Songs that sound better pitched up

[nd2023]

I'm a big fan of CHR stations pitching up the music. I noticed that Rihanna - Only Girl In The World sounds much better (to me) when it's played on a station that pitches up the music. Which songs sound better pitched up?

 

[J. Rob]

"Breakeven" immediately comes to mind

Pretty much all of Lady Gaga's songs sound better pitched up

 

[atlantaboy]

Firework by Katy Perry (our HAC pitches it up, and our CHR doesn't)

 

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

Atlantaboy... are you in ATL?? I didn't think Star pitched.

 

[lovejamminoldies]

Atlantaboy... are you in ATL?? I didn't think Star pitched.

Haha. Well they also have WiLD now too.

 

[atlantaboy]

Atlantaboy... are you in ATL?? I didn't think Star pitched.

Yeah they definitely do - if you listen to songs on Star 94 vs. Q100, BIG difference (weird lol how the Hot AC is more fast-paced than the CHR here)

 

[Adam Rivers]

Every single song.

 

[atlantaboy]

Every single song.

Pretty much agree with this lol

Back when I lived there, Kiss 95.1/Charlotte used to pitch up pop/rock songs like Vertical Horizon/Everything You Want, Snow Patrol/Chasing Cars, and Augustana/Boston, and when I hear those songs now regular speed they really drag IMO

Same with The Script/The Man Who Can't Be Moved, after hearing Star 94 pitch it up

 

[the golden boy]

All songs for that matter ;D. What comes to mind right off are Daughtry songs.

 

[whit979]

I'm gonna say none. But then again, I'm a purist.

 

[bchristi]

Michael Jackson ft Akon - Hold My Hand. I don't know why but I like it better pitched.

 

[atlantaboy]

Little Lion Man sounds REALLY good pitched up (I think Star 94 pitches it even more than most of their other songs)

 

[RadiologyTeacher]

I'm gonna say none. But then again, I'm a purist.

You're not only a purist... you're simply right.
People love a good song because it's a good song. For a station's PD, MD or wannabe to push up their eye glasses to their head and decide to play "song producer" is just stupid and kinda needy.

I can think of a few stations near the major market that feel desperate to do that because they have no other way to "try" and compete with the mighty.
In my opinion, every song that I've heard pitched up, ESPECIALLY any Rihanna, Gaga, Usher and I can't believe I'm saying this one..but The Script... sounds ridiculous and noticeably different. They shouldn't sound so high pitched... they should sound exactly how intended when they were selected to be "HITS." Props to the confident stations who simply roll out the hits!!!

 

[xyz]

I'm gonna say none. But then again, I'm a purist.

You're not only a purist... you're simply right.
People love a good song because it's a good song. For a station's PD, MD or wannabe to push up their eye glasses to their head and decide to play "song producer" is just stupid and kinda needy.

I can think of a few stations near the major market that feel desperate to do that because they have no other way to "try" and compete with the mighty.
In my opinion, every song that I've heard pitched up, ESPECIALLY any Rihanna, Gaga, Usher and I can't believe I'm saying this one..but The Script... sounds ridiculous and noticeably different. They shouldn't sound so high pitched... they should sound exactly how intended when they were selected to be "HITS." Props to the confident stations who simply roll out the hits!!!

 

[xyz]

AMEN!

 

[MattHollidaye OnAir]

I'm gonna say none. But then again, I'm a purist.

You're not only a purist... you're simply right.
People love a good song because it's a good song. For a station's PD, MD or wannabe to push up their eye glasses to their head and decide to play "song producer" is just stupid and kinda needy.

I can think of a few stations near the major market that feel desperate to do that because they have no other way to "try" and compete with the mighty.
In my opinion, every song that I've heard pitched up, ESPECIALLY any Rihanna, Gaga, Usher and I can't believe I'm saying this one..but The Script... sounds ridiculous and noticeably different. They shouldn't sound so high pitched... they should sound exactly how intended when they were selected to be "HITS." Props to the confident stations who simply roll out the hits!!!

I couldn't agree with you more.

 

[Primitive]

I'm gonna say none. But then again, I'm a purist.

You're not only a purist... you're simply right.
People love a good song because it's a good song. For a station's PD, MD or wannabe to push up their eye glasses to their head and decide to play "song producer" is just stupid and kinda needy.

I can think of a few stations near the major market that feel desperate to do that because they have no other way to "try" and compete with the mighty.
In my opinion, every song that I've heard pitched up, ESPECIALLY any Rihanna, Gaga, Usher and I can't believe I'm saying this one..but The Script... sounds ridiculous and noticeably different. They shouldn't sound so high pitched... they should sound exactly how intended when they were selected to be "HITS." Props to the confident stations who simply roll out the hits!!!

I couldn't agree with you more.

Thank you!! The best producers in the world don't know what they're doing, but some PD who decides to make his station "sound fast" does?

 

[MattHollidaye OnAir]

Those stations that pitch up songs because their ratings suck hardcore ass is the exact reason why people are switching to either iPods or SIRIUS XM Radio.....because WE DON'T WANNA HEAR ANYTHING PITCHED UP BECAUSE YOU (the PD) WANT BETTER RATINGS!!

If I learned anything doing College Radio while in Muncie, IN it's this; your ratings will not change because you speed a song up. Which is why I refuse to listen to certain stations here in Detroit (that, AND because most of the stations play the same 10-15 songs over and over again for no logical reason); the artists who spend time recording, writing, and mastering a song DIDN'T GIVE IT TO YOU TO ALTER IT TO YOUR LIKING!!! Just man up and play the song the way it was intended to be......or just continue to pretend you're the "song producer" and continue to lose ratings.

I personally think that people would hate me if I was ever a Programming Director.....because the second anybody even mentions speeding up the songs for whatever reason is the second they receive their walking papers with no hesitation. But that's just me.......

 

[atlantaboy]

I seriously doubt people would make a decision to listen to a station based on whether or not they pitch songs - in some markets, the CHR that pitches songs is winning in ratings, in some markets the CHR that pitches songs is losing in ratings - I really don't see a pattern to it

I do think it helps Hot ACs which are competing against CHRs, though

 

[Tom Wells]

It's always wrong, and it's always more appealing superficially....
It's GLARE and it's wrong in principle....
To musicians and producers it is anathema.
To people who have perfect pitch it is absolutely mind wrenching!