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The Boney Finger Of Blame...

S

Scooter Lesley

Guest
In addition to my stint in both Radio & TV, I am also a Music Historian, and a Record Collector. The latter is one of my three main hobbies, and enjoy it immensely! Today, many artists are forming their own record labels, and merely signing Promo, and Distribution deals. To the major labels,...Sorry, but we will make the money now! There is a massive amount of material that gets little or no airplay, but who is to blame? Many Rock publications have named "Kimball-Jameson" as the Best Rock album of 2012. It is an amazing vocal battle between TOTO's Bobby Kimball, and SURVIVOR's Jimi Jameson. Also, from last year, HEART with "Fanatic", KISS with "Monster", JACKYL with "Best In Show", Rick Springfield, and many others...releasing new product, and none of it heard here in the GSP market. OK,...who's fault is it? In which direction should we point...
THE BONEY FINGER OF BLAME!
 
Scooter Lesley said:
OK,...who's fault is it? In which direction should we point...THE BONEY FINGER OF BLAME!
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It's not radio's job to make millionaires richer. Aging rockers from the 1970s got endless airplay back then because they were the hot new thing. Now, it's someone else's turn. Back when Kiss and Toto were starting out, it was the job of major label promotion people to get radio people to hear the music and see the show. There was no limit to the money spent. Now that those same musicians own their own labels, how much money do they spend on radio promotion? None. People can't buy what they don't hear, and it's in the best interest of those artists to get their music in front of the public. They haven't learned from their own esperience. They think they're brilliant geniuses, but it was label money (and other things) in the 70s that greased the machine. They're now celebrities with famous names. They live in huge mansions. They can afford to spend a few bucks on radio. But they don't. Blame the greedy artists who are only interesting in what they can get.
 
Don't agree with that answer at all. If the music is good it should be played. Old artist or new.

If the successful stars of the past were smart enough to take care of their money and don't need to kiss the rings of the major labels, they should be punished? I don't buy that at all.
 
Dan Scott said:
Don't agree with that answer at all. If the music is good it should be played. Old artist or new.
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Who decides what's good and what's bad?

Dan Scott said:
If the successful stars of the past were smart enough to take care of their money and don't need to kiss the rings of the major labels, they should be punished? I don't buy that at all.
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No, I'm not saying that at all. They have the money to promote their own music. But they choose not to spend it. A tree falling in an empty forest is heard by no one. If you want to get heard, you have to promote your music. That's what people did in the 70s, and they have to do it now.
 
One of the things that may come to light with this is the fact that radio is still the standard by which most things in music are judged. By that I mean yes a lot of people are brain washed today into believing that they don't need radio they got internet, ipods, smart phones, ect... But the problem with that is the simple fact is if no one knows to look for you or your music and you don't have a collective way to put that word out then you got a well kept secret even if you don't want one. The way to over come the problem is radio, like it or not radio is still the standard, some people are loosing sight of that and this is what they get or should I say what they don't get.
 
Gatekeeper007 said:
One of the things that may come to light with this is the fact that radio is still the standard by which most things in music are judged. By that I mean yes a lot of people are brain washed today into believing that they don't need radio they got internet, ipods, smart phones, ect... But the problem with that is the simple fact is if no one knows to look for you or your music and you don't have a collective way to put that word out then you got a well kept secret even if you don't want one. The way to over come the problem is radio, like it or not radio is still the standard, some people are loosing sight of that and this is what they get or should I say what they don't get.
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I understand that people still listen to radio for music but "radio is the standard by which most things in music are judged?" Boy, I question that. It appears to me that many in radio have not come to grips with the medium's diminished influence. Radio is still a useful way to introduce new music but it's no longer the only way or even the best way. If someone thinks new music can't be introduced without radio, my thought is that person does not understand how people are using social media.
 
They did some on radio. I know they were getting a lot of pub on SiriusXM.

And I agree with the previous poster...this ain't the 1970s in the radio industry either. With satellite radio, Pandora, and many other avenues for the consumer to get what they want, what is the industry doing to keep up? Kiss most likely made millions on Monster, with or without radio's help.

Saddens me, because I love the industry. Can't get it out of my blood. But what do I listen to? Mostly satellite, Pandora or iTunes. Most radio around here is unlistenable on multiple levels.
 
