Slow Board...New music from core artists

[Rumors]

This board is really slow so I thought I would start a post that we might be able to discuss in the coming months. I was just reading about the GGDs song that doesn't seem to have really been released. That got me to wondering about some of the big HotAC names coming out with new albums now and/or early in 2009. Lot's of competition on the way and hopefully great music. too.

Let me start. Who is going to have success and who won't? Any information of album releases, etc.?

Nickelback - new album out 11/18. I don't care for the new single but still expect it to reach #1 as I don't see a lot of core artists with songs on the chart now.

David Cook - anticipating that he will be a core HotAC. I've listened to his album. I'm not sure about it. I think he may get a couple decent HotAC hits from it but nothing like what we just saw during the previous two years from Daughtry.

Kelly Clarkson - I look for a strong effort this time around. She is apparently seeking out some writing help which she does need. Probably will see some kind of upbeat, light rocker. Album release date?

Rob Thomas - I expect him to have one or two top 5 hits at this format at the very least. Of course, I'm the big Rob fan along with a few others on this board. Rob has posted that he expects his album out in March 2009. First single will probably be released mid-February.

Daughtry - I expect him to pick up where he left off. My guess is this will be May/June release.

Goo Goo Dolls - I think they may be nearing their automatic hit status days on the format much like we have seen with Sheryl Crow. Release date for new album?

Anyone else know of any other releases from core HotAC artists? Of course, who is a core artist is really up for debate. I think we are all witnessing a shift in the format. A shift to a more pop oriented format. My HotAC station (non-montored) flipped to an AC station this year when the station was sold. They are now playing 24 hour Christmas music. I'm not a happy camper to stay the least. :(

[atlantaboy]

^Yeah I think Hot AC is havin to shift its core artists to CHR cause it's losing nearly all of its 90s staples (except for Rob Thomas hopefully...) - the new Goo Goo Dolls song sounds almost exactly like Let Love In (with a weaker recording quality for some reason), Alanis's latest CD didn't produce any hits, and the Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, etc. type bands are gone...and many of the new HAC acts of the early 00s like Michelle Branch, Vanessa Carlton, Vertical Horizon, Creed, etc. are nowhere to be found...promising bands of the past couple years like Snow Patrol, Keane, Augustana, and even All-American Rejects don't look like they're gonna be producing any more HAC hits

Third Eye Blind has a new CD comin out, but the lead single isn't supposed to be too radio-friendly (not sure if there are stronger follow-ups - hope there are...)

New Nickelback song isn't producing great callout - it's a hit, but not sure it'll end up bein huge in the long run...Daughtry and Kelly Clarkson seem promising (hopefully), but they'll prob. be core CHR artists also

In the past couple years IMO, CHRs in most markets have become more mainstream, leaving less "room" for Hot AC's (major exception seems to be the West Coast, where there are enough Hispanic/Asian listeners to sustain exclusively rhythmic-leaning CHRs, leavin plenty of room for Modern Hot ACs)

And in a whole lot of markets, the CHR and HAC have been "replaced" by two CHRs (one leaning adult, the other leaning teen/rhythmic)

Triple A has also grown a whole lot (in number of stations and ratings) in the last couple years, further pushing Hot ACs out of some additional markets...and Triple A is breaking more new artists now than Hot AC seems to be

Meanwhile, many mainstream AC stations are now playin the 90s recurrents than HAC used to cover...

So IMO Hot AC'll continue to be strong in the West and in select large markets where the CHR leans Rhythmic - but all in all, think the # of HACs is gonna continue to decline nationwide

It's almost like 95% of new music can either be covered by CHR or Triple A...IMO that might be the core of the prob. for HAC

Hopin I'm wrong though...

[musicfanpete]

Well, I don't think the Mix in Chicago is going away anytime soon. It is more CHR leaning than it used to be, but it works well up against its rhythmic leaning competition. I like the more CHR sound in that I like that they play different genres of music, similar to Star 94 in Atlanta which for all practical purposes is a Hot AC with a CHR rotation. As long as the Mix doesn't completely become a full-fledged CHR and start adding in rap music, it will continue to be a great station.

[Rumors]

Nov 16, 2008 16:44:05 GMT -5 atlantaboy said:

Meanwhile, many mainstream AC stations are now playin the 90s recurrents than HAC used to cover...

This fits the change I've seen at my station. They play all of Rob Thomas' singles and older MB20. When the station was HotAC, they played "How Far We've Come." When the station swithed to AC, they dropped this song. Actually, I kind of like the switch (except for the extended Christmas music period). They dumped all of the crappy pop songs that my HotAC had been playing for a year and picked up hits by older artists...John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks, etc.

[mrclimbfall20]

Isn't Lifehouse a core artist now?

[beejus]

Nov 17, 2008 15:36:28 GMT -5 mrclimbfall20 said:

Isn't Lifehouse a core artist now?

I dunno. Tough call. Most stations only play "Hanging by a Moment" and "You and Me" in Gold.

