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KROQ is spinning currents into the ground

K.M. Richards said:
But your final statement, which I did not quote, is an acknowledgement that there is a perception that music rotations are determined by some personal bias of the PD. I can assure anyone not in the business that this is not the case, because getting it wrong usually leads to no longer being the PD.
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Which is why I said that Heat Waves is #2 on the iTunes chart. It's also #2 on Billboard's alternative streaming chart:


Both of those charts are based on music users, not radio programmers. That's why I say there is basis for playing the song in heavy.
 
TheBigA said:
Which is why I said that Heat Waves is #2 on the iTunes chart. It's also #2 on Billboard's alternative streaming chart:


Both of those charts are based on music users, not radio programmers. That's why I say there is basis for playing the song in heavy.
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Yes, those are excellent qualifications for Weatherly's decision, and for my statement rebutting the opinion that he is doing this on a "whim".

And people say programmers don't pay attention to the listeners' actual habits ... :rolleyes:
 
inorm99 said:
That song would get me to switch the station. and take it off my pre sets
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My personal preference is not to program alternative like CHR or even Hot AC. What's being done in LA is similar to Hot AC, where they're playing currents 60 times a week. CHR would be closer to 100. Alternative listeners object to that kind of frequent airplay. But LA is different, people listen for shorter periods. Both alternative stations are doing basically the same thing. So if you change stations in LA, you'll get the same thing, although with some different songs.
 
TheBigA said:
Which is why I said that Heat Waves is #2 on the iTunes chart. It's also #2 on Billboard's alternative streaming chart:


Both of those charts are based on music users, not radio programmers. That's why I say there is basis for playing the song in heavy.
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I just heard this song a few minutes ago for the first time ever on youtube music and its way too repetitive for me to give it another listen ever. I rate it a 4. This from an older, much older rock of the 80's and 90's music fan. There's no explaining individual music tastes for sure. Obviously somebody loves this song. Me? I'll pass.
 
K108 Sacramento said:
I just heard this song a few minutes ago for the first time ever on youtube music and its way too repetitive for me to give it another listen ever. I rate it a 4. This from an older, much older rock of the 80's and 90's music fan. There's no explaining individual music tastes for sure. Obviously somebody loves this song. Me? I'll pass.
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First listen for me, too. Instant reaction: That's the same "trap beat" that's in many country songs, good and bad, these days! I knew it came to country from R&B/hip-hop, but never thought it had gotten into a track that alt listeners (there must be some!) would want to hear. It's a pass from me, too, but if 67-year-olds were supposed to like it, than alt would be in even more trouble as a radio format than it already is.
 
But your final statement, which I did not quote, is an acknowledgement that there is a perception that music rotations are determined by some personal bias of the PD. I can assure anyone not in the business that this is not the case, because getting it wrong usually leads to no longer being the PD.
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If you are suggesting that personal bias never factors into music judgment, I disagree. I can certainly accept, though, that it is the exception to the rule.

Even in cases where music judgment is based on good faith, outside data and impartiality, there are certainly instances where the PD simply gets it wrong. In this context, "wrong" can mean any number of different things - i.e. adding a song too late, playing it too frequently for too long, etc.
 
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TheBigA said:
That's not what Mediabase shows. Playing a song every two hours means 84 times a week.

KROQ has four songs in the "heavy" category, which is 60 spins a week. Heat Waves is one of those four songs. It moved from medium to heavy this week, which means it went from 30 spins a week to 60 spins a week. So perhaps the perception is they're playing it every two hours.

If you compare KROQ to KYSR, you'll see KYSR is playing Heat Wave 68 spins a week. Last week, they played it 67 times a week.

But my question is: Why is KYSR playing Harry Styles in heavy? They doubled the number of spins this week. KROQ is not playing Harry Styles at all.

KROQ is playing the 35 year old Kate Bush song in heavy, KYSR is playing it in medium.

Meanwhile, over in NYC, Audacy's Alt station plays heavies 35 times a week.



Perhaps because of the drought? It's big news in LA.
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Why in the world would KYSR play Harry Styles? Harry Styles is Pop music!
 
MVB13 said:
Why in the world would KYSR play Harry Styles? Harry Styles is Pop music!
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“As It Was” is influenced by 80’s synthpop and there’s been a number of synthpop-influenced songs on the Alt chart for the last year or so. This makes “As It Was” less of a jarring addition to a typical Alt playlist outside of the artist’s identity.

Alt has always had random pop crossovers. I remember when Q101 was playing “Lose Yourself” and “Hey Ya!” alongside Jimmy Eat World and Korn. In 2012 one of those even hit number one, “Too Close” by Alex Clare. Just how the format is.
 
MarkW said:
Even in cases where music judgment is based on good faith, outside data and impartiality, there are certainly instances where the PD simply gets it wrong.
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This is why most of the major groups have weekly music conference calls with their programming people, to share research, information, and opinion about music. Weatherly is part of those weekly calls.
 
macattack said:
“As It Was” is influenced by 80’s synthpop and there’s been a number of synthpop-influenced songs on the Alt chart for the last year or so. This makes “As It Was” less of a jarring addition to a typical Alt playlist outside of the artist’s identity.

Alt has always had random pop crossovers. I remember when Q101 was playing “Lose Yourself” and “Hey Ya!” alongside Jimmy Eat World and Korn. In 2012 one of those even hit number one, “Too Close” by Alex Clare. Just how the format is.
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And another reason I’m not a huge fan of the term “alternative rock.” Alternative is an eclectic format.
 
TheBigA said:
This is why most of the major groups have weekly music conference calls with their programming people, to share research, information, and opinion about music. Weatherly is part of those weekly calls.
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Rick Carroll never needed weekly calls with Corporate to make KROQ what it was.
 
ChannelFlipper said:
Rick Carroll never needed weekly calls with Corporate to make KROQ what it was.
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Because back then owners were limited to 7/7/7 and each station operated as an island. Rick died 6 years before full consolidation was implemented.
 
inorm99 said:
That song would get me to switch the station. and take it off my pre sets
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In reality, the Alternative format needs 50-100 more songs like "Heat Waves," songs that have crossover appeal to a mass audience of listeners, which would bring younger, more diverse listeners into the format.

I'm sure KROQ has the data on the back end that supports the addition of these songs in heavy rotation and that listeners won't actually switch the station when the song comes on.

It's the same reason why I think they're bullish on the Kate Bush song right now: The song was featured in "Stranger Things," which has a strong appeal to the younger, target demo.
 
radiojomo said:
It's the same reason why I think they're bullish on the Kate Bush song right now: The song was featured in "Stranger Things," which has a strong appeal to the younger, target demo.
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Them, 11 of the Classic Hits stations I monitor, and 12 of the Alternative stations I monitor. Plus a ton of Top 40s.

All told, among all stations I have access to the playlists of via BDS, across 12 formats, 429 stations in the U.S. played it at least once in the past seven days. (Plus 128 in Canada and 22 in Mexico.)
 
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