I don't think the covers idea, whether live, local or canned would work. The 1950s was the last decade where you would consistently see multiple versions of a tune on "The Hit Parade". The young Rock audience gravitated towards the one "original" or "hit" version. People who want to hear "Rude Boy" want to hear the hit version by Rhianna. Somebody else doing it won't cut it even when they 'bust-a-gut' to sound like Rhianna. In the mid 1990s there were two versions of "The Macarena" out. Only one mattered. In 1957, three versions of Bill Justis' "Raunchy" were released as singles. They all made the Billboard Magazine Top 10. Since the 1960s today young people consider a hit song to be that artists song. It needs some years before a remake might be successful.
As for radio drama's, the genie can't be put back in the bottle. People want pictures with their drama, ever since TV had a major hand in deep-sixing the radio drama in the first place. I can even say that people need pictures because this is such a visually oriented society today. Think about silent vs sound films. I've found it sometimes hard to follow some silent films and I blame that on me being so used to/relying on sound to help things along. Conversely, asking people in 2010 to develop their own mental pictures of what is going on to follow a radio drama may be more "work" then many will want to put into it, not because it can't be done, but since nobody's had to do it, they have had no reason to develop that skill. It won't come natural in 2010. You really have to WATCH and FOCUS on a silent film and read the text to understand it. You really have to FOCUS on and LISTEN CLOSELY to a radio drama. With a TV show, thanks to the combination of sound and picture, you can still talk on the cell phone, or multi-task on the internet and still generally follow what's going on.
On another subject, the things an Ipod can't do include turning you on to new music, being a companion for lonely listeners, or giving you a chance to be a winner of prizes like hot tickets, so, there is room for radio in those areas.
As for radio drama's, the genie can't be put back in the bottle. People want pictures with their drama, ever since TV had a major hand in deep-sixing the radio drama in the first place. I can even say that people need pictures because this is such a visually oriented society today. Think about silent vs sound films. I've found it sometimes hard to follow some silent films and I blame that on me being so used to/relying on sound to help things along. Conversely, asking people in 2010 to develop their own mental pictures of what is going on to follow a radio drama may be more "work" then many will want to put into it, not because it can't be done, but since nobody's had to do it, they have had no reason to develop that skill. It won't come natural in 2010. You really have to WATCH and FOCUS on a silent film and read the text to understand it. You really have to FOCUS on and LISTEN CLOSELY to a radio drama. With a TV show, thanks to the combination of sound and picture, you can still talk on the cell phone, or multi-task on the internet and still generally follow what's going on.
On another subject, the things an Ipod can't do include turning you on to new music, being a companion for lonely listeners, or giving you a chance to be a winner of prizes like hot tickets, so, there is room for radio in those areas.