The Subtle Early Resurgence of Rock (An Alternative to Modern Pop Sounds)

[chrocket87]

Too Close spent a couple of weeks atop the Alternative chart and is rising through the CHR top five. Not bad at all.

 

[atlantaboy]

It's also really noticeable that a lot of CHRs that historically leaned Rhythmic (Kiss/Pittsburgh, KDWB/Minneapolis, WNOU/Indianapolis, WFLZ/Tampa, etc.) are now FORMAT LEADERS for Imagine Dragons, Ed Sheeran, and the Lumineers

 

[carolinaradio]

KDWB has been an adult-friendly CHR for a while now, at least a year if I recall. More and longer than the others you mentioned.

I can't get in to the Lumineers track. At. All.

 

[TheMusicMan]

It's also really noticeable that a lot of CHRs that historically leaned Rhythmic (Kiss/Pittsburgh, KDWB/Minneapolis, WNOU/Indianapolis, WFLZ/Tampa, etc.) are now FORMAT LEADERS for Imagine Dragons, Ed Sheeran, and the Lumineers

Yep, because those songs have huge youth appeal and that's exactly the demographic these stations target. Hell, KIIS was one of the first stations to jump on board "Ho Hey." It's fantastic to hear more variety - and specifically, more guitar-based music - at the format.

I'm really pulling for Of Monsters And Men to cross over. I suspect it's a bit of a stretch even considering CHR's current receptiveness to Alternative, but hey, I can dream. "Little Talks" is my favorite song of the year.

carolinaradio - I completely understand where you're coming from on the Lumineers. I didn't get it at all for the first few months...thought it went absolutely nowhere. It's finally clicked for me over the last few weeks.

 

[atlantaboy]

It's also really noticeable that a lot of CHRs that historically leaned Rhythmic (Kiss/Pittsburgh, KDWB/Minneapolis, WNOU/Indianapolis, WFLZ/Tampa, etc.) are now FORMAT LEADERS for Imagine Dragons, Ed Sheeran, and the Lumineers

Yep, because those songs have huge youth appeal and that's exactly the demographic these stations target.

Which means that, in 2012, rock doesn't necessarily mean adult...and therefore, the excuse that a track "sounds Hot AC" is completely outdated

 

[Wildstyle K]

It's also really noticeable that a lot of CHRs that historically leaned Rhythmic (Kiss/Pittsburgh, KDWB/Minneapolis, WNOU/Indianapolis, WFLZ/Tampa, etc.) are now FORMAT LEADERS for Imagine Dragons, Ed Sheeran, and the Lumineers

Yep, because those songs have huge youth appeal and that's exactly the demographic these stations target.

Which means that, in 2012, rock doesn't necessarily mean adult...and therefore, the excuse that a track "sounds Hot AC" is completely outdated

No, not yet. People are slow. It will take a few months to a year for people to realize a change in music sounds/trends and the old "sounds Hot AC" phrase will linger around for a while. After all, it took a long time for people to get used to the hip hop takeover on top 40 and rhythmics about 10-13 years ago. It "sounded urban" or "sounded hip hop."

 

[justpassingthough]

I think what will make this transition a little more seemless and perhaps even faster, is that people don't live in a music bubble in a same way they used to. The easy availability of music and the advent of ipods has meant that more people are sampling music from different genres and are exposed to music that they wouldn't have been exposed to in the past- so its a much easier sell for a music programmer or director to play that cool new alternative record on CHR and not alienate an audience that is used to pure pop or hip hop. Essentially, this was a process that was started when MTV started to diversify the genres of music they played, but it has accelerated as technology has increased.

 

[atlantaboy]

Do you guys think that sometime in the next year, young-leaning CHRs will go back and play Little Lion Man/The Cave as recurrents/gold? (The assumption being that in 2011 it didn't "fit" into the mix)

 

[Wildstyle K]

Do you guys think that sometime in the next year, young-leaning CHRs will go back and play Little Lion Man/The Cave as recurrents/gold? (The assumption being that in 2011 it didn't "fit" into the mix)

Interesting question, because this happened with a few hip hop songs back when hip hop was dominating the charts. Hip hop hits that some chr's weren't playing when they first came out eventually became recurrents on those same stations that never featured them as new or current hits. I'm guessing the same thing will happen this time around with the pop/rock songs that are currently being ignored by some stations as time goes on and the sound begins to pick up more on chr's.

 

[werecat]

I think what will make this transition a little more seemless and perhaps even faster, is that people don't live in a music bubble in a same way they used to. The easy availability of music and the advent of ipods has meant that more people are sampling music from different genres and are exposed to music that they wouldn't have been exposed to in the past- so its a much easier sell for a music programmer or director to play that cool new alternative record on CHR and not alienate an audience that is used to pure pop or hip hop. Essentially, this was a process that was started when MTV started to diversify the genres of music they played, but it has accelerated as technology has increased.

Justpassingthrough brings up a good point about technology. I can have an Internet radio website open in another tab and, in just a few hours, listen to everything from roots reggae to Japanese heavy metal.

