Kevin Weatherly Returns To KROQ

[K.M. Richards]

Or whether there are enough songs all the groups accept to build a format around.

And now All Access reports that Music Choice is adding a "Pop & Alt" channel in its app which "bridges the increasingly narrow gap between today’s Top 40 & Alternative formats."

Good luck with that.

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[ChannelFlipper]

And now All Access reports that Music Choice is adding a "Pop & Alt" channel in its app which "bridges the increasingly narrow gap between today’s Top 40 & Alternative formats."

Good luck with that.

Radio Industry News, New Music, Music Promotion, Radio Station Song Charts

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Actually they may be onto something. SXM has a similar channel, PopRocks which incorporates both genres.

For several years I have noticed that a lot of young people don't follow narrow format genres and are quite open, in fact, prefer, to float in between. Back in the 80s and into the 90s, KROQ New Wave/ Alt Rockers would never admit to listening to KIIS and the pop-er's who listened to KIIS would have nothing to do with the KROQ New Wave groups until they became cross-overs. Now I see young people who act like there isn't even any difference - they like it all (or at least certain parts of each).

 

[Theater of My Mind]

Actually they may be onto something. SXM has a similar channel, PopRocks which incorporates both genres.

AllAccess reports the Music Choice channel will offer "an upbeat mix of Pop, Hot AC, Top 40, Alternative, and Pop-Punk, featuring artists like BILLIE EILLISH, COLDPLAY, DUA LIPA, IMAGINE DRAGONS, and OLIVIA RODRIGO." Those are current artists.

By contrast, SXM describes Pop Rocks as 90s/2000s Pop & Rock Hits. In reality most songs were alternative and CHR crossover hits, but the music is not current.

 

[davideduardo]

And now All Access reports that Music Choice is adding a "Pop & Alt" channel in its app which "bridges the increasingly narrow gap between today’s Top 40 & Alternative formats."

Good luck with that.

Music Choice seems to think that CHR plays a lot of rock today, when mainstream CHR now is leaning rhythmic and playing less alternative rock than ever.

Rock spun off from Top 40 in the late 60's. Someone should tell the genius musicologists at Music Choice about that. Of course, music channels that principally arrive on your TV seem to, historically, all be about as good as Ice Cream that arrives in your oven!

The history of add-on "curated" formats that are a "bonus" for something else is not good. Each time I have moved or changed my cable provider (I am still wired despite usually being at the bleeding edge of technology) I have tried the music services somewhere around channel 3780 or thereabouts and never lasted more than a couple of tunes, what with the horrible flow-destroying segues and strange inclusion of certified stiffs for "added variety".

I'm preaching now, so I will stop... (momentarily).

 

[davideduardo]

AllAccess reports the Music Choice channel will offer "an upbeat mix of Pop, Hot AC, Top 40, Alternative, and Pop-Punk, featuring artists like BILLIE EILLISH, COLDPLAY, DUA LIPA, IMAGINE DRAGONS, and OLIVIA RODRIGO." Those are current artists.

Sounds like throwing stones at an imaginary wall.

 

[ragazzo-pazzo]

The history of add-on "curated" formats that are a "bonus" for something else is not good.

I concur with this. In 2022, If I am going to use my television as a source for background music, I'm probably going to be running Amazon Music, Spotify etc via my Roku, Firestick, or comparable.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

Sounds like throwing stones at an imaginary wall.

I was going to say it seems like a format for crossover alt/indie CHR pop without the rhythmic/dance songs. But then they have Dua Lipa on the list and she's definitely a rhythmic pop/dance artist so it's not really clear from that description what the concept is. Guess the only way to find out would be to give it a listen.

Some of the Music Choice channels I've heard aren't so bad but I rarely listen because I forget I even have it. I use my smart speakers (Sonos & Alexa) for streaming, and Music Choice is not supported. Do people really listen to music channels on their TV any more?

 

[K.M. Richards]

Each time I have moved or changed my cable provider (I am still wired despite usually being at the bleeding edge of technology) I have tried the music services somewhere around channel 3780 or thereabouts and never lasted more than a couple of tunes, what with the horrible flow-destroying segues and strange inclusion of certified stiffs for "added variety".

In 2022, If I am going to use my television as a source for background music, I'm probably going to be running Amazon Music, Spotify etc via my Roku, Firestick, or comparable.

Do people really listen to music channels on their TV any more?

Somewhere along the line we seem to have skipped over that this new channel is app-only, not one of their cable channels...

 

[chrocket87]

I’ve always wondered how Music Choice monetizes any of their channels, much less this one. Music Choice seems like a jock less SiriusXM, with deeper than FM playlists (for better or for worse) and a variety of niche offerings. Like David, I can never leave a channel on for long, but I’ll swing by from time to time if I’m in the mood for something different.

