Awolnation's "Sail" and the state of Alternative to CHR crossovers

Anyone surprised and maybe dismayed to see Awolnation's "Sail" now climbing the CHR charts?

Yes, I know there's some on these forums who have criticized Alternative for becoming "CHR2" with fewer electric guitar oriented artists, but I'm one who begs to differ on that feeling that format is actually becoming more like it once was when it started (a mix of electronic, folk, punk, rock and other genres that weren't necessarily "pop" at the time).

I can understand groups like Fun., Imagine Dragons, Mumford & Sons and even Capital Cities crossing over to CHR (although I still would argue they were "alternative" when they broke). But Awolnation? And a year-and-a-half-old single (might be close to two years old now). I think it's getting to the point where labels for a lot of Alternative artists are starting to take advantage of the recent cross over just to make a buck. I guess I can't blame them. But when a group like Awolnation is open to crossover (admittedly it was a big Alt hit but still is a strange fit for CHR), I start to worry.

Personally, I like the direction that Alternative has gone. For years, it was becoming so indundated with Active rock that there was barely any difference between the two. And I HATED it. Alternative never was and never should have been all about just harder rock.

If more and more electronic/folkier acts cross over to CHR, I fear that Alternative stations may go back to that more Active leaning sound to differentiate themselves. It hasn't happened yet as almost everything on the Alt charts is NOT on the Active charts where there was much more in common a few years ago.

Now, however, even newer Alternative hits like Lorde's "Royals" and AVCII's "Wake Me Up" are going to both Alternative and CHR similtaneously.

I, for one, don't want to start having to listen to Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke and One Direction to hear the bands I like. And also don't wan't to go back to the head-banging state of affairs Alternative was becoming with the Active crossover.

Not sure what the future holds but the first time I heard "Sail" on my local CHR, which used to be very conservative and stuck to the mainstream pop/rhytmic hits, I cringed.

Not fer nothin', but you've just put together a nice catalog of "alternative" discs I never added. (AWOLNation, I added, but not "Sail".)

When my 13-year-old daughter is the one that first clues me in to a band (that'd be Lorde) it's not Alternative. There's been quite a lot of "CHR-in-waiting" at Alternative, and I'm doing my best to avoid much of it.

Top 30 at Altrok currently looks like this:

1 BLOC PARTY The Nextwave Sessions Frenchkiss
2 TV ON THE RADIO "Mercy" [Single] Federal Prism
3 HAIM "The Wire" [Single]
4 HOLY GHOST! Okay [Single]
5 LOVE LANGUAGE Ruby Red
6 DEER TICK Negativity Partisan
7 HAPPY HOLLOWS Amethyst Pesky Fruit
8 BUCHANAN Human Spring
9 WALKING WHO Mansions EP
10 SNOWDEN No One In Control serpents and snakes
11 DAUGHTER If You Leave Glassnote
12 THE GRISWOLDS Heart Of A Lion [Single]
13 GAUNTLET HAIR Stills Dead Oceans
14 JOHNATHAN RICE Good Graces SQE
15 SPEEDY ORTIZ Major Arcana Carpark
16 FRANZ FERDINAND Right Thoughts Right Words Right Action Domino
17 ARCTIC MONKEYS AM Domino
18 NINE INCH NAILS Hesitation Marks Columbia
19 PRIMAL SCREAM More Light IGNITION
20 ADMIRERS Involuntary Memory Ardent
21 POLICA Chain My Name [Single]
22 BRICK AND MORTAR Bangs [EP]
23 KISSAWAY TRAIL Breach Yep Roc
24 PIXIES EP-1 Self-Released
25 CALIFONE Stitches Dead Oceans
26 DISMEMBERMENT PLAN Daddy Was A Real Good Dancer [Single]
27 CROCODILES Crimes Of Passion Frenchkiss
28 BELLIGERENTS She Calls The Shots Self-Released
29 DINOSAUR BONES Shaky Dream Dine Alone
30 GINKGO Manopause Ibid

That said, I actually did add the new Oh Land, and would be tickled to see it make it. Good lyrics.