That "Little Lion Man" song is good. I don't think very many pop stations ever played that song. I haven't heard "Little Talks", by Of Monsters And Men, on any pop stations either except for a couple stations that have a definite adult top 40 or alternative lean. If those songs get played every once in a while on pop radio someday, I'd certainly listen to that format more often.

One really good song from a few years ago that probably didn't much pop airplay is "Mykonos", by Fleet Foxes.

The phrase "adult top 40" makes me think of the Nickelback/Daughtry/Three Days Grace/Hinder sort of grungy sound that was popular in the mid 2000s. Some radio stations, especially in small towns it seems, still play a lot of that kind of rock music.

The sort of rock music that gaining a foothold in top 40 territory is something different. While I can only speak for myself, I don't mind hearing some of this "adult alternative" music on pop radio.

 

[Dkampy]

Do you guys think that sometime in the next year, young-leaning CHRs will go back and play Little Lion Man/The Cave as recurrents/gold? (The assumption being that in 2011 it didn't "fit" into the mix)

Should have played them as currents...it is Contemporary Hits...which by definition should be anything that is a hit in current times. Perhaps such a blunder will not happen again. It appears programmers are paying more attention to the itunes charts these days...which is the direct measure of what is popular...much like singles were 30 years ago.

 

[Wildstyle K]

Muse "uprising" just played on Hot 97.5 KMVA. That's a song they didn't play on that station when it first came out but is now playing on the station since it (now) fits their current hits sound. ...

 

[Wildstyle K]

The Lumineers seem to have crossed over. KZZP is playing them. Interesting time in music right now... Not sure how many people have noticed, but a lot, if not the majority, of top 40 music today now contains thoughtful and meaningful lyrics. If necessary, I'll provide a list of songs that actually have a meaningful message or story in them.

 

[atlantaboy]

The Lumineers seem to have crossed over.

Please tell me you're not just figuring this out for the first time... :-\

19 16 LUMINEERS Ho Hey 5284 4205 1079 43.799

 

[atlantaboy]

I'm really pulling for Of Monsters And Men to cross over.

There's a banner up on AllAccess for this song reading "Massive Top 40 Callout"

 

[werecat]

I'm really pulling for Of Monsters And Men to cross over.

There's a banner up on AllAccess for this song reading "Massive Top 40 Callout"

"Little Talks" is already in the top 50. It's at 46 now. This is a pleasant surprise. I thought that pop radio was going to ignore this song.

Alicia Keys and Miguel have songs in the top 40 now. So R&B music without the dance beat isn't completely gone.

http://www.americasmusiccharts.com/index.cgi?fmt=H1&rtmref=americasmusiccharts

 

[Wildstyle K]

The Lumineers seem to have crossed over.

Please tell me you're not just figuring this out for the first time... :-\

19 16 LUMINEERS Ho Hey 5284 4205 1079 43.799

I procrastinated a few weeks on commenting about this. They don't play it often, but when I heard it again last night it reminded me to say something.

Imagine Dragons just played and I think I like their song better than Lumineer's song. I'm enjoying KZZP quite a bit these days.

Alicia Keys and Miguel have songs in the top 40 now. So R&B music without the dance beat isn't completely gone.

http://www.americasmusiccharts.com/index.cgi?fmt=H1&rtmref=americasmusiccharts

I noticed this, too. Some real r&b making a mainstream come back! Question is: Do you think pop/rock and alternative will win the battle or r&b and hip hop? There are quite a bit of hip hop hits that have potential of crossing over to top 40 at the moment and I don't think these new hip hop artists are planning on going anywhere or changing anytime soon. Many of them have already embedded themselves into the rhythmic charts...

Which sound will grab more of mainstream top 40's attention the most in the end?

So far we have pop rock-ish material sneaking back into top 40 and urban sounds impacting rhythmic radio.

 

[atlantaboy]

^I think the problem with R&B right now is that, with the exception of Alicia Keys, it's not selling well - "Adorn" by Miguel just hit #1 on the Rhythmic chart, and it didn't even crack the Top 100 on I-Tunes

 

[werecat]

^I think the problem with R&B right now is that, with the exception of Alicia Keys, it's not selling well - "Adorn" by Miguel just hit #1 on the Rhythmic chart, and it didn't even crack the Top 100 on I-Tunes

Wow, I didn't realize there was so much disparity between that Top 100 chart and Rhythmic!

Anyway, just for the sake of variety, I'd hope that rock music continues to do well and that R&B and non-dance rap music can make a sort of "comeback". I remember just a few years ago when there was almost no rock music on pop radio and some pop stations were basically rhythmic stations. So variety has increased a lot in recent years.

 

[carolinaradio]

Personally, I hope non-dance rap never makes a comeback. I will never miss the likes of L'il Wayne, 50 Cent, Ludacris, etc.

I'm not a huge fan, but I can stomach the Flo-Rida/Nicki Minaj type rap. The stuff until the late 2000s...no way...