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WSJ: Pop music falling flat

When your Country stations are playing Marshmello - Miles On It and A Bar Song, and Morgan Wallen releases songs with hip hop tracks instead of guitars, the line between pop and country is blurred more and more.

The country stations are also playing Cody Johnson, Carly Pearce, and Justin Moore. The Garth Brooks duet with Ronnie Dunn is very country. So is the new artist Zach Top. Country stations have learned to offer a wide variety of styles rather than a narrow niche. Music listening doesn't always follow neat radio formats. That may be why some formats do better than others.
 
Ironic timing on this article.

These two also came this week, talking about the strength of current pop music.

Catalog Hits Were Soaring on the Charts. Why Have They Fallen Off in 2024?


Last month, there was this:


On top of all of that press, much of it injected with opinion, the proof is in the pudding at radio. Multiple CHR's in PPM markets have had shares trending up so far in 2024, especially in the spring.
WHTZ. KDWB. KIIS. WKZL. KKRZ. KBFF. WDCG. WXKS. WLDI. KHKS. KBKS. KQMV. KUDD. WKST.

Quite frankly, this is the best CHR has been in over 4 years. Perhaps as far back as 2018.
A healthy pop music cycle is good for pop radio, which is good for radio as a whole. I, for one, am hoping to see it continue.
We can't read it.......Catalog Hits Were Soaring on the Charts. Why Have They Fallen Off in 2024?
 
In other words, Alt-Rock after 9/11 was humbled without any bangers.. and mashup samples ran the radio.
then slow country found the way to the top spot, and rock returned mid 2010s..

it's a cycle, trend, or whatever you want to call it and when today's
" touch grass" kids find their class of 2024 song, it will be their anthem.
until it's not, they have kids and the process starts all over again.

Alan Cross did an phenomenonal entry into the reasons music doesn't hold today
and, that is because that sweet spot for theee best music is age 14 ( boys ) and 17 - 19 ( girls ). the best music, as proclaimed by this community... would be shy to say the songs were from this era,
but it's true.

Also pointed out, music previously took its time. No less than 4 minutes - and pushing 6 minutes was normal parameters; versus what seems like chorus enhanced grooves of today.

The other factor, cited on OGHONM*
was the good stuff for to it first.
ie: guitar solos, iconic beats, etc were only first once, then others imitating and trying to make it better. And, personal commentary, upon making it better, will get the heat from " that guy" this isn't new; it is simply to you. . . .

*OGHONM
on going history of new music
CFNY / Alan Cross....

There is also the resources of today within the hour a song can be uploaded and viral by the days end. The more music going in will yield a higher pick n choose group versus anything from the 90s, and earlier.
ie: 2 million songs (2023) uploaded, and
5% make it to the radio _ the following year ( 2024 ) 4 million are available,
the 5% will be higher simply because there is more.... not because it's better

but I doubt anyone on here is between the age of 14 - 20 years old and for that reason already has placed your flag what is the best. My 11 year old son plays music from fortnight and my wife will have tik tok videos using songs that I find enjoyable and wouldn't mind being on the radio.
but that means the CHR has to place forward an effort and rediscover the
like it or launch it / pump it - dump it,
love or hate segment..
however, the nationally syndicated shows just drop 10 seconds voice overs and the music selector goes to known artists:
Beyonce, Rhianna, usher, gaga and puts safety over work.
Same can be said about:
if stations wanted to have a TRUE all request / no Playlist format, and let the mindful ear know their market, it would be bring in numbers and ad dollars, but again, that requires work.

Easier to run a Steve harvey morning show, flip a switch to play the office mix of 105 minutes on 105.5, ( for example )
and then the music will not be top priority,
and it shows...
 
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