Music Playlists (Primarily Rock 103 and 98.1 The Max)

[waxonwaxoff]

I have a question for someone out there. It has always amazed me that stations like Rock 103 and now an even worse offender, 98.1 the Max has such a limited playlist. To me, and I am not trying to be overly critical but what is the real reason behind such limited playlist. One reason why I didn't listen to either one of those stations that often anymore is the playlist. I have always heard radio stations play songs that test well, yet I have yet to meet a single person who doesn't complain about the repetition of songs. I have never understood why a genre as big as classic rock only plays the same twenty or thirty artists and one hundred songs. The Max, on the other hand, I can't figure out. They claim not to be a classic rock station yet they play Led Zeppelin, Def Leppard, etc. along with newer rock. However, they refuse to play something like Deep Purple, yet they will play a couple of tracks by Ted Nugent (who is definitely a classic rock staple). I guess I don't get the rhyme or reason. I have no problem with a station that mixes classic rock with newer bands, but why is it so limited?

In regards to the Max, you can almost predict the playlist every day and Rock 103 a few years ago became just as bad. I am not trying to criticize any member of staff at those stations, but personally it gets frustrating to turn on those stations hoping to hear something that rocks and it is the same old, same old everyday. You mean to tell me if Rock 103 was to play something like "Highway Star" or "Perfect Strangers" instead of "Smoke on the Water" that people would change the channel? My argument is an expanded playlist would actually add listeners. With all due respect, it is not like radio auidences are increasing, they are decreasing because of I-Pod's and satellite radio. You would think radio stations would attempt to get more creative. Your thoughts? If I am wrong, please tell me.

 

[Radioguy914]

Wax-

With all due respect, your premise is faulty. Radio is just about the only medium that as maintained or grown its audience over the last ten years. Check out some of the research at RAB.com, and you'll see that on the whole, radio stays steady, while other media...broadcast tv, cable, and to some extent, satellite tv, have all lost out to the internet. In this market, the audience in the prime demo for 98.1, Men 25-54, has actually doubled from November '10 to October '11 in prime time. As for the repetition of the music, it may well be that you are in a minority. I hear new music on 98.1 often....just heard the new Van Halen yesterday...as well as Foo Fighters, Chickenfoot, and a number of "new" cuts that fit the format. They are doing something right, as the ratings show. Most 'deep cut' stations across the nation have not fared well with the People Meter audience measurements....it's just not something that a majority of people want to hear. And after all, isn't a radio station supposed to deliver a sound that has the greatest appeal to it's target demo?

 

[snazzyjazzy]

"Burn" is my favorite Deep Purple song. I haven't heard it on terrestrial radio in years. I got SiriusXM because it isn't as repetitious as terrestrial radio. Though, the playlists on SiriusXM could be expanded some. Terrestrial radio stations play what's hot and tried and true to get the audience. That pulls in the listeners and the advertising dollars. I, personally, have fallen out of love with terri radio.

 

[firepoint525]

In regards to the Max, you can almost predict the playlist every day and Rock 103 a few years ago became just as bad. I am not trying to criticize any member of staff at those stations, but personally it gets frustrating to turn on those stations hoping to hear something that rocks and it is the same old, same old everyday. You mean to tell me if Rock 103 was to play something like "Highway Star" or "Perfect Strangers" instead of "Smoke on the Water" that people would change the channel? My argument is an expanded playlist would actually add listeners. With all due respect, it is not like radio auidences are increasing, they are decreasing because of I-Pod's and satellite radio. You would think radio stations would attempt to get more creative. Your thoughts? If I am wrong, please tell me.

One of my biggest pet peeves about radio is that they can't play certain songs for fear that listeners will tune out. While that may be true, radio continually does other things that irritate and alienate listeners, but yet no one ever complains about these, or at least do not complain loudly enough. Some of these include, but are not limited to, the following:

Boneheaded morning shows that are FAR more talk (or maybe ALL talk!) than music.
Commercial breaks that are, in some cases, longer than many of the songs that they play!
Sports broadcasts on supposedly "music" stations. Yeah, I know that they bring in money for the station, they are highly profitable and all that, and they pay the bills. But if I hear college football on a Saturday afternoon in the fall, I know that it will be six hours (counting all the pre- and post-game shows) before they get back to the music.

Yet these stations are more worried about losing me for six minutes (because they might play a song that I might not be familiar with) than they are about losing me for six HOURS over football? Gimme a break!

 

[waxonwaxoff]

Interesting stuff. I may be totally offbase here but based on the ratings I have seen and other things I have read radio auidences are not increasing. On the other hand one of the postes claims they have read things that state otherwise. All I know is the ratings share isn't what it used to be (no disrespect intended)

In regards to the other things posted, maybe I am in the minority then and the majority of my friends must be as well because as I have stated the small playlist is always their source of criticism. I know it has largely ran me off and could name several other people it has as well.

Very interesting thoughts by another poster. I would agree that many of the morning shows are basically talk shows with a few songs thrown in. Personally if I am in the mood for talk I will go to a newstalk station, otherwise I prefer to hear music but that's just me. It would be nice to have a few options of just straight music to listen to though.

Your comment on sporting events is very valid. I must confess that I am not a college football fan, I prefer the NFL but I think what you say is true. Many stations do carry an SEC game and that takes several hours. I used to think that when stations in this area carried the St.Louis Cardinals. With baseball it was even worse because they play a lot more games. I used to hate it when my favorite stations had them on every night. My thing is with four sports stations in Memphis let them carry all the games and if the Titans are playing I will tune in.

 

[Radioguy914]

I can only go by what the only real audience measurement company says, and it shows radio as increasing in audience, while other media are shrinking. Go here for the details:
http://www.researchticker.com/index...in-radio-listening-across-demographic-groups/

 

[AlbumOldies]

I don't think I've heard "Burn" on commercial radio since FM100 played it when the album first came out.

"Burn" is my favorite Deep Purple song. I haven't heard it on terrestrial radio in years. I got SiriusXM because it isn't as repetitious as terrestrial radio. Though, the playlists on SiriusXM could be expanded some. Terrestrial radio stations play what's hot and tried and true to get the audience. That pulls in the listeners and the advertising dollars. I, personally, have fallen out of love with terri radio.