It’s official: Hip-hop has more hits, as chr tightens

[TheBigA]

The other thing worth adding is that when an artist releases multiple singles online, it provides radio programmers more data to help make their decisions to either stick with an "official" single, or replace it with something else. One interesting case in point was made by Billboard, following the performance of Thomas Rhett last week on Saturday Night Live. He debuted a song on that show, and the streaming numbers were so strong that the song debuted in the airplay Top 30. So a TV performance triggered streaming which led to immediate airplay. The Billboard article noted that while in the past, radio programmers chose singles based on gut, they now have more data to make informed decisions.

 

[kwthom]

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/ariana-grande-revolutionizing-pop-radio-803279/

Now Rolling Stone does a similar editorial on the state of CHR Pop radio and how its stars are releasing singles.

I found this to be telling in that article...

This means that, moving forward, pop radio will likely be even more reflective of the streaming services. That’s a potential blow for those who believe diversity in listening is better for music, since streaming is highly concentrated — a statistic released by the data company BuzzAngle suggested that just 10 percent of tracks account for 99 percent of all streams in 2017.

The listener likes what they like, and that's what they'll listen to.

 

[TheBigA]

The listener likes what they like, and that's what they'll listen to.

Exactly...those who say people stream because the playlists are bigger haven't seen the streaming charts.

For the most part, the majority of people stream the exact same songs getting OTA airplay.

 

[semoochie]

Exactly...those who say people stream because the playlists are bigger haven't seen the streaming charts.

For the most part, the majority of people stream the exact same songs getting OTA airplay.

Except sometimes a song may stay on the chart for seemingly forever. For instance, "Believer" is in its 87th week!

 

[boombox4]

How much of it is a form of overkill to try to maintain visibility, i.e., the marketplace is crowded, and to get heard you bombard people with release after release after release?

I see this in the book publishing industry, and it is a result of numerous factors, the prime one being massive competition.

RE: the Beatles: I think that was a one off. Very rare when a phenomenon like that hits any marketplace.

 

[TheBigA]

Except sometimes a song may stay on the chart for seemingly forever. For instance, "Believer" is in its 87th week!

Not unlike BeBe Rexha's Meant To Be. But these songs are also among the most-streamed songs as well. That's the point.

When given the choice from hundreds of millions of songs available on the internet, people choose these songs over and over.

 

[tall_guy1]

Not unlike BeBe Rexha's Meant To Be. But these songs are also among the most-streamed songs as well. That's the point.

When given the choice from hundreds of millions of songs available on the internet, people choose these songs over and over.

96.5 the Buzz where I live in Kansas City has strayed from this rule for years. They are an Entercom station, but they play a lot of new music and pride themselves on having a lot of new currents in their playlist. You can probably see here: http://krbz.tunegenie.com/onair/ that it's different. Their competition has taken notice, X105.1, and has hours 6-8 p.m. CT each day be "freeform." For example, today, they played "My Time" by Minus the Bear, "Miserable Lie" by The Smiths, and "Corduroy" by Pearl Jam. Their playlist is much more traditional outside those hours, though.