 

[MarkW]

AllAccess reports the Music Choice channel will offer "an upbeat mix of Pop, Hot AC, Top 40, Alternative, and Pop-Punk, featuring artists like BILLIE EILLISH, COLDPLAY, DUA LIPA, IMAGINE DRAGONS, and OLIVIA RODRIGO." Those are current artists.

Sounds like a Music Choice knock off of San Francisco's Alice @ 97.3.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Music Choice seems to think that CHR plays a lot of rock today, when mainstream CHR now is leaning rhythmic and playing less alternative rock than ever.

Rock spun off from Top 40 in the late 60's. Someone should tell the genius musicologists at Music Choice about that. Of course, music channels that principally arrive on your TV seem to, historically, all be about as good as Ice Cream that arrives in your oven!

The history of add-on "curated" formats that are a "bonus" for something else is not good. Each time I have moved or changed my cable provider (I am still wired despite usually being at the bleeding edge of technology) I have tried the music services somewhere around channel 3780 or thereabouts and never lasted more than a couple of tunes, what with the horrible flow-destroying segues and strange inclusion of certified stiffs for "added variety".

I'm preaching now, so I will stop... (momentarily).

Sorry Music Pros, but it is exactly what you are talking about that makes me tune IN to Music Choice and away from your highly formatted (and repetitive) radio stations. It's been awhile since I had MC (we have Direct TV, which is similar but not as good),but when we did had them, I could put on any of several stations and listen for the whole day because I knew I would get a good variety and not hear the same old tired hits day after day.

One of my favorites was the 70s channel, and they played ALL of the hits by Tony Orlando and Dawn, songs I love but most 70s formatted stations won't touch.

Bring Back the Music Choice!

 

[davideduardo]

Somewhere along the line we seem to have skipped over that this new channel is app-only, not one of their cable channels...

But... I think it comes from the same "creative origin" as the cable versions.

 

[TheBigA]

Some of the Music Choice channels I've heard aren't so bad but I rarely listen because I forget I even have it. I use my smart speakers (Sonos & Alexa) for streaming, and Music Choice is not supported. Do people really listen to music channels on their TV any more?

Some Music Choice channels are actually Mediabase chart reporters, and in order to do that, they have to deliver measurable audience so the chart can assign weights. I'm told the number they deliver is pretty good.

I’ve always wondered how Music Choice monetizes any of their channels, much less this one.

They charge the cable providers based on the audience they deliver. Very similar business model to the video channels.

 

[davideduardo]

Sorry Music Pros, but it is exactly what you are talking about that makes me tune IN to Music Choice and away from your highly formatted (and repetitive) radio stations.

The fact is.... and has been proven... that the enormous and overwhelming percentage of people want to hear familiar favorite songs. While there are people who like to explore different kinds of music or hear many new songs, most over 25 do prefer familiar over "new" or "different".

In fact, the PPM has shown us that the biggest tune-outs on radio are not commercial stopsets but unfamiliar songs or songs that research has shown to be marginal or negative with one part of the target audience.

I'm as fond of music discovery as anyone; I programmed one of TM's HitDisks for years and then went on to do the same service for Radio Express for another 20 years and listened to 30 or 40 new songs a week. But when I am listening for the pure pleasure of it I still prefer Brown Eyed Girl or Go Your Own Way over a tune I have never heard before.

It's been awhile since I had MC (we have Direct TV, which is similar but not as good),but when we did had them, I could put on any of several stations and listen for the whole day because I knew I would get a good variety and not hear the same old tired hits day after day.

And in that you are part of the single-digit percent of people who seek that. The vast majority don't do that and don't even like that.

A good example was the belief by the programming head of XM in the early years that what would move people to spend cash money for satellite radio was deeper playlists and more "variety". After a number of years, this was seen to be flat-out wrong and lists were tightened. Yet even now, even on my preferred Sirius/XM channels there are lots of very secondary cuts that make me switch to another channel.

One of my favorites was the 70s channel, and they played ALL of the hits by Tony Orlando and Dawn, songs I love but most 70s formatted stations won't touch.

And for every person who likes all those songs, there are 100 who barely tolerate even one or two of them. As a contrast, when I hear one I am instantly gone. And I'm sure there are ones by other artists that I love that make you rapidly hit a button on your radio.

Bring Back the Music Choice!

What I most disliked about it when I had it available were the horrible mid-air collision song segues.

 

[CTListener]

One of my favorites was the 70s channel, and they played ALL of the hits by Tony Orlando and Dawn, songs I love but most 70s formatted stations won't touch.

