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SHOULD STATIONS TAKE PUMPED UP KICKS OUT OF RECURRENT

I know I'm gonna get pummeled for saying this, but does it bother anyone else that Die Young happened to be the most popular song in the country just when this tragedy happened? I know it's probably just a coincidence, but there's also a chance that it's not, which might explain the urgency behind this being pulled

Again, most likely there's no correlation between the two events, but on the very slight chance that there might have been, I wonder if record labels are going to be increasingly careful about what they release to pop lyric-wise
 
atlantaboy said:
I know I'm gonna get pummeled for saying this, but does it bother anyone else that Die Young happened to be the most popular song in the country just when this tragedy happened? I know it's probably just a coincidence, but there's also a chance that it's not, which might explain the urgency behind this being pulled

Again, most likely there's no correlation between the two events, but on the very slight chance that there might have been, I wonder if record labels are going to be increasingly careful about what they release to pop lyric-wise
Click to expand...

Frankly, I'm surprised this song was even being pulled from radio stations, as the content has NOTHING to do with what transpired last week. The song doesn't have anything to do with violence, or any violent lyrics- its an expression of living life to its fullest. In my opinion, this isn't a bad message, considering all of the horrible things that can happen in this world. Sometimes its important to remember that we don't know what tomorrow holds for us, and unfortunately we live in a world where its possible to be killed by a mentally unbalanced mass murderer.

On the other hand, "Pumped Up Kicks" being directly related to what happened on Friday is definitely less appropriate for airplay right now.
 
atlantaboy said:
I know I'm gonna get pummeled for saying this, but does it bother anyone else that Die Young happened to be the most popular song in the country just when this tragedy happened? I know it's probably just a coincidence, but there's also a chance that it's not...
Click to expand...

Of course it was coincidence. First of all, the lyrics have literally zero to do with dying young. Secondly, with all respect, play that thought process all the way out. If what you're suggesting is possible, then it's equally possible that the #1 song on 9/11/01, "Hit 'Em Up Style," could be responsible for terrorists hitting buildings up with airplanes. I hope you'd agree that's silly, and so it is with this.

justpassingthough said:
Frankly, I'm surprised this song was even being pulled from radio stations, as the content has NOTHING to do with what transpired last week.
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You're right, of course, but remember that the most listeners consider only the hook: "like we're gonna die young." True, the rest of the lyrics don't correspond, but all people are hearing in their heads are the words "die young." It'll be a sensitive spot for a bit, even if it shouldn't be.
 
IMO, if you twist "Die Young" around, it actually can be connected to Friday's event positively - live like you're going to die young as life could end at any time...

Die Young had nothing to do with what happened. It's Ke$ha, for crying out loud. I think there was a huge overreaction to this song...
 
^One thing that's certain is that the Obama administration is going to investigate every possible causality which may have or may not have influenced this 20-year-old kid - that includes gun control, psychiatric evaluations, video games, the media, and most likely radio - and if stations are sitting there with a song called "Die Young" in power rotation, or sitting on top of the airplay chart, it's not going to look good to anybody
 
Carolinaradio, completely agreed on your last post as I do with the post 2 above yours. Just to be safe, I probably would have pulled it from all CHRs in the state of, or that reach parts of Connecticut, but not nationally as I probably would with Pumped Up Kicks. About the Band Perry track, was just thinking about the lyrics and they actually most likely speak exactly what the families of the victems are thinking right now.
 
Carolinaradio, I completely agree with your last post as I do with the post 2 above yours. If I were programming a CHR in the state of Connecticut or one that reaches part of the state, I would probably pull it, but not nationally like I probably would Pumped Up Kicks. About the Band Perry track, I would probably continue to play it. I was thinking about the lyrics earlier today and I think it expresses what the families of the victems are thinking right now. ATL, your last post seems a little drastic.
 
Yesterday, Ke$ha tweeted that she was sorry for the lyrics and was forced to sing them, but always disagreed with them. The tweet has since been deleted. She also express deep sorrow for the victims and their families (I'm paraphrasing here, of course).

I think it was best to offer an understanding that some people may be offended by the lyrics. I don't think she needed to go as far as to say that she was forced to sing them, though. Whether thats true or not, it takes away from the victims and the actual tragedy and refocuses the news on her song. She should have stopped with a simple expression of horror at the act and an understand as to why the song was pulled from many radio stations.
 
I would have to agree about "pumped up kicks," but my CHR (Cumulus) hasen't played it for a while now that I've heard. I never cared for the song myself even when it was big. "Die Young," on the other hand is a different story. I think if you take just the words "Die Young" out of context then yes at first you would think pull it, but after listening to the rest of the lyrics to the song you would think otherwise because they have nothing to do with what happened in this terrible tragedy. The problem is like Marconis said, most people only hear the hook of a song and not the rest of the lyrics. We don't listen to what people are saying anymore in this world that's the problem. Everything gets taken out of context these days.

