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MIKA

P

promixcuous

Gang,

Mika has been number one all over the world, and yet it's like he doesn't exist to American CHR. I don't understand what the hold up is. My kid (who loves CHR) loves his music, and we catch Mika on Sirius (especially Radio 1 out of the UK) and watch videos (like the outstanding one for Relax Take It Easy) on YouTube (which has had 1.7 million views).

So, who on the US programming side isn't doing their job?
 
I thought that over the summer, "Love Today" was picking up some airplay in the US. I heard it quite a bit on the Jersey Shore, I believe WAYV. Tho I've never heard Mika played on Z-100 NYC as of yet.

I listen to BBC Radio 1 quite a bit and there have been many great songs on their list that never or very seldomly got played here. Razorlight, Calvin Harris, Just Jack, Kaiser Chiefs just to name a few...

Also, I hear the new releases by some American bands on Radio 1, long before I hear them in the US. For example My Chemical Romance "Teenagers", the Killers "Bones"
 
I program a Hot AC... and Mika was a big smash with his first two singles... Grace Kelly and Love Today. Although both burned REALLY fast.

Either way.. it was great for a different sound in the playlist
 
I think that Mika is more of a Hot AC, AAA, College Radio kid of artist. Not to say he wouldn't be played on a CHR but I never got calls for him on my show. If the audience doesn't want it. I wont play it. Simple answer.
 
I love him, and he's been a giant hit with our crowd and that consists of teenagers all the way to 40 somethings. We went from Grace Kelly, to Love Today, and now "Happy Ending" is getting a fantastic response as well.

It breaks down to too many directors are too afraid to take a small chance, even when the rest of the world is saying something is brilliant.
 
It's because most stations don't have music directors that actually check out stations like Radio 1 or add things fresh off of hit disc. They're waiting for someone else to tell them to, or afraid to violate corporate dictate. Let's get some programmers enthusiastic and able to break some hits again. We need to bring the excitement back to contemporary music radio.
 
JimmyJames said:
It's because most stations don't have music directors that actually check out stations like Radio 1 or add things fresh off of hit disc. They're waiting for someone else to tell them to, or afraid to violate corporate dictate. Let's get some programmers enthusiastic and able to break some hits again. We need to bring the excitement back to contemporary music radio.
Click to expand...

We have that. It's called Sirius Hits 1. "Grace Kelly" should have been a Top 10 hit, as should "Music Is My Hot Hot Sex" by CSS.
 
Will said:
JimmyJames said:
It's because most stations don't have music directors that actually check out stations like Radio 1 or add things fresh off of hit disc. They're waiting for someone else to tell them to, or afraid to violate corporate dictate. Let's get some programmers enthusiastic and able to break some hits again. We need to bring the excitement back to contemporary music radio.
Click to expand...

We have that. It's called Sirius Hits 1. "Grace Kelly" should have been a Top 10 hit, as should "Music Is My Hot Hot Sex" by CSS.
Click to expand...

Music is my Hot Hot Sex suffered the same thing that Feist did on my station. People hated the iPod commercial, and in turn, hated the song. Neither made it to rotation on my station.

Ya gotta play what the people want!
 
Here is a more simple answer. If Mika's record company isnt spending the payola to get airplay in the U.S, you probably wont hear it. Another good U.K CHR artist that is out right now is Shayne Ward, with the overseas hit No U Hang Up. It could do well in the U.S, but the label probably wont spend the payola to get it spins over here.
 
The only song I really like from Mika is "Relax". All of his other songs annoy me. He gets played a lot on CHRs abroad and oftentimes when I hear one of his songs I'll flip it over to another station.
 
Well, now Mika has sold out the Orpheum in Boston, and gave simply a knock-dead entertaining performance...to the delight of thousands of upper middle class screaming girls. Yet, Kiss 108 completely missed the moment...no presence with a key demo their advertisers are interested in. There were cliques of Brookline HS students; the word has spread amongst that age group. CHR should clue in that Mika is catching on. I'm really not just trying to promote a favorite artist. A sell-out teenage crowd that's been floored is something CHR should take note of.
 
promixcuous said:
Well, now Mika has sold out the Orpheum in Boston, and gave simply a knock-dead entertaining performance...to the delight of thousands of upper middle class screaming girls. Yet, Kiss 108 completely missed the moment...no presence with a key demo their advertisers are interested in. There were cliques of Brookline HS students; the word has spread amongst that age group. CHR should clue in that Mika is catching on. I'm really not just trying to promote a favorite artist. A sell-out teenage crowd that's been floored is something CHR should take note of.
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MIKA's like playing a hard rock song on Top 40. Doesn't work.
 
Well, Mike, I've got to disagree with you as he must be OK for top 40 if he's hit #1 in so many places. Listen to "Relax, Take it Easy" and tell me that isn't a straight-forward pop-dance hit that leans adult.
 
doctor_radio said:
There's nothing wrong with hearing (and scheduling) Lupe Fiasco - Superstar cold segue into Phil Collins - Sussudio followed by Foxboro Hot Tubs - Mother Mary. It was just on the CHR in Marshall, MN today :)
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And that's why everyone that works at the "CHR" in Marshall, MN will be staying there for their entire careers..

Additionally, you can't get ratings if you're not focused. It's okay to play off the wall stuff sometimes, but a station has to focus to a certain audience or you're not gonna get ratings. That does not focus.

MIKA is not going to work on CHR. America is not the rest of the world. GET OVER IT.
 
One of the arguments I've heard about Mika not being played on CHR is that his stuff is more Hot AC.

Does Mix 98.5 in Boston play him?

I checked our Hot AC here (WPLJ) and they don't have Mika on their playlist either.

I think that "Relax, Take It Easy" would fit fine there...
 
And if you don't have testing at your disposal, give your listeners some credit. Take some chances, open the phones up and keep them interested. I know for a fact, programming a modern leaning "Hot AC" that the listeners loved it. Let's face it, when I was doing nights, people not listening to TV but calling me for artists ranging from Robbie Williams to the White Stripes to Straylight Run were definitely worth catering to. In smaller markets, you know you're doing something right when the callers are actually noticing you putting the effort into music programming and calling about those "buzz" artists. Doctor Radio is right on. Thats why when I'm in range of his station I actually turn off XM. Because I want to know "what comes next."

That feeling of excitement is gone from most stations. On most stations, I know that they're running the same rotations for three months and when they say "new music" - I've heard it somewhere else for at least a month.

My approach was simple. New releases from big names - instantly added - throw in the cool new tracks from TV and commercials - keep an eye on Fuse, VH1 when they play music. I even listen to the BBC Radio 1 UK Top 40 every week. Not every record works but if you can find one good new one a week to give some test spins to, you'll be on the edge and keep your sound fresh. This is the time when radio needs more of it.

I've been a popular morning and night jock in a market where most people ignored the radio. And that's due to in no small part, loving music as much as my audience did. What's sad is when even smaller market radio owners can't recognize the value in that position or let an advertiser scare them out of letting their PDs and MDs actually pick the hits.
 
I do enjoy VFX - they've got some good tracks in their playlist that I haven't heard on many stateside CHRs.

I'm aware of KCAJ as well. They've changed a bit - I believe they had some staff changes and are now more of a mainstream Hot AC with less new music.
 
promixcuous said:
Well, now Mika has sold out the Orpheum in Boston, and gave simply a knock-dead entertaining performance...to the delight of thousands of upper middle class screaming girls. Yet, Kiss 108 completely missed the moment...no presence with a key demo their advertisers are interested in. There were cliques of Brookline HS students; the word has spread amongst that age group. CHR should clue in that Mika is catching on. I'm really not just trying to promote a favorite artist. A sell-out teenage crowd that's been floored is something CHR should take note of.
Click to expand...

KISS 108 does NOT = teeagers from Brookline (or any Boston suburb, for that matter)!!! That station is an industry leading CHR that prides itself on 25 - 54 #'s.

And why does it matter if those teenage girls were UPPER MIDDLE CLASS, anyway??
 
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