With the success of "First Time" "Whatever it Takes" and now "Broken" off the newest album, you could say they've placed themselves in "core" status at the moment.

My sleeper pick (Although I'll admit they ARE my favorite band)... Better Than Ezra.

They've had minor-sized hits ("Extra Ordinary in 2001", "A Lifetime" in 2005, and "Juicy" in 2006), plus people still remember "Good" and "Desperately Wanting"


As for David Cook... HUGE around here (I'm south of Kansas City), but I don't see it taking off as much as I thought it would.

Automatic hits on my station? Definitely Daughtry, although people are starting to burn a little on them right now. When Kelly Clarkson returns, I'm sure it'll be an easy add. Nickelback is an instant go too.

[Rumors]

Nov 17, 2008 15:36:28 GMT -5 mrclimbfall20 said:

Isn't Lifehouse a core artist now?

I would probably consider them a core artist but at the same time I don't think they have reached that level with touring revenue and album sales that they are an automatic add. I think PDs will still hold out on their songs to see what other stations are doing or what the response is to an ablum. Of course, this can really be said about any artist (see Clarkson's last album).

As for this particular post, I was just discussing artists that are coming out with a new album in the next few months or will still be on their first or second single. When was Lifehouse's album released? They are on their third single, right?

[atlantaboy]

Nov 16, 2008 18:10:47 GMT -5 musicfanpete said:

Well, I don't think the Mix in Chicago is going away anytime soon.

Oh yeah Mix Chicago IMO isn't goin anywhere cause Kiss/Chicago is basically Rhythmic, leavin complete room for Modern AC

Plus, for some reason mainstream CHR in Chicago doesn't work (or hasn't in the past when they've tried it - similar to Baltimore and L. A. I guess)

[atlantaboy]

Nov 17, 2008 15:36:28 GMT -5 mrclimbfall20 said:

Isn't Lifehouse a core artist now?

IMO definitely, but they're not scheduled for a new CD anytime soon...and right now Lifehouse is basically HAC's only core artist (that's not shared with CHR)

[Hot AC Archiver]

Nickelback should continue their streak. They hold the record for most consecutive weeks in the top 10 with 107, which can be seen as a sign of their popularity. :) Look how fast their latest reached the top 10.

Daughtry is closing in on the consecutive top 10 record. They are around 93 weeks or so at the moment. I see a continued bright future for them as well, as long as they don't wait too long to release a new single.

Rob Thomas has the record for most hits charted on Hot AC (combining MB20 and solo work). I'd guess his streak will continue as well.

Kelly Clarkson is a wild card for me. She's been away for a while, and her last cd only produced one HAC hit. How fickle is HAC when it comes to former American Idols?

David Cook has a chance as both hits have now gone top 20. I agree that he won't be another Daughtry though. (I have not heard the new cd yet).

What has surprised me is the lack of success of the recent singles from former HAC core artists:

Sheryl Crow, who has had 18 charted hits on HAC, barely made top 20 with her last hit, and the cd only produced the one hit.

Sarah McLachlan's latest song struggled at the bottom of the chart.

The Goo Goo Dolls' only spending 1 week on the chart at #40 is a surprise as well. It's only the third of their 14 charted hits not to make the top 10, and the first to miss in 5 years.

[banks]

Robert John "Mutt" Lange's hand-prints are all over new Nickelback like they used to be all over Shania Twain's music and everything else. It'll take over all formats for 16 months or so.

I think Nickelback might get a bit burnt out if they release a bunch of singles because of the formula rock sound (I like to call them Creed 2.0), but I do admit people like them. They're a no-brainer add on my CHR/pop station. Daughtry's taken a few pages out of the NickelCreed book as well.

Some programmers can call Lifehouse a core artist, others can't. The AC in my market plays "Hanging By A Moment". "You and Me", and "Whatever It Takes" and that's it.

I must present this to y'all - tinyurl.com/7y6ze

[atlantaboy]

Nov 17, 2008 23:06:58 GMT -5 Hot AC Archiver said:

Sarah McLachlan's latest song struggled at the bottom of the chart.

The Goo Goo Dolls' only spending 1 week on the chart at #40 is a surprise as well. It's only the third of their 14 charted hits not to make the top 10, and the first to miss in 5 years.

IMO really weak songs...same with new Dido track I think

Almost like HAC is losin all its strong songs from 90s core artists all at once

Also still kinda skeptical about David Cook - and about new Nickelback CD bein able to produce lots of hits (just from the buzz about it)

[atlantaboy]

Nov 18, 2008 0:51:02 GMT -5 banks said:

Some programmers can call Lifehouse a core artist, others can't. The AC in my market plays "Hanging By A Moment". "You and Me", and "Whatever It Takes" and that's it.

Yeah on Hot AC it's actually only four songs (in recurrent/gold rotation)...Hangin By A Moment, You And Me, Whatever It Takes, and First Time - but the first two get played an awful lot