I think Ke$ha said what she said in that tweet so she wouldn't get any personal flack over it. I don't think for one second that she ever questioned the lyrics of that song or was forced to sing them. I'm sure she was forced to delete that tweet though because she probably pissed some people from her label off.
 
marconis gallbladder said:
Of course it was coincidence. First of all, the lyrics have literally zero to do with dying young. Secondly, with all respect, play that thought process all the way out. If what you're suggesting is possible, then it's equally possible that the #1 song on 9/11/01, "Hit 'Em Up Style," could be responsible for terrorists hitting buildings up with airplanes. I hope you'd agree that's silly, and so it is with this.
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This brings back some memories. When 09/11 occured, I was working for 960 WELI. Around 7PM that night, sister station KC101 began easing back into music, they had been simulcasting a TV station I think. While there was no mandate to not play certain songs, then program director Danny Ocean, gave his staff permission to drop any song they felt uncomforable with for any reason.

Phrases like Die Young might be hard to take early on. I guess it's a judgement call and if I were a PD or the like, I might have second thoughts about having my air staff say Die Young on the air.
 
Man what a bunch of insensitive pricks on here. Nobody is censoring music here, idiots. It's all done out of compassion for the victims, be it 9/11 or the recent tragedies in CT. I'm sure your precious stations will start integrating those songs back in rotation. Remember that song that went "Let the bodies hit the floor?" That was pulled off the air around 9/11 but after time, rock stations began playing it again. It's a well known song. So much for your ill faded theory that removing a song out of respect does much damage to the artist. Well, that makes you an a-hole for believing in that theory, and not just because you show a lack of compassion for people .

Here's a fact you might not know: If a radio station stops playing a certain song, there's this magical place called the internet where you can either buy the song or stream it. Wow what a concept.
 
Interestingly, I don't think X-98.5 (Alternative) in Greenville ever took Pumped Up Kicks out of the playlist after the incident. Did many Alt. stations pull it?
 
carolinaradio said:
Interestingly, I don't think X-98.5 (Alternative) in Greenville ever took Pumped Up Kicks out of the playlist after the incident. Did many Alt. stations pull it?
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The Mediabase Alternative Recurrent Chart has Pumped Up Kicks getting 135 spins total this week, which is less than Helena Beat, and much less than Don't Stop (Color On The Walls) - so it seems like a significant number of stations have probably either pulled it or reduced plays

Can't tell for sure, though, cause it's too late to look back at recurrent play before the shooting occurred
 
atlantaboy said:
carolinaradio said:
Interestingly, I don't think X-98.5 (Alternative) in Greenville ever took Pumped Up Kicks out of the playlist after the incident. Did many Alt. stations pull it?
Click to expand...

The Mediabase Alternative Recurrent Chart has Pumped Up Kicks getting 135 spins total this week, which is less than Helena Beat, and much less than Don't Stop (Color On The Walls) - so it seems like a significant number of stations have probably either pulled it or reduced plays

Can't tell for sure, though, cause it's too late to look back at recurrent play before the shooting occurred
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'd definitely say they have - I notice that X-98.5's sister station, X-102.9 in Jacksonville, is still playing it as well - I guess Cox is letting individual stations use their own discernment with the song.
I'd think a CHR station might potentially take more heat for playing a song like "Pumped Up Kicks" from its audience than an Alternative station...
 
I just found the wikipedia page for this song.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumped_Up_Kicks

Now, first of all I deeply sympathise with the victims and survivors of this tragedy. Don't get me wrong. Also:I am not from the USA, so let me say I do not want to come across as insensitive.

The band has this to say about their lyrics: "The song is not about condoning violence at all. It's the complete opposite. The song is an amazing platform to have a conversation with your kids about something that shouldn't be ignored, to talk about it in a loving way."

Wouldn't this song make a GREAT talking point, on a CHR station? Not playing it seems like a very empathic move to me, and i would understand it completely. But there's a chance to do more and add some real conversation to CHR. It would (in my opinion) engage an audience and make popradio more that just a top 40 jukebox with interruptions every 20 minutes.

Maybe this seems over-idealistic, but music STILL moves and makes people think, even the hits, right?
 
Hmmm...I feel like nowhere in the song does he write about, or even imply, that parents should sit down and talk about this issue with their kids - it's just a straight narrative about the psyche of a teenage shooter - I believe him that he wants the song to have a positive impact, but I really don't think he thought about the impact until after stations started censoring it
 
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