it, then by God I'm gonna go download it from iTunes.  I'm cool because I heard this band before they went mainstream.  It's hurting "true" Alternative stations, as those who can't stand the attitude tune out, leaving only a small niche audience for the station to serve.  Looking at the ratings of some of the "true" alternative stations out there:

--Indie flounders below a 1.0 12+.  Yes their signals are pretty much the worst in LA, but the right format targeted at the right people will always bring in numbers.

--WFNX hovers around or is below a 1.0 in Boston.

--And both alternative stations in Columbus can't crack a 2 share (though Radio 106.7 debuted with a 2.5).

I agree with Clubber that "Rock 'n' Roll Train" has a chance crossing over if Columbia pushes it for CHR.  And I'm spinning Guns N' Roses "Chinese Democracy" on my CHR, though it hasn't gone for adds on CHR yet, partially because of the hype around the fact that no other album has gestated this long with people still waiting (for over 15 years).  Besides, the guitar riff at the beginning makes the song stand out on a CHR station.  We're not spinning AC/DC, Metallica and GNR on the Sunday night alternative show on my CHR station, partially because the mainstream rock clustermate spins it already, and what I said above.

This is just the mindless rambling and opinions of myself.  Tear apart my comments all you like.

 

[dlf]

Metallica is not an "Alternative" band, but they have widespread popularity and many markets nowadays do not have a "Mainstream Rock" station. As a result, many Alternative stations have embraced Metallica as a core artist. Some of the mainstream stalwarts have released fairly good material this year (Motley Crue, AC/DC, and we'll soon hear much of the new Guns 'n' Roses); and while AC/DC has received airplay on Alternative stations (again mostly markets without a Mainstream Rock station), my hunch is GNR will receive quite a bit of Alternative airplay if the material is good. I'm not sure if Motley Crue received any Alternative airplay. Whether the station is Active or Alternative, many of their listeners still want the station to "rock".

 

[p_herring]

There is no such thing as "alternative" anymore simply because the music is way too fragmented. As has been pointed out in several posts, the stations that try to be "true" alternative (ignoring acts such as Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, Nickelback, etc.) do TERRIBLY in the ratings. That being said, I can't really understand why any station that reports as Alternative would play AC/DC. While Metallica is questionable, there were at least SOME sort of punk/grunge influences to be found in early/later work (punk for the former, grunge for the later). AC/DC is straight up trucker-rock that the Alternative genre set out to rebel against in the first place.

 

[WBIMDJ]

There is no such thing as "alternative" anymore simply because the music is way too fragmented. As has been pointed out in several posts, the stations that try to be "true" alternative (ignoring acts such as Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, Nickelback, etc.) do TERRIBLY in the ratings. That being said, I can't really understand why any station that reports as Alternative would play AC/DC. While Metallica is questionable, there were at least SOME sort of punk/grunge influences to be found in early/later work (punk for the former, grunge for the later). AC/DC is straight up trucker-rock that the Alternative genre set out to rebel against in the first place.

I agree with you 100% on the "alternative" definition being lost and blurred over the years. What was originally an "alternative" to what was played on the other stations has become the norm, almost irony. However, if you look back on the history of so called "alternative" music, you'd find it goes way beyond the "grunge" label and involves new wave, electronica, punk and other assorted genres and acts dating back to the late 1970's. I'm thinking Psychedelic Furs, Sex Pistols, The Ramones, The Cure, The Clash, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Echo & the Bunnymen, Wire, Erasure, Killing Joke, etc. just to name a few.
With regard to "true" alternative stations such as the aforementioned WFNX; they have been around since 1983, and were one of the first stations in the country to play "modern rock" or what would eventually become "alternative." They have never, nor will they ever, have any business playing Metallica. It's just the way it goes. Other stations, however may fit into this active rock/alternative hybrid. I guess it depends on the demos and the market.

 

[hotpatrick2004]

NO to answer the first question!!!

How depressing ac/dc played on alternative stations i think any station that does that should have there fcc license revoked for a bazillion years!!!

To soulcrusher wxrk(Krock on the east coast) went from classic to alternative in january of 1996.Same year ktu came on the air.

 

[p_herring]

There is no such thing as "alternative" anymore simply because the music is way too fragmented. As has been pointed out in several posts, the stations that try to be "true" alternative (ignoring acts such as Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, Nickelback, etc.) do TERRIBLY in the ratings. That being said, I can't really understand why any station that reports as Alternative would play AC/DC. While Metallica is questionable, there were at least SOME sort of punk/grunge influences to be found in early/later work (punk for the former, grunge for the later). AC/DC is straight up trucker-rock that the Alternative genre set out to rebel against in the first place.

