What do radio stations NOT play enough?

[knightfan26917]

I guess the first question should be:
Do you listen to radio much anymore?


With the advent of CDs, satellite radio, iPODS, etc., virtually everyone can create their very own radio station, personalized with no commercials.  This means that the "basic" radio stations, especially those that have to air a lot of commercials, are losing listeners.

For me, one who loves radio, that is kind of sad...especially since it is kinda cool to hear an older song on the radio that brings back memories, even if the whole world has forgotten.  Yeah, it's cool to hear it on the iPOD, too, but when you hear it on the radio, you KNOW you aren't the only one hearing it at that given time....


So ... for those that listen to radio, what do radio stations NOT play enough of?

Personally, the more mix the better ... and, yes, that even includes mixing genres (as I did on my radio shows).  The lines between, say country and rock, are not as definitive as they once were.  I remember in the mid-1990s, when I had my radio show in college, I played Michael Martin Murphy's "Still Taking Chances" ... a song from the 1980s ... and I had a few people call me to find out more about that "new song" and "new artist"....



Cort | 35swm | "Mr Monte Carlo"."Mr Road Trip" | pig valve.pacemaker ...W Grill meal = 02/28/09
WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"It was like a lighted match had been tossed into my soul" ... Trisha Yearwood ... 'The Song Remembers When'

[GRAYWOLF]

Hey, how's it going?

One of my favorite radio stations is back in TX called MandatoryFM. They mix classic rock, blues with Texas Country (different than Nashville country). they do stream on the internet at mandatoryfm.com.

I would say that I miss "oldies" (50's/60's rock) stations and stations don't play enough (any) Texas/red dirt/outlaw/etc country.

[ImpishGrin]

I listen to radio a lot, but only one station actually. Trójka (which means The Three, as it's the 3rd program of polish public radio). I can't stand the commercial stations, they talk too fast (while actually not saying anything important), play crap pop/dance/hiphop/disco/rnb/other s**t music and have lots of commercials.

Trójka is mainly a rock station, with lots of well-known presenters and journalists, many of whom have their own programs. So it's everything from progressive, to punk to heavy metal to alternative and occasionaly other non-rock genres. Plus good concerts, interesting talk shows and other stuff that is absent in commercial radio, because it actually requires people to think a bit while listening

[Otto Puzzell]

There was a station I used to listen to whil working in Cleveland that had a similarly eclectic lineup. Standards and show tunes early in the morning (very soothing on a pre-dawn drive), rockabilly and proto-rock on the drive home, and all kinds of music in between. Other than that, I like to listen to Dennis Miller (syndicated in the US), who has a biting, contrarian view on most every subject. Locally, they recently canceled "Stoney and Wojo" a hillarious sports / game show / call in program that ran in the afternoons. The drive home is just not as much fun any more.

The oldies stations in Detroit lean too heavily on Motown music. I like rock and country from the 50's and 60's, prog rock and punk/new wave from the 70's and early '80's, and early soul artists like James Brown, Wilson Picket and most any of the Philly soul acts. Phil Spector helped crank out some awesome stuff before he went completely mad. Ditto Brian Wilson, who only went temporarily mad, but for far too long.   

On my playlist (ripped to my hard drive) right now, I'm listening to The Fleetwoods, The Beach Boys, Nick Lowe,The Four Seasons, The Steve Miller Band, Dave Edmunds, Eddie Cochran,  Crash Test Dummies and Skeeter Davis.

[Allemano]

Morning playlist Feb. 28. 2009

[neilshouse]

I generally listen to BBC Radio 2 or Radio 4 when I am in the car, no commercials, a good mix of music (Radio 2), intelligent discussion, and humour. I usually have a selection of CDs too, the choice of in-car music makes a big difference to the style of driving.  I was listening to some Vivaldi recently and drove very sedately, a week or so ago I had some AC/DC playing and got to my destination much sooner than I legally should have.

This week I have been mostly listening to the Stranglers.

[knightfan26917]

Hey, how's it going?

Good, you?

...and, you ARE who I think you are, right?  I met you in Dallas in October 2004 ... right?  I know in another thread I mentioned that I was thinking of someone else, but since you mentioned Texas ... I think I was wrong in that thread ... lol .

[Did you follow that?]


Too bad the "powers that be" at the radio stations don't check these boards ... I think they'd learn a thing or 2.



As I mentioned, I'd love to see more variety ... and a better mix ... and simply MORE music.


Heck, if you notice the song quote at the end of all of my posts (sig area), you know what I mean about variety ... old and new!



Cort | 35swm | "Mr Monte Carlo"."Mr Road Trip" | pig valve.pacemaker ...MidW Event = 04/04/09
WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Wouldn't that be something?" ... Finger 11 ... '1 Thing'

[GRAYWOLF]

Hey, how's it going?

Good, you?

...and, you ARE who I think you are, right?  I met you in Dallas in October 2004 ... right?  I know in another thread I mentioned that I was thinking of someone else, but since you mentioned Texas ... I think I was wrong in that thread ... lol .

[Did you follow that?]


Too bad the "powers that be" at the radio stations don't check these boards ... I think they'd learn a thing or 2.

yes, I is me!

We are doing alright, Still trying to get settled in...closing on the new house next month.

The "powers that be" in radio don't really care what is going out over the air as long as it results in higher cume. The better the cume the more they can charge for advertising. The biggest problem is the fear of sticking their neck out. They aren't willing to play anything beyond the bland unflavored popcrap for fear that cume will fall. There isn't a whole lot of money in radio anyway so they are struggling for whatever they can get.

