Here's something you probably wouldn't catch all that often. Around 2:00 p.m. (04/10/2025) both WMJI 105.7 and WHLK 106.5 were playing Michael Jackson's "Thriller". This was done individually since each station was at a different part of the song when I tuned in. I had to flip back-and-forth a couple of times to make sure that I was, actually, switching stations. The song is listed on WHLK's recent songs list, but it's missing on WMJI's recently played list as it has "Drift Away" by Uncle Kracker starting at 2:00 p.m. and the next song listed, "I Melt With You" by Modern English, starting at 2:12 p.m. You'd have to play "Drift Away" about 2 and 1/2 times to make it last all the way from 2:00 p.m. to 2:12 p.m. I wonder how often this happens on, generally, similarly formatted radio stations.
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M.J. and M.J.
- Thread starter johnbasalla
- Start date
I wonder how often this happens on, generally, similarly formatted radio stations.
All the time. Radio stations have no exclusivity to the music they play. It's very common for music to cross formats and genres. Adele had a song that was played in six different formats. The music industry is really aiming for more of this. Ever since the recording industry was bought by international conglomerates in the 1980s, we've seen more cross-format and cross-genre music. The music industry doesn't strictly market its music for US radio formats the way it once did. This is more of a music thing than a radio thing.
The "recently played" lists on station websites are usually tied to the local hard drives at the station. If a song originates from a different drive or location, it may not show up on the recently played list. They're not accurate. The best way to check what's played on a radio station is through a Mediabase account, which requires a subscription. That's how the record labels track airplay.
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Thanks for this interesting reply. Just to be clear, I'm not talking about different stations playing the same song in the format, generally. I'm talking about two stations playing the exact same song simultaneously as happened here. In this case, playing this song at 2:00 p.m. today.All the time. Radio stations have no exclusivity to the music they play. It's very common for music to cross formats and genres. Adele had a song that was played in six different formats. The music industry is really aiming for more of this. Ever since the recording industry was bought by international conglomerates in the 1980s, we've seen more cross-format and cross-genre music. The music industry doesn't strictly market its music for US radio formats the way it once did. This is more of a music thing than a radio thing.
The "recently played" lists on station websites are usually tied to the local hard drives at the station. If a song originates from a different drive or location, it may not show up on the recently played list. They're not accurate. The best way to check what's played on a radio station is through a Mediabase account, which requires a subscription. That's how the record labels track airplay.
I'm not talking about different stations playing the same song in the format, generally. I'm talking about two stations playing the exact same song simultaneously as happened here. In this case, playing this song at 2:00 p.m. today.
Do you know if they were the same versions? There are four versions of Thriller. Classic Hits stations usually play the 4 minute single version, while adult hits play the longer album version. Thriller and Beat It were rare MJ songs that received airplay on rock stations. It's possible that WMMS played it.
All the time. Radio stations have no exclusivity to the music they play. It's very common for music to cross formats and genres. Adele had a song that was played in six different formats. The music industry is really aiming for more of this.
You bet they're aiming for more of this. The more formats it crosses into [rock, pop, AC, CHR, country, etc.], the more ears listening which means more sales/streams which means more money for the record [more accurately, music company] and maybe a few more pennies for the songwriter/recording artists.
You bet they're aiming for more of this. The more formats it crosses into [rock, pop, AC, CHR, country, etc.], the more ears listening which means more sales/streams which means more money for the record [more accurately, music company] and maybe a few more pennies for the songwriter/recording artists.
They sounded exactly the same. Whether one was a longer version, I don't know, but that doesn't change the fact that both stations were playing the same song, same mix, simultaneously.Do you know if they were the same versions? There are four versions of Thriller. Classic Hits stations usually play the 4 minute single version, while adult hits play the longer album version. Thriller and Beat It were rare MJ songs that received airplay on rock stations. It's possible that WMMS played it.
Yes, WMMS played some selected Michael Jackson, especially "Beat It" (guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen), "State of Shock" (featuring Mick Jagger) and "Say Say Say" (featuring Paul McCartney).They sounded exactly the same. Whether one was a longer version, I don't know, but that doesn't change the fact that both stations were playing the same song, same mix, simultaneously.
Correct. However, would they play them as Gold tracks today?Yes, WMMS played some selected Michael Jackson, especially "Beat It" (guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen), "State of Shock" (featuring Mick Jagger) and "Say Say Say" (featuring Paul McCartney).
Correct. However, would they play them as Gold tracks today?
I went through 30 years of playlists at WMMS, over 10,000 songs, and found a total of 6 Michael Jackson songs:
Thriller was played twice: in 2006 and 2007.
The rest were played once:
Smooth Criminal: 2018
Beat It: 2020
Wanna Be Startin' Something: 2025 (last week)
Another Day: 2010
Man In The Mirror 2009
The Mediabase list doesn't track airplay of songs before 1993.
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