FEATURE:
The First Cut Is Not Always the Deepest
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Moving Radio Playlists Away from the Well-Known Singles
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I have sort of covered this…
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in other pieces concerning radio, but I thought that it warranted repetition. I love radio and, like so many people, these tough times have been made more bearable and positive by radio. It is great to tune into your favourite station and hear a collection of brilliant new and established tracks being played. I do love that you get music, listener interaction and this real sense of community coming through the airwaves. At the heart of radio, of course, is the music itself. I will try not to repeat myself too much, but I know stations have playlists where they play new tracks from various artists every month. Those individual tracks get played several times a day so, if you are a dedicated listener to a station, you might hear the same track several times a day for over a month. It is the way new music is covered by radio, so that as many people as possible can be reached. I am not a huge fan of that method because, even if you really like the song, there are few who will want to listen to it that much – the life and colour of the track is rinsed, and it can get quite irritating. I am not sure what the alternative is but, in previous features, I suggested having playlists refreshed every couple of weeks; so that you’d have an A, B and C-list (depending on the status of the artist and which list they made), and that would be refreshed every fortnight. That way, you’d get quite intense coverage, but it would not be too over the top.
IN THIS PHOTO: Phoebe Bridgers/PHOTO CREDIT: Frank Ockenfels
It is not a big quibble, but I am not a fan of the new music playlists because, ironically, a song might still feature on the playlist as the artist has released another single! The problem I butt up against is when a new artist releases an album, and the fact that there is an opportunity for stations to play non-singles. If, say, Phoebe Bridgers’ Kyoto is on a playlist – as it is on several radio stations -, one has heard that quite a lot. Her Punisher album is now out, and it is receiving massive acclaim and plaudits. Same radio stations might make it their album of the day, which means some deeper cuts are offered and spun. The big issue is, further down the line, how they will revert to the single. That same song that was on the playlist days/weeks ago goes back into rotation, rather than a newer single or an album track. I think, once an album is out and stations have fulfilled an obligation to promote the lead/latest single from it, why then do they not explore the album and play deeper cuts. Bridgers is an excellent example. Punisher has had a few tracks out as singles and, as it is out in the world, people are noticing these great songs that were not released as singles. I think radio should be a space where albums are explored and less-obvious songs are spun.
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Who wants to hear the same single repeated endlessly, when there is a whole album out there full of gold?! I think many people will miss out on a great album if they just hear the same song or two; if they are so used to it and do not realise that the album from which those songs came is so packed with brilliance. This year has provided us with so many world-class albums, and I know so many wonderful songs from those albums will never get airplay. As far as I am aware, as I have stated before, there is no rule that says non-singles are excluded from airplay when an album/single is being promoted. Especially after the release, why are radio stations reluctant to take a song from that album that has not been heard before?! It seems a bit odd. That repetition and over-familiarity with a single can be grating, and it doesn’t seem like the most logical way of promoting an artist and their album. Playing the hits and best-known tracks is important, but the most satisfying thing about radio is when a band or artist is played who you have known for years hits you because this album track arrives. You might think you have heard all the music of Blondie, or Kraftwerk, or Pixies but, just as you think you have them all figured out, a deep cut is played and it changes everything!
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I have moaned about this before when talking about artists like The Beatles and Kate Bush; how the singles are played and you very rarely hear a deeper cut. Album are a beautiful thing, and I think there is a fear that, if a station plays a deep cut or a song that is not instantly recognisable, people will turn the radio off or complain. It is like a band playing a gig and performing an album track when the punters want all the big hits! The same rules don’t really apply to radio. The reason I do love radio is that, now and then, you will hear these rarer tracks that completely hook you. One might buy the album the track is from. At the very least, you have something new and unexpected! I give full credit to radio stations, as they are playing eclectic music and new stuff and trying to please everyone. It is such a tough job balancing the music and making sure you are giving the listeners what they want. It does bother me that so many artists are reduced to a few songs, and the fact that, on their albums, there are some awesome songs that never see the light of the day. The same happens with new artists and that single promotional cycle. When the associated album comes around, the same track or two are aired, but what of the album songs?! I shan’t bring up this subject again for a while, but it is a little shoulder-sagging to hear the same tracks from big and new acts on the radio! I have nothing but respect for radio, but I wonder how the playlists are created and whether there is a genuinely good reason why deep cuts are, for the most part, in the minority when it comes to airtime. There is so much brilliance going begging and, when it comes to the music we hear on our favourite stations, a change would…
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DO them good.