PHILLIP PHILLIPS ON KROQ??

[justpassingthough]

I heard "Home" by Phillip Phillips on KROQ yesterday around 3:30. I didn't realize it but apparently several alt stations are playing this and it debuted at #40 on this week's chart.

I think the song sounds appropriate for Alternative, but its already at #11 at CHR and climbing. This reverse charting seems odd.

 

[awp69]

I heard "Home" by Phillip Phillips on KROQ yesterday around 3:30. I didn't realize it but apparently several alt stations are playing this and it debuted at #40 on this week's chart.

I think the song sounds appropriate for Alternative, but its already at #11 at CHR and climbing. This reverse charting seems odd.

I'm not surprised. Actually, I was surprised when I heard it on CHR and hadn't heard it on Alternative since it's very much in line with some of the folksier stuff like Mumford & Sons. But it is rather strange to see that reverse crossover.

 

[justpassingthough]

I haven't heard any of his other songs and I don't watch American Idol, so I don't know if he is an alternative artist, or if this song is just appropriate for the format. However, no one can complain about the burn out factor since this song got a jump start on CHR and is just now finding its way to alternative.

KROQ is only the second station I've heard it on in LA. I heard it on KBIG a few weeks ago, but I have yet to hear it on KIIS or KAMP, even though its already #11 at CHR.

 

[awp69]

KROQ is only the second station I've heard it on in LA. I heard it on KBIG a few weeks ago, but I have yet to hear it on KIIS or KAMP, even though its already #11 at CHR.

They've been playing it big time on WFBC in Greenville, SC -- probably for about a month. So, at least in our area, it is beginning to wear out its welcome. Don't mind the song myself though. Our alternative, X98.5, has not played it to my knowledge.

 

[bluestar4]

I heard "Home" by Phillip Phillips on KROQ yesterday around 3:30. I didn't realize it but apparently several alt stations are playing this and it debuted at #40 on this week's chart.

I think the song sounds appropriate for Alternative, but its already at #11 at CHR and climbing. This reverse charting seems odd.

The reverse charting is disturbing. Taking a song from Pop is no way "Alternative". The song's not even that great to begin with.

 

[bluestar4]

KROQ seems to have dropped this. Good. Hopefully the rest of the "alternative" stations follow suit.

 

[carolinaradio]

I really don't like how close Alternative is getting to CHR. I did always think, though, that this song could have had potential on Alt. I agree that it's in a similar vein to M&S.

 

[Saladressing]

Good thing for stations like WHFS who haven't forgotten that alternative rock contains two words, one of them being rock.

 

[awp69]

I really don't like how close Alternative is getting to CHR.  I did always think, though, that this song could have had potential on Alt.  I agree that it's in a similar vein to M&S.

Mentioned this in another thread, but I still think it's really the other way around. I don't think groups like Fun., Gotye, Grouplove and the Lumineers that are having big CHR success now would have been played on CHR stations if they didn't first hit alternative. It's only after they began to become big on alternative that CHR caught on and they just happened to be hits.

Songs by these groups, along with things like Phillip Phillips and Mumford & Sons, maybe lighter on the rock spectrum, but they're still not pure pop in my eyes. I think in the case of Phillip Phillips, record companies must have just pushed it to CHR first based on the track record of the other groups mentioned.

To me, Alternative should include the entire spectrum of rock from soft to hard as well as any eclectic song that just doesn't fit into any format. Alternative isn't and shouldn't be all harder, guitar-driven rock.

This is no different than during the grunge era when Nirvana and Pearl Jam hit it big and CHR played them too. There's always going to be crossover from Alternative to CHR (after all they claim to play "all" the hits). But this is a rare exception to see it cross the other way. You'll never hear real pop like Katy Perry on Alternative. LOL.