[Otto Puzzell]

Morning playlist Feb. 28. 2009

Love Dusty's stuff.

[Ultra]

http://www.pandora.com/

Radio for the 21st century.

[Otto Puzzell]

I listen there often - though some of their 'matches' make me scratch my head...

[Allemano]

I listen there often - though some of their 'matches' make me scratch my head...

Made often the same experience... Prefer my own Pandora box!
It's like if you asked a friend back then when tapes were still en vogue: "You know my taste of music, please arrange as you like!"
Usually you never requested him/her a second time...

[Boxer2500]

I find myself listening to the local independent no-format FM station - The Trail 103.3 - in Missoula. They play everything: Deep album classic rock tracks, '90s alternative and grunge, some new stuff, bluegrass, jam bands, folk, you name it. Every DJ has free reign to play what they want.

UM's college station is a great resource for discovering bands you'd never hear of on MTV or through a Clear Channel station. My roommate has a weekly show where he plays mostly oddball art rock (on a related note, I think art school types just listen to some of this stuff to confound non-art school types). Other DJs cover hip hop, or lesser known '90s bands. One even has an affinity for Morphine.

Our local NPR affiliate is quite good. Their programming is heavily Montana-centric, and they play a healthy amount of bluegrass and folk.

One of my biggest pet peeves about radio is so-called "classic rock" stations that seem to operate off a single 'Greatest Hits of the 1970s' CD. There is so much great music out there from that era, but all I ever hear is Hotel California, Slow Ride, Stairway to Heaven, and Won't Get Fooled Again. Thank god for the iPod.

[Ultra]

One even has an affinity for Morphine.

[knightfan26917]

Hey, how's it going?

Good, you?

...and, you ARE who I think you are, right?  I met you in Dallas in October 2004 ... right?  I know in another thread I mentioned that I was thinking of someone else, but since you mentioned Texas ... I think I was wrong in that thread ... lol .

[Did you follow that?]


Too bad the "powers that be" at the radio stations don't check these boards ... I think they'd learn a thing or 2.

yes, I is me!

We are doing alright, Still trying to get settled in...closing on the new house next month.

The "powers that be" in radio don't really care what is going out over the air as long as it results in higher cume. The better the cume the more they can charge for advertising. The biggest problem is the fear of sticking their neck out. They aren't willing to play anything beyond the bland unflavored popcrap for fear that cume will fall. There isn't a whole lot of money in radio anyway so they are struggling for whatever they can get.

LOL!  Saw  your note on the other thread.  Good that it IS you!  Good to "see" you again, for sure!


Your note about the "powers that be" kinda accentuates my update to this....  I think the bigger stations don't stick their neck out ... as much as the smaller stations do:

Quick follow up to this thread since radio is "near and dear" to me:
Small town/local radio stations GET the idea of variety...new AND old.

During my recent quick road trip back'n'forth to St Louis MO, I forgot to take some CDs for the drive down ... and, of course, had to listen to the radio.  If I rent, like I did that weekend (had a Dodge Charger), I usually take a few CDs ... just in case.

Listening to the radio back'n'forth to STL wasn't ALL bad, though it became quite obvious how "cookie cutter" some radio stations are.  However ... as I've experienced during my road trips over the years ... radio stations that serve a small area or city/town KNOW how to play variety AND the songs you don't hear much anymore.  I heard some awesome songs (both rock and country) that I have not heard in a LONG time.  Now ... just imagine if ALL radio stations GOT it...!?



Cort | 35swm | "Mr Monte Carlo"."Mr Road Trip" | pig valve.pacemaker ...MidW Event = 04/04/09
WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"A melody can bring back a memory take you to another place in time" ... Clint Black ... 'State Of Mind'

[@re]

I'm a TV reporter, as some of you may know, and many people are shocked to hear that the total number of minutes I listen to the radio over a year probably never gets into double figures. I've just never seen the point in radio, when I can play a CD instead and listen to just the music I want to.

But have any of you guys tried Spotify? I think it's brilliant.

Especially if you've got a recorder on your computer, and a converter that allows you to make mp3 files of everything you listen to...

[ImpishGrin]

I'm a TV reporter, as some of you may know, and many people are shocked to hear that the total number of minutes I listen to the radio over a year probably never gets into double figures. I've just never seen the point in radio, when I can play a CD instead and listen to just the music I want to.

It's ok - I, on the other hand, don't watch tv at all, so the universal balance of all things is maintained

[knightfan26917]

I'm a TV reporter, as some of you may know, and many people are shocked to hear that the total number of minutes I listen to the radio over a year probably never gets into double figures. I've just never seen the point in radio, when I can play a CD instead and listen to just the music I want to.

It's ok - I, on the other hand, don't watch tv at all, so the universal balance of all things is maintained

LOL!

And, @re, didn't know that you are a TV reporter ... cool!



Cort | 35swm | "Mr Monte Carlo"."Mr Road Trip" | pig valve.pacemaker ...RT 66 = Sept 5-16, '09
WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Nothin's ever gonna make perfect sense" ... JoDee Messina ... 'That's The Way'

[Allemano]

15|10|2010 (lazy_sunday_ mix)
time for an update:

[barrett]

I dont listen to the radio for all the reasons that have been mentioned.... BBC4 is good, they did a series of adaptations of John LeCarre books last year that are fantastic... but it's easier to listen to this stuff online at a later date. The best radio station was the now sadly departed Fip.FM from France. I have hundreds of vinyl records, hundreds of CDs and hundreds of gigs of MP3s on my PC, so I never need to go near a radio these days.... and I'm very particular about what I want to hear, and when!
A sample, from today