So, am I implying that Radio should get off its Ass, and play Rock & Roll, like Sat Radio duz! No, y'all know me. I would never imply or even state such,...unless I was either with someone or by myself.
 
Well, to be fair, this also happens to new artists that are even popular. Take Radiohead. They've put out new albums, but you'd be hard pressed to find any even "alternative" station playing them. Same with The Smashing Pumpkins. Both of these my have used different mediums -- like Internet downloadable albums only.

Either way, I'm sure there's people who like the older groups you mentioned or the newer ones, but the PD is calling the shots and ultimately -- and perhaps unfortunately -- it's their decision if they think it deserves airplay.

Radiohead has had hits from several albums, but is now pretty much relegated to getting only the more traditional "Creep" on most alternative stations. Why? Did those other alternative hits disappear?
 
awp69 said:
Either way, I'm sure there's people who like the older groups you mentioned or the newer ones, but the PD is calling the shots and ultimately -- and perhaps unfortunately -- it's their decision if they think it deserves airplay.
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The job of getting music played on the radio belongs to the record label. For over 65 years, they employed promotion people to work on the behalf of their music to get airplay. That sometimes led to problems, but the label is responsible. If not the label, then someone designated by the artist. Today, artist-owned labels also employ promotion people to get their music on the radio. Obviously, not all artists have the resources to employ such a staff, and not all artists care about getting airplay. They have their established fans, and they're satisfied reaching them. But the PD has lots of choices when it comes to picking music, and the artists have paid lobbyists who advocate their case. So it's up to them to make the case for airplay, and ensure the songs get played.
 
Yes there are many ways to get music out to the general public but many times the music that is downloaded only or ran on satellite skips a big majority of the general public still. I have checked over the last five years on the growth of social media and I agree it is growing in leaps and bounds but just about everyone that has been checked over the years were made aware of which ever songs was over the radio. Granted they may have downloaded it later, put it on their phone, saw it on TV, heard it on satellite radio, ect... But most of them tell us they heard it on regular radio first and that is how they heard the songs they like. Granted we have had a few that only listen to satellite radio or smart cell phones but they were few and far between the rest that listen to everything including off air radio. I have been checking this with great interest over the last 5 years since a lot of the information I read about social media never seems to totaly agree with it's self and I want to know who is listening and how they are doing it.
 
Certainly, a tipy post for yours truly. It contains all the innyrds: A few much appreciated enlightenments from various members of The Think Tank, (still yet) another failed comedy attempt by Freqdev, and several alleys of...pointless as a bowling ball...ramblings by The Big A! All & All, as I said "Tipy"...for me. I would like to address one acute Boobism, regarding local PD's. It's good to have a job title, and check, but "Closet Selector Monkey" you are. Local PD's do not dee-side doodlum swat, regarding adds, and rotations of the playlist. The Corp PD's, and/or Consultants might ask an opinion, but the final swing belongs to them. To me, most of them don't know their butt from a hole in the ground, and clearly...the end results, the ratings show that I'm Right,...as usual! At the start of this Topic, I asked why Rock stations, here in the GSP, are not all over "Monster" by KISS?? Now, I ask the same about some younger ones: Grace Potter, Halestorm, and Hunter Valentine??? Sammy Hagar has been fronting "Chicken Foot", now three albums deep, yet still no airplay!
However, if The Eagles released(again) something Awww-ful, the Radio world would stop, and a 2-hour on-air premere gala would be slated for this week end. "Vintage Trouble" has destroyed the Leno stage twice, yet no airplay! No,...I am not the only one that sees it all this way!
 
I like to consider myself on top of things when it comes to music, but, Scooter, you had me on Vintage Trouble. I looked them up on YouTube.

Mother of God.

That's some fine rock and soul, right there. Emphasis on the "rock". Wow.

Check out "Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears" if you haven't already.

/back to YouTube....
 
Wab,...as always, good hearing from you, and yes,...I too Love the cool sound of "Black Joe"! While I'm at it, let me mention Raphael Saadig, the living breathing ghost of David Ruffin. Also, on channel 40.2 you'll see color bars, and a listing of "Future Programming" on what was "The Cool TV"; kinda sorta what MTV began as. There was so much new Rock & Pop stuff on there...how could any PD ever have arrived at the Horse Manure ooozin' outta all these transmitters?
Sheeeeesh! The list of good, new product was/is lengthy.
*****************
PS: Ehhhh...Duck Season!
 
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