Why Don't Alt Stations Play All The Hits?

[onefrayedrepublic]

Glancing at the latest chart, I see that 21 Guns (#4), is on 66 stations--the most of all songs. Next up is Notion (#9) on 65 stations while current #1 New Divide is only heard on 61 stations whereas this weeks #19 Sex On Fire is on 62 stations. Other top five songs are getting gyped as well...

#2 Panic Switch (63)
#3 Ain't No Rest.. (61)--why would an alt station NOT play this?
#5 Sound Of Madness (50)

[crash46]

Not financially feasible.

[jvandyck87]

^What do you mean?

[onefrayedrepublic]

Usually pop stations play all of the CHR top 10. I'm not asking Alternative stations to play song #32 any given week, but really, why aren't you playing the #1 song in your format?

[Pipa]

I've wondered this myself. Not even "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is played on each station.

[Rose "Payola" Nylund]

Yeah, it is weird to think that the most popular song on a given format actually isn't played on every station for the format. It would be weird to think that while 'Sex On Fire' was #1, it might not have been played at a station or two ever.

[crash46]

Aug 7, 2009 22:32:25 GMT -5 jvandyck87 said:

^What do you mean?

I think we saw an example of this when "Panic Switch" was within 2 plays of a midweek #1 and ended up over 100 plays short by week's end. #1 essentially went to the highest bidder at that point. I really don't think radio stations give a damn about what's #1 and #2, but the labels that buy all the airplay sure do.

Why would a station play all the hits for free when they can hold out for more money on some of them.

[The Party Captain]

Maybe Linkin Park is well received in their area?

[WotUNeed]

It's also important to remember that sometimes, stations that add early and get poor audience responses end up dropping songs by the time they become big hits. So some songs might actually be added by all of the panel, but not simultaneously.

In the case of Cage the Elephant, probably some conservative stations that are rough on new acts?

"Notion" might be losing out on a station that's still playing the crap out of "Use Somebody" and "Sex on Fire."

[Slinky]

Aug 7, 2009 22:39:36 GMT -5 onefrayedrepublic said:

Usually pop stations play all of the CHR top 10.

That's not really true. There are rhythmic-leaning Pop stations that ignore rock- or country-based top 10s.

It is more of a problem in Alternative though, I'm sure. The Clear Channel stations in particular tend to be really conservative on new music. Look at DC101, for example.

That's one big difference between Pop and Alternative. Pop stations are almost all focused on currents. They may lean rhythmic or rock but they're always going to play the new hits.

Alternative stations aren't like that. Some are really 90's stations that happen to play a few new songs. The chart has a mix of stations that are very active with new music and others that are very slow. There are many songs the slow stations never play, and sometimes, by the time they play them, the faster stations have already dropped the song.

[PHOBES]

Honestly, I'm glad this is an "issue." I'm happy that there's some difference in the playlists of stations. It would be boring if every station played the top 10 or so, plus there'd be next to no movement on the chart.

Also, I rarely enjoy "the hits," when it comes to alternative radio. You'll find me listening to songs 25-50 on my ipod in most cases.

[Cody]

Well in the case of new Divide and Panic Switch, they are already on the decline, might have gotten some drops. Cage The Elephant is a new act, debut single in the US with Aint No Rest, so some stations may have been hesitant with them. For Sound Of Madness you have to remember that this is one of the heaviest Alternative top 5s there has been in recent and even distant memory, its mainly top 5 because of the success of Second Chance along with how Active leaning Alternative stations play the hell out of it.

And it's been mentioned above, but yeah in the end, or even in the beginning most of the stations end up at some point playing each song, they just dont all do it at the same time. Look at Feel Good Drag, best example I can think of