I agree with you 100% on the "alternative" definition being lost and blurred over the years. What was originally an "alternative" to what was played on the other stations has become the norm, almost irony. However, if you look back on the history of so called "alternative" music, you'd find it goes way beyond the "grunge" label and involves new wave, electronica, punk and other assorted genres and acts dating back to the late 1970's. I'm thinking Psychedelic Furs, Sex Pistols, The Ramones, The Cure, The Clash, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Echo & the Bunnymen, Wire, Erasure, Killing Joke, etc. just to name a few.
With regard to "true" alternative stations such as the aforementioned WFNX; they have been around since 1983, and were one of the first stations in the country to play "modern rock" or what would eventually become "alternative." They have never, nor will they ever, have any business playing Metallica. It's just the way it goes. Other stations, however may fit into this active rock/alternative hybrid. I guess it depends on the demos and the market.

I realize alternative goes way beyond grunge. However, I think the reason several stations jumped on Metallica when they released Load is because, at the time, both those records were perceived to have more of an alternative/grunge sound (in hindsight, it was more blues, country rock-influenced than alternative). While FNX is a great station, the truth remains that they never have done well and probably never will do well in ratings because of the small niche audience that they serve (that is rapidly ditching radio for other means of getting music).

 

[hotpatrick2004]

But radio stations like indie 1031 and wfnx and cd 101 in columbus get the big picture and care less about ratings and more about the tuneage

 

[WBIMDJ]

But radio stations like indie 1031 and wfnx and cd 101 in columbus get the big picture and care less about ratings and more about the tuneage

Exactly. So NO metallica. LOL

On another note, I DID hear another alternative station this weekend for the first time. It was the newish FM 104 One WURH in Hartford, CT. Was pretty impressed with their selection, and no I didn't hear any Metallica on there either.

 

[p_herring]

But radio stations like indie 1031 and wfnx and cd 101 in columbus get the big picture and care less about ratings and more about the tuneage

You HAVE to care about ratings to some degree. Otherwise, how do they sell ads in order to keep the station afloat?

 

[noneofyourbeeswax]

When the haircuts got shorter it was ok and safe to play them. Truthfully, I think they were selling so many records that alternative gave it a shot just because. Sad but true...

 

[WBIMDJ]

When the haircuts got shorter it was ok and safe to play them. Truthfully, I think they were selling so many records that alternative gave it a shot just because. Sad but true...

Ha! A play on words? ;D

 

[evolve991]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

 

[WBIMDJ]

I'll add another no+1.

 

[kd8hho]

I dont consider Metalica or AC/DC alternative in any means, but THE X here in Indianapolis bills itself as Indys New Rock Alternative... They have always been heavy on Metalica and they have had Mandatory Metalica for like 15 yrs.... Hey Indy,,, Its 10 O clock,,, Time to Rock.... Then the sound of a dark Bell Gong, but they usually play the deeper album cuts during this time slot. It may not be true alternative, but the audience loves them,, its no different than a station that bills itself as Hip Hop, but plays POP and Dance music as well... Its all in what the stations target music tastes relect, not so much on the format anymore,,, If you ask most people around town what kind of music The X plays, they would simply say Rock, or Hard Rock,,, Kids used to call it Alternative back in the day, but I hardly ever here that term used to describe a Rock band anymore.

As for AC/DC,,,, Definately not alternative, but most the demos will like it.. I think this AC/DC track will cross over to some Mainstream CHR stations as well, Its their big come back, and alot of young teens love AC/DC even though they werent around to hear them when they were new,, same with Pink Floyd, which ive also heard on a station in the Carolinas calling itself the New Rock Alternative,, but this station 93.3 The Planet also plays AOR staple classics about one third of its playlist, and its a dual reporter to Active and Alternative radio.

i think X103 got there mandatory metallica idea from old Chicago rock 103.5

 

[p_herring]

I dont consider Metalica or AC/DC alternative in any means, but THE X here in Indianapolis bills itself as Indys New Rock Alternative... They have always been heavy on Metalica and they have had Mandatory Metalica for like 15 yrs.... Hey Indy,,, Its 10 O clock,,, Time to Rock.... Then the sound of a dark Bell Gong, but they usually play the deeper album cuts during this time slot. It may not be true alternative, but the audience loves them,, its no different than a station that bills itself as Hip Hop, but plays POP and Dance music as well... Its all in what the stations target music tastes relect, not so much on the format anymore,,, If you ask most people around town what kind of music The X plays, they would simply say Rock, or Hard Rock,,, Kids used to call it Alternative back in the day, but I hardly ever here that term used to describe a Rock band anymore.

As for AC/DC,,,, Definately not alternative, but most the demos will like it.. I think this AC/DC track will cross over to some Mainstream CHR stations as well, Its their big come back, and alot of young teens love AC/DC even though they werent around to hear them when they were new,, same with Pink Floyd, which ive also heard on a station in the Carolinas calling itself the New Rock Alternative,, but this station 93.3 The Planet also plays AOR staple classics about one third of its playlist, and its a dual reporter to Active and Alternative radio.

i think X103 got there mandatory metallica idea from old Chicago rock 103.5

I think the "Mandatory Metallica" idea is about as hacky and played out as the "Get The Led Out" and "Two-For-Tuesdays" idea.

 

[AllMightyVoice]

There is sooooo much Metalica everywhere else. Active rock, classic rock, album rock.....played out.