CHR Trends: 2015

[Deleted]

I noticed that there isn't really an area on the pop thread to talk about anything that isn't an impacting song on radio but still relates to CHR/popular music as a whole.

I want this to be an area where we can talk about anything from genres of music that we expect to rise/ become dominant/ fade away to the current or next big artists that are gaining a following/ signing record deals/ having cross over potential/ releasing a new single.

For example we have several urban hits crossing over at the moment but there is resistance to this in callout scored and program director desicions. Another is that newcomer Natalie La Rose has been compared to the initial rise of Rihanna; does she have what it takes? Can Alabama Shakes capitilize off thier strong itunes sales and finally produce a CHR hit? Will deep house finally become more common on pop radio like in the UK? Ask questions and debate.

I realize this thread will either flop or become popular, but I think a place to talk about everything CHR that is beyond how a certain song is could be really cool. Let's see where this takes us...

[Ragin]

It's interesting you mention Alabama Shakes. We are in an age in which you would expect more variation in pop music because of digital sales. After all, Pentatonix probably goes nowhere without the Internet. Yet, pop radio seems to still, as of yet, be driven by the music industry at large rather than what is actually popular.

It would be nice to see a trend long overdue where more than just new artists would see pop radio play when they have shown digital sales.

[jjose712]

Radio needs to drop out some prejudices.

For years radio was reluctant to play talent show contestants (when the truth is a lot of artist released in more conventional ways are selected by their labels in a similar fashion), of course it's true that labels didn't help radio to take them seriously, because they usually only use the contestants to cash out while they are popular without make any effort to establish them, the behaviour of Adam Lambert's label during his second era is shameful.

Now there are more people becoming popular through internet, and even people who didn't become popular there use it as a way to gain fans.
Meghan Trainor worked a lot on social media to gain some fans even before All about that bass became big.
And Pentatonix is a perfect example, they won a talent show, but they are on a totally different level of other winners of the same show, and that's because they worked hard to gain more fans, and internet was a big part of that.

The reluctantance to play their music was pretty clear on 2013, because AC practically ignored Little Drummer boy on Christmas season while it was the holiday song that was selling more. Curiously, this past Christmas, things changed a lot and they got two songs in the chart and one of them was even top 5.

I think hip hop and rap are less appealing to pop listeners now that they were in the past. People usually complain that white rappers have no problem to crossover, but that's because white rappers are using a pop singer in the chorus. The times when a song with only rap was able to be big on pop are long gone, I think not even Eminem can deliver that.
And the same with Urban sounds, not even big stars like Rihanna or Beyonce are able to make hits with their songs when they are far from the pop sound.

In terms of country, there's a good while since the last pure crossover, because both FGL songs crossed to pop too changed to recognize (Cruise is directly a different song). A lot of people talk about Sam Hunt bluring the barriers of country, but the truth is he didn't get any crossover yet, even when his songs seems perfect at least for the hot AC format

In recent years the chart became more diverse, curiously it wasn't due to traditional country, R&B or hip hop crossovers but due to alt crossovers. Ballads are back too, so the chart became less dance, and has a more variety of sounds

I won't read that much into Natalie La Rose crossover because the song has a sampler of a very well known Whitney's song. A song of an era that Whitney had to deal with criticism for very too pop. So basically the song is perfect for the format

[skizzo]

Personally I'd like to see pop radio play more pure pop. I mean its the only type of radio where the genre can really shine and dominate.

[funguy10]

There's a lot that CHR radio needs right now that they don't have. I'd really like it if more rock-oriented material made it's way back into the chart just like the way it was in the 2000s. Maybe with some of the more current rock artists out there right now.It would give the pop chart a perfect mix for all genres. (If rock were to comeback I'd expect that Nickelback would return to pop radio as well). I also would like for there to be some more variety band-wise. Many new, interesting bands break out on to pop radio every year but they don't stick around because pop radio is only interested in Maroon 5. Pop radio let go of OneRepublic too.

[Deleted]

Yeah, it's been noted times before that CHR ratings are highest when pure pop is dominant. The mid 90's and 2000's are when ratings were lowest and where times when crossovers dominated from Alt, HAC, and Urban. I think things are neutral now; but ratings have fallen a bit (nothing compared to before though). I find it weird that dance pop is starting to sell better with fewer songs on the format; I was surprised that Ariana is making a dance pop song work again and Pitbull actually has strong sales with Ne-yo again.

Alabama Shakes? I thought why not...they have a large following and the song is no weirder than the Hozier song. I'd keep an eye on that because most of the #1 songs this year have been very different in some way; which is also why I expect 'Lay Me Down' to under perform in the end. 

[jjose712]

Mar 2, 2015 13:26:24 GMT -5 funguy10 said:

There's a lot that CHR radio needs right now that they don't have. I'd really like it if more rock-oriented material made it's way back into the chart just like the way it was in the 2000s. Maybe with some of the more current rock artists out there right now.It would give the pop chart a perfect mix for all genres. (If rock were to comeback I'd expect that Nickelback would return to pop radio as well). I also would like for there to be some more variety band-wise. Many new, interesting bands break out on to pop radio every year but they don't stick around because pop radio is only interested in Maroon 5. Pop radio let go of OneRepublic too.

The problem is pop radio is about what's popular, and rock is not popular right now. The problem with bands having hits on pop radio but not stick there is most of them are not pop bands (that's the reason Maroon 5 and One Republic are on the radio all the time, they are pop bands). Most of them cross from rock or alternative, and in the best case scenario they are able to hit the pop charts with the first single of every era (like Neon Trees)

[Deleted]

Yes 2000's alt rock is basically non-existent these days. The last song of that style released that did okay was 'Maybe' by Sick Puppies. These days it's indie pop and New Wave, with the latter becoming more influential and indie pop becoming more of a HAC staple (Geronimo, High).

I always get frustrated when big hits from Alt cross over but artists totally bomb the release of a follow up. Why can't the next single be sent straight to pop after a hit is established? Waiting for follow ups to cross over never seems to work. I hope Hozier is going to send a second single over here soon, but that probably won't happen just like with Passenger and co.

[tekkenguy]

Mar 2, 2015 13:26:24 GMT -5 funguy10 said:

There's a lot that CHR radio needs right now that they don't have. I'd really like it if more rock-oriented material made it's way back into the chart just like the way it was in the 2000s. Maybe with some of the more current rock artists out there right now.It would give the pop chart a perfect mix for all genres. (If rock were to comeback I'd expect that Nickelback would return to pop radio as well). I also would like for there to be some more variety band-wise. Many new, interesting bands break out on to pop radio every year but they don't stick around because pop radio is only interested in Maroon 5. Pop radio let go of OneRepublic too.

The problem here is that most big hits fly up take off on iTunes before they blow up on radio. There aren't too many examples of major radio-fueled hits lately (i.e., Blame, Don't Tell Em, Burn, Not a Bad Thing). Heck, radio is loving Uptown a Funk but I remember when it was first released radio was way behind sales. It wasn't until around the Christmas freeze that the song really blew up.

[jjose712]

Well, at least pop radio is following tendencies and what's hot end crossover to pop.
I still think djs should take some risks and play songs they like but in the whole corporations the play what their bosses want, and without taking risks there's no way to lead the pack.


Country is way worse, lately the quality and risk in sound and lyrics is written by females while the airplay charts are totally dominated by males singing about the same and with the same sound. This weekend the whole top 10 where males, you didn't find a group till number 12 and a solo female till 20

[Deleted]

Speaking of Mark Ronson, does anybody expect him to release a successful followup hit?  

[Albie]

Mar 10, 2015 22:52:56 GMT -5 @tylo said:

Speaking of Mark Ronson, does anybody expect him to release a successful followup hit?  

Does he ever?

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2015 23:08:51 GMT -5 Albie said:

Mar 10, 2015 22:52:56 GMT -5 @tylo said:

Speaking of Mark Ronson, does anybody expect him to release a successful followup hit?  

Does he ever?

He's pretty consistent in the UK, but he's global now. 

[Albie]

Mar 10, 2015 23:16:35 GMT -5 @tylo said:

Mar 10, 2015 23:08:51 GMT -5 Albie said:

Does he ever?

He's pretty consistent in the UK, but he's global now. 

I guess I was assuming you were talking about the US, given the nature of this thread, and so my question remains.

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2015 23:23:44 GMT -5 Albie said:

Mar 10, 2015 23:16:35 GMT -5 @tylo said:

He's pretty consistent in the UK, but he's global now. 

I guess I was assuming you were talking about the US, given the nature of this thread, and so my question remains.

Uptown Funk is his first hit here...

[Albie]

I don't recall chart performance or anything but I thought "International Affair" was a hit. Maybe that was just in my neck of the woods.

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2015 23:34:32 GMT -5 Albie said:

I don't recall chart performance or anything but I thought "International Affair" was a hit. Maybe that was just in my neck of the woods.

Haha now your question makes sense to me! IA actually did do some damage on rhythmic back in the day! Crazy enough it didn't chart anywhere else though.

[tekkenguy]

Mar 10, 2015 22:52:56 GMT -5 @tylo said:

Speaking of Mark Ronson, does anybody expect him to release a successful followup hit?  

I have a feeling he won't get another hit. There are no other pop superstars on his album (unless you count Stevie Wonder, but his best days are behind him), and the other tracks don't seem radio friendly. Just like with Daft Punk who didn't have any other radio-friendly songs on their album besides "Get Lucky". And Mark's album is selling even worse. I don't think there's any real interest in him; "Uptown Funk" was only a hit because of Bruno.