 

[atlantaboy]

Alternative is starving for hit songs right now - I'm pretty sure that's why a handful of stations are playing "Home"

 

[awp69]

Alternative is starving for hit songs right now - I'm pretty sure that's why a handful of stations are playing "Home"

Really? I think Alternative is doing quite well right now. While some may call it the softening of "alternative", I see it as the format finally having enough to play without having to fill in their playlists with active rock that isn't alternative. Again, there is some hard rock that's alternative, but most active rock is not alternative.

Anyway, I'm enjoying the resurgence of alternative in playing bands like Of Monsters & Men and Churchill that probably would have never seen the light of day on American shores if it wasn't for alt stations taking a chance on them.

 

[chrocket87]

This is no different than during the grunge era when Nirvana and Pearl Jam hit it big and CHR played them too. There's always going to be crossover from Alternative to CHR (after all they claim to play "all" the hits). But this is a rare exception to see it cross the other way. You'll never hear real pop like Katy Perry on Alternative. LOL.

Weird enough, "I Kissed A Girl" actually charted on the Alternative chart around the same time it charted on CHR.

 

[bluestar4]

This is no different than during the grunge era when Nirvana and Pearl Jam hit it big and CHR played them too. There's always going to be crossover from Alternative to CHR (after all they claim to play "all" the hits). But this is a rare exception to see it cross the other way. You'll never hear real pop like Katy Perry on Alternative. LOL.

Weird enough, "I Kissed A Girl" actually charted on the Alternative chart around the same time it charted on CHR.

Yeah, but back then Katy Perry wasn't well known so it makes a bit more sense. That and "I Kissed A Girl" has a rock mix that I bet was played. It would be different if alternative played "Waking Up In Vegas" after CHR had played the crap out of her past three singles.

 

[carolinaradio]

Mentioned this in another thread, but I still think it's really the other way around. I don't think groups like Fun., Gotye, Grouplove and the Lumineers that are having big CHR success now would have been played on CHR stations if they didn't first hit alternative. It's only after they began to become big on alternative that CHR caught on and they just happened to be hits.

Songs by these groups, along with things like Phillip Phillips and Mumford & Sons, maybe lighter on the rock spectrum, but they're still not pure pop in my eyes. I think in the case of Phillip Phillips, record companies must have just pushed it to CHR first based on the track record of the other groups mentioned.

To me, Alternative should include the entire spectrum of rock from soft to hard as well as any eclectic song that just doesn't fit into any format. Alternative isn't and shouldn't be all harder, guitar-driven rock.

This is no different than during the grunge era when Nirvana and Pearl Jam hit it big and CHR played them too. There's always going to be crossover from Alternative to CHR (after all they claim to play "all" the hits). But this is a rare exception to see it cross the other way. You'll never hear real pop like Katy Perry on Alternative. LOL.

Well, one reason I think Phillip Phillips went to CHR first was because he won American Idol. Had he not had that promotion, I think "Home" on Alternative then going to CHR would have been more plausible - but then again, it's more than likely we would never know who he was were it not for 'Idol.'

I have no problem with "Home" on Alternative - as I've said, I think the sound fits well with where the format currently is - but I just don't like the idea of the format borrowing tracks from CHR, especially after they've been on that chart for a while and have received substantial airplay. "Home" has been a rather slow climber on CHR.

 

[atlantaboy]

Alternative is starving for hit songs right now - I'm pretty sure that's why a handful of stations are playing "Home"

Really? I think Alternative is doing quite well right now.

Only 7 songs in the the entire Alternative Top 50 have a bullet of more than +50 (It's been this way for the past couple months) - And of the 26 bulleted tracks on the Alternative chart, only 5 are anywhere in the ITunes Top 200 (2 of them being Phillip Phillipps and Macklemore)

So stations only playing "straight Alternative" are looking at a Top 50 in which only 3 of all the bulleted tracks are selling anywhere in the ITunes Top 200

Regardless of personal taste, IMO there factually aren't a lot of "hits" climbing the Alternative chart right now

 

[justpassingthough]

Alternative is starving for hit songs right now - I'm pretty sure that's why a handful of stations are playing "Home"

Really? I think Alternative is doing quite well right now.

Only 7 songs in the the entire Alternative Top 50 have a bullet of more than +50 (It's been this way for the past couple months) - And of the 26 bulleted tracks on the Alternative chart, only 5 are anywhere in the ITunes Top 200 (2 of them being Phillip Phillipps and Macklemore)

So stations only playing "straight Alternative" are looking at a Top 50 in which only 3 of all the bulleted tracks are selling anywhere in the ITunes Top 200

Regardless of personal taste, IMO there factually aren't a lot of "hits" climbing the Alternative chart right now

Interesting stats, especially considering that both Macklemore and PP are in the top 10 on iTunes and charted at CHR at or before alternative. Plus, we are arguing if either song really belongs at alternative. If you drop those two songs, you aren't left with a lot of straight forward alternative hits.

Living in LA, I know there are still a ton of alternative bands trying to "make it big", but you have to wonder whether 15 or 20 years of dominance by hip hop, pop and now EDM amongst the younger audiences has resulted in a lack of hit makers and hit records at formats like alternative.

 

[atlantaboy]

^I'm almost sure this lull is only temporary, since I think there are going to be a lot of new bands trying to emulate the Lumineers, Fun, Imagine Dragons, etc., plus eventually, along with Foster The People, Gotye, etc., bands will put out sophomore albums

 

[awp69]

Alternative is starving for hit songs right now - I'm pretty sure that's why a handful of stations are playing "Home"

Really? I think Alternative is doing quite well right now.

Only 7 songs in the the entire Alternative Top 50 have a bullet of more than +50 (It's been this way for the past couple months) - And of the 26 bulleted tracks on the Alternative chart, only 5 are anywhere in the ITunes Top 200 (2 of them being Phillip Phillipps and Macklemore)

So stations only playing "straight Alternative" are looking at a Top 50 in which only 3 of all the bulleted tracks are selling anywhere in the ITunes Top 200

Regardless of personal taste, IMO there factually aren't a lot of "hits" climbing the Alternative chart right now

I guess I wasn't really referring as much to "hits" as much as I was the fact that Alternative charts are at least not as populated by bands that I normally wouldn't consider Alternative (ie., the Active Rock that probably comprised at least half of even "pure" Alternative stations for the last few years prior to 2012). I get where you're coming from as far as sales are concerned. I was focusing more on the fact that there's actually a decent amount of material out there that alt stations don't have to fill out their playlists with artists from the active rock side.

 

[atlantaboy]

Alternative is starving for hit songs right now - I'm pretty sure that's why a handful of stations are playing "Home"

Really? I think Alternative is doing quite well right now.

Only 7 songs in the the entire Alternative Top 50 have a bullet of more than +50 (It's been this way for the past couple months) - And of the 26 bulleted tracks on the Alternative chart, only 5 are anywhere in the ITunes Top 200 (2 of them being Phillip Phillipps and Macklemore)

So stations only playing "straight Alternative" are looking at a Top 50 in which only 3 of all the bulleted tracks are selling anywhere in the ITunes Top 200

Regardless of personal taste, IMO there factually aren't a lot of "hits" climbing the Alternative chart right now

I guess I wasn't really referring as much to "hits" as much as I was the fact that Alternative charts are at least not as populated by bands that I normally wouldn't consider Alternative (ie., the Active Rock that probably comprised at least half of even "pure" Alternative stations for the last few years prior to 2012). I get where you're coming from as far as sales are concerned. I was focusing more on the fact that there's actually a decent amount of material out there that alt stations don't have to fill out their playlists with artists from the active rock side.

I agree with that - but right now I think Alternative stations are being forced to make "hits" out of songs that's aren't (i. e. "Trojans" by Atlas Genius, which is mysteriously becoming a huge "hit" on the Alt. chart despite the fact that no one is downloading it), as well as stretching the format to include songs that, under normal circumstances, would be considered out of format

Again though, I love the fact that Alternative is staying separate from Active Rock, and I think that in another few months the Alt. chart will become more competitive again