It’s Harder For Majors and Indies to Break New Artists
Posted April 10, 2006 — in Music News
Â
According to the LA Times, radio play lists are shrinking even more because the PD’s are suffering from paranoia of being investigated from the recent payola scandals that inflicted the music industry.
 “No programmer wants to draw attention by choosing songs too far outside the mainstream,” said Calococci, who says fear of regulatory scrutiny has made radio executives less willing to play emerging bands. Calococci still plays new music, he said, but “Spitzer has put a chill on everything.”
“Many programmers say that fear of regulatory scrutiny has scared them into airing fewer new songs. Instead, many stations are sticking to older, more tried-and-true tunes that seem less likely to prompt speculation that money changed hands.”
 “I don’t want anyone to look at my playlists six months from now and speculate about why I added a particular song when our competition didn’t add it,” one programmer said.â€? People have been fired for less.”
 What does this all mean? It means you need to be extremely critical in deciding what bands are signed. Artist’s that have zero commercial appeal will suffer the greatest. Nevertheless, this doesn’t help the indie labels, hence both the majors and the Indies are on an equal playing field; no advantage to either party. As far as new music? It just got harder, so get use to listening to Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days“. What is the learning lesson? Being dishonest and paying people off will come back and bite you in the ass. The good news is that playlists should open up in the near future once the situation sizzles.
Â
This is pretty ridiculous. Stale playlists are what have been driving people away in the first place. Also, its the mega-mainstream artists getting 20+ spins a day that raise eyebrows, not the handful of weekly spins from a smaller or newer artist.
If programmers are legit and not accepting payoffs, there’s no reason to be scared of any kind of investigation.
Comment by AJ-KOAR — April 10, 2006 @ 10:51 am
God, so much to say. My first thought is laughing my ass off. These corporate types are so lame. So “scared of investigation”…more like scared to take a chance on something they think is just plain good music. But maybe they’re not 100% to blame. You know how when you haven’t rode a bicycle in a long time how the first 5-10 minutes is very shaky? Same principle. It’s been so long since they’ve had the chance to play music because they think it’s good, they’ve fallen out of practice. What I DON’T understand is, why keep playing major label crap when it’s those same labels whose payola got you busted in the first place? Wouldn’t it throw suspicion AWAY (assuming you had anything to hide) if you actually took a chance on something because you simply liked it? Or it had done well on College/Specialty…or, hell, because the band is selling out the big venue in your town with the help of a label? Guess that’s a bit too lofty an ambition. But then again, that’s why I left the corporate world.
Comment by Notorious Liz — April 10, 2006 @ 11:31 am
once again, the bottom line is, new artists are screwed. what else is new?
Comment by denimdemon — April 10, 2006 @ 12:28 pm
haha, and kids make fun of me for not listening to the radio. My point exactly. Its not like the new music they play is any good anyways. I can think of 1 radio station that is consistently good through out the day in texas. I mean there are a few local shows/ new music shows that are pretty tight, but ehhhh…I’d rather just find the band from a friend.
Comment by Downtime — April 10, 2006 @ 5:22 pm
This is smoke and mirrors! Plan and simple, and I echo Liz and her thoughts.
Radio does not play indie artist because we DO NOT pay under the table, we play the game from the top of the table.
I work both side of the table, major and indie. Radio has a mind of their own, play the music the market cries for, indie or major, PLAY THE MUSIC. The market can dictate the messure of play
Doc Smith
CEO/President
WiseSmith Management Group
Comment by doc smith — April 13, 2006 @ 6:24 pm
I wouldn’t put too much value on this article because Calocci isn’t what most would consider to be ‘credible.’ He works in Top 40, first of all, where small bands have NEVER been given play, and he’s also one of those programmers that is all too familiar with the FCC, as they are constantly breathing down his neck for a variety of reasons.
I don’t think his statements are at all indicative of real trends in radio programming. Seems more like he’s just trying to publicly release a statement claiming he’s not involved in payola (which means he probably is).
Comment by AJ-KOAR — April 15, 2006 @ 12:27 pm
I just don’t have anything to say right now.
mary kay business | order cialis | zanaflex prescriptions | valium prescription | klonopin prescription | zyrtec online pharmacy | spironolactone cod | buy phentermine online | online pharmacy prescription | discount hydrocodone | buy ambien online | cheap phentermine | generic klonopin | ativan cod | philip | cheapest viagra | xenical | diovan | cheapest spironolactone | bird |
Comment by snymrik — June 4, 2006 @ 12:47 am