Noooooooo! Every time I hear even one of his songs, I want to tie a big yellow ribbon tightly, right around his throat!

 

[davideduardo]

Sorry Music Pros, but it is exactly what you are talking about that makes me tune IN to Music Choice and away from your highly formatted (and repetitive) radio stations.

The fact is.... and has been proven... that the enormous and overwhelming percentage of people want to hear familiar favorite songs. While there are people who like to explore different kinds of music or hear many new songs, most over 25 do prefer familiar over "new" or "different".

In fact, the PPM has shown us that the biggest tune-outs on radio are not commercial stopsets but unfamiliar songs or songs that research has shown to be marginal or negative with one part of the target audience.

I'm as fond of music discovery as anyone; I programmed one of TM's HitDisks for years and then went on to do the same service for Radio Express for another 20 years and listened to 30 or 40 new songs a week. But when I am listening for the pure pleasure of it I still prefer Brown Eyed Girl or Go Your Own Way over a tune I have never heard before.

It's been awhile since I had MC (we have Direct TV, which is similar but not as good),but when we did had them, I could put on any of several stations and listen for the whole day because I knew I would get a good variety and not hear the same old tired hits day after day.

And in that you are part of the single-digit percent of people who seek that. The vast majority don't do that and don't even like that.

A good example was the belief by the programming head of XM in the early years that what would move people to spend cash money for satellite radio was deeper playlists and more "variety". After a number of years, this was seen to be flat-out wrong and lists were tightened. Yet even now, even on my preferred Sirius/XM channels there are lots of very secondary cuts that make me switch to another channel.

One of my favorites was the 70s channel, and they played ALL of the hits by Tony Orlando and Dawn, songs I love but most 70s formatted stations won't touch.

And for every person who likes all those songs, there are 100 who barely tolerate even one or two of them. As a contrast, when I hear one I am instantly gone. And I'm sure there are ones by other artists that I love that make you rapidly hit a button on your radio.

Bring Back the Music Choice!

What I most disliked about it when I had it available were the horrible mid-air collision song segues.

 

[CTListener]

A good example was the belief by the programming head of XM in the early years that what would move people to spend cash money for satellite radio was deeper playlists and more "variety". After a number of years, this was seen to be flat-out wrong and lists were tightened.

That was Lee Abrams, who seemed to approach his job at XM as a sort of penance for what he'd done to free-form/progressive rock radio in the '70s with his tight "Superstars" format. Correct me on the timing, but didn't upper management bring in Jon Zellner from Clear Channel to tighten up the playlists even before Abrams resigned, or did Abrams' exit come first?

 

[TheBigA]

didn't upper management bring in Jon Zellner from Clear Channel to tighten up the playlists even before Abrams resigned, or did Abrams' exit come first?

I don't think so. John was hired in 2005 from CBS Radio Boston. Abrams left after the merger in 2008. Zellner left Sirius in 2009 and then he went to Clear Channel.

 

[davideduardo]

That was Lee Abrams, who seemed to approach his job at XM as a sort of penance for what he'd done to free-form/progressive rock radio in the '70s with his tight "Superstars" format. Correct me on the timing, but didn't upper management bring in Jon Zellner from Clear Channel to tighten up the playlists even before Abrams resigned, or did Abrams' exit come first?

It seemed to me to be a transition. As in "you set it up and now it is time for a person to do the day to day work". That explanation allowed for a less conflict-laden statement that, I guess, they feared would discourage subscribers.

Abrams spoke to my group that did five Spanish language XM channels in the earliest years. Other than using the F-word in nearly every sentence, he did not present any actual research or basis for the deep cuts philosophy.

 

[macattack]

Perhaps the idea is that there is a more general acceptance of new songs than library titles and they can hope to help make them mass appeal within the genre.

I don't even dare ask "why?"

Going by his interviews in periodicals like Variety, he was intent on phasing rock out of the Audacy playlists in general and also phasing out older artists in favor of young, quirky pop artists even if the older artists had a significant amount of young members in their fanbases. The quality of the music was a moot point; he was chasing after specific demographics without regard to the demographics he had. I may be wrong, but I think he was chasing affluent, young, primarily female urbanites and suburbanites, and was intentionally alienating the traditional Alt audience which tends to lean male. He succeeded in the latter without pulling off the former, which is why his power got dramatically reduced.

Short version; he wanted to redefine Alternative as a sub-format of pop and make women it’s core by dramatically changing the music, and it didn’t work.

I’ve been making Spotify playlists of the currents the Audacy conglomerate played during both the year under Kaplan’s full control and the current year with Allers and Taylor picking most the music. The difference is rather stark.