^^ Nice playlist. It's actually good to see someone playing real alternative but not giving into all of the Active rock crap either. That's what alternative stations like WHFS in the '80s were playing. Guess my post isn't just about the CHR crossover but also just the fear that Active Rock will again invade Alternative stations if the CHR trend continues. I don't mind if bands "make it" big and were once alternative. Hell, if you include grunge (which I personally don't feel was true "alternative"), plenty of alternative has gone big.

I still think a single like "Sail" is alternative and, at least in my mind, doesn't belong on CHR. Lorde -- I can certainly agree on that one. And you'd be amiss to say that bands like Mumford & Sons and Of Monsters & Men would have ever made it to CHR on their own.

I do admire your more independent approach (judging from your playlist), but still feel that a lot of CHR "in the making" bands would never have made it if it weren't for Alternative stations.

And as much as I hate to say it, in today's world, I doubt very many commercial alternative stations could survive with a playlist like yours (no offense, as I mentioned, I do admire what you're doing).

None taken. Somehow, FM106.3 for much of its tenure as a commercial alternative station, was the latter way more than it was the former. That's what I'm going after with Altrok; it's non-commercial in license, as well as in attitude. It doesn't chase hip for hip's sake, though; I'm just looking for challenging, awkwardly engaging and confident music that makes you want to move.

Over the years, I've felt that the commercial alternative format traded passion for accessibility. The alternative I'm chasing may get ten times fewer listeners, but they're all individually 20 times as thrilled that the station exists. That's the sort of listener I want. (I'll let you know if I get any...)

I don't deny that "Sail" is not on CHR charts but I've not heard it on CHR stations. Unless they are playing a remixed version, I don't expect I will hear it. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

Personally, I'm sick of "Sail". Awolnation has had a few more singles out yet some stations like Radio 105.7 out of Atlanta seems to feel it important to play the damn song once every three hours. That is ridiculous.

Alternative morphs - It goes through stages. Post Punk, New Wave, Grunge, Screamo.... Right now, we are in a New Wave/Electro stage BUT if you have noticed, there are some new albums coming out with singles that have distortion and guitars which leads me to believe we are about to head into a post punk period or straight up grunge. Who knows but Arcade Fire, Queens of the Stone Age, and Arctic Monkeys are all starting to make alternative sound a little more rockish.

Don't get me wrong - I love some of the new wave sounding stuff BUT I'm getting ready for a change.

I've heard "Sail" on WAKS here in Cleveland and was very shocked to hear it, sinces it's a more rhythmic-friendly CHR. I'm also tired of "Sail", though I liked their other singles much better to begin with.
I like the current state of Alternative as much as the previous sound (as I got into the format when bands like Chevelle, Breaking Benjamin, and Linkin Park ran the show), but I am starting to get annoyed with all of the electro stuff on Alternative.
I also have no problems with crossover to Hot AC/CHR, but you can't tell me "We Are Young" and "Safe And Sound" weren't pop songs to begin with. I agree with the rest being Alternative when they started.

Duplicate post

I too am getting sick of "Sail" but I like that alternative has been more inclusive of electronic based music of late. I was reading an article that pointed at MGMT that really got that ball rolling. To me, alternative shouldn't be all guitar based. It never was - except probably in the 2000s when active began to infiltrate the alt charts. It's always been a mix and that's what I like -- is a mix of the various genres. I mean go back to before grunge and groups like The Smiths (how much more electronic can you get than "How Soon is Now?") mixed in with punk groups and more folky acts like 10,000 Maniacs. Even during grunge, you still had things like Garbage, Depeche Mode and Jesus Jones.

So I just hope alternative does continue to embrace a variety of acts and doesn't go back to the more active brand (which IMO is what ultimately killed stations like 99X). To me, at least, the electronic revival has been refreshing - remember they're still is PLENTY of more guitar based rock being played so it's just adding variety, which is always a good thing.

Can't go back and edit but obviously "How Soon is Now?" is not a great example ... It just fits in more with electronic based music than other guitar based rock. But other bands from early alternative and new wave such as New Order were largely more on the electronic/techno